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Define and Use a Search Template in Elasticsearch

The search API in Elasticsearch is a very powerful tool to extract just what you're looking for from vast amounts of data. However, if you were to use Elasticsearch as a backend search engine for an application or a website, you can't expect your users to know how to craft search queries in Elasticsearch. Search templates allow a developer to create a complex search and abstract all the search terms into parameters. Then, all the developer has to do is request the parameters from the user and execute the templated search query with the user-provided values. In this hands-on lab, you will exercise the following: * Create a search template and abstract various search terms * Execute a search using a saved search template

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Path Info

Level

Advanced

Duration

2h 0m

Last updated

Jun 03, 2025

Challenge

Create and store the search template as per instructions.

Use the Kibana console tool to execute the following:

POST _scripts/shakespeare_text_search
{
  "script": {
    "lang": "mustache",
    "source": {
      "query": {
        "match": {
          "text_entry": "{{text}}"
        }
      },
      "from": "{{ page }}{{^page}}0{{/page}}",
      "size": "{{ size }}{{^size}}25{{/size}}"
    }
  }
}

Challenge

Execute a search on the search template.

Use the Kibana console tool to execute the following:

GET _search/template
{
  "id": "shakespeare_text_search",
  "params": {
    "text": "love",
    "page": 5,
    "size": 100
  }
}

Author

Pluralsight Skills

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

What's a lab?

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

Provided environment for hands-on practice

We will provide the credentials and environment necessary for you to practice right within your browser.

Guided walkthrough

Follow along with the author’s guided walkthrough and build something new in your provided environment!

Did you know?

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you get time for practice.

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