elasticsearch/docs/reference/data-streams/data-streams.asciidoc

[role="xpack"]
[[data-streams]]
= Data streams
++++
<titleabbrev>Data streams</titleabbrev>
++++

A _data stream_ is a convenient, scalable way to ingest, search, and manage
continuously generated time series data.

Time series data, such as logs, tends to grow over time. While storing an entire
time series in a single {es} index is simpler, it is often more efficient and
cost-effective to store large volumes of data across multiple, time-based
indices. Multiple indices let you move indices containing older, less frequently
queried data to less expensive hardware and delete indices when they're no
longer needed, reducing overhead and storage costs.

A data stream is designed to give you the best of both worlds:

* The simplicity of a single named resource you can use for requests
* The storage, scalability, and cost-saving benefits of multiple indices

You can submit indexing and search requests directly to a data stream. The
stream automatically routes the requests to a collection of hidden
_backing indices_ that store the stream's data.

You can use <<index-lifecycle-management,{ilm} ({ilm-init})>> to automate the
management of these backing indices. {ilm-init} lets you automatically spin up
new backing indices, allocate indices to different hardware, delete old indices,
and take other automatic actions based on age or size criteria you set. Use data
streams and {ilm-init} to seamlessly scale your data storage based on your
budget, performance, resiliency, and retention needs.


[discrete]
[[when-to-use-data-streams]]
== When to use data streams

We recommend using data streams if you:

* Use {es} to ingest, search, and manage large volumes of time series data
* Want to scale and reduce costs by using {ilm-init} to automate the management
  of your indices
* Index large volumes of time series data in {es} but rarely delete or update
  individual documents


[discrete]
[[backing-indices]]
== Backing indices
A data stream consists of one or more _backing indices_. Backing indices are
<<index-hidden,hidden>>, auto-generated indices used to store a stream's
documents.

image::images/data-streams/data-streams-diagram.svg[align="center"]

To create backing indices, each data stream requires a matching
<<indices-templates,index template>>. This template acts as a blueprint for the
stream's backing indices. It specifies:

* One or more wildcard (`*`) patterns that match the name of the stream.

* The mappings and settings for the stream's backing indices.

* That the template is used exclusively for data streams.

Every document indexed to a data stream must have a `@timestamp` field. This
field can be mapped as a <<date,`date`>> or <<date_nanos,`date_nanos`>> field
data type by the stream's index template. If the template does not specify a
mapping, the `@timestamp` field is mapped as a `date` field  with default
options.

The same index template can be used to create multiple data streams.


[discrete]
[[data-streams-generation]]
== Generation

Each data stream tracks its _generation_: a six-digit, zero-padded integer
that acts as a cumulative count of the data stream's backing indices. This count
includes any deleted indices for the stream. The generation is incremented
whenever a new backing index is added to the stream.

When a backing index is created, the index is named using the following
convention:

[source,text]
----
.ds-<data-stream>-<generation>
----

For example, the `web-server-logs` data stream has a generation of `34`. The
most recently created backing index for this data stream is named
`.ds-web-server-logs-000034`.

Because the generation increments with each new backing index, backing indices
with a higher generation contain more recent data. Backing indices with a lower
generation contain older data.

A backing index's name can change after its creation due to a
<<indices-shrink-index,shrink>>, <<snapshots-restore-snapshot,restore>>, or
other operations. However, renaming a backing index does not detach it from a
data stream.

[discrete]
[[data-stream-read-requests]]
== Read requests

When a read request is sent to a data stream, it routes the request to all its
backing indices. For example, a search request sent to a data stream would query
all its backing indices.

image::images/data-streams/data-streams-search-request.svg[align="center"]

[discrete]
[[data-stream-write-index]]
== Write index

The most recently created backing index is the data stream’s only
_write index_. The data stream routes all indexing requests for new documents to
this index.

image::images/data-streams/data-streams-index-request.svg[align="center"]

You cannot add new documents to a stream's other backing indices, even by
sending requests directly to the index.

Because it's the only index capable of ingesting new documents, you cannot
perform operations on a write index that might hinder indexing. These
prohibited operations include:

* <<indices-clone-index,Clone>>
* <<indices-close,Close>>
* <<indices-delete-index,Delete>>
* <<freeze-index-api,Freeze>>
* <<indices-shrink-index,Shrink>>
* <<indices-split-index,Split>>

[discrete]
[[data-streams-rollover]]
== Rollover

When a data stream is created, one backing index is automatically created.
Because this single index is also the most recently created backing index, it
acts as the stream's write index.

A <<indices-rollover-index,rollover>> creates a new backing index for a data
stream. This new backing index becomes the stream's write index, replacing
the current one, and increments the stream's generation.

In most cases, we recommend using <<index-lifecycle-management,{ilm}
({ilm-init})>> to automate rollovers for data streams. This lets you
automatically roll over the current write index when it meets specified
criteria, such as a maximum age or size.

However, you can also use the <<indices-rollover-index,rollover API>> to
manually perform a rollover. See <<manually-roll-over-a-data-stream>>.

[discrete]
[[data-streams-append-only]]
== Append-only

For most time series use cases, existing data is rarely, if ever, updated.
Because of this, data streams are designed to be append-only.

You can send <<add-documents-to-a-data-stream,indexing requests for new
documents>> directly to a data stream. However, you cannot send the update or
deletion requests for existing documents directly to a data stream.

Instead, you can use the <<docs-update-by-query,update by query>> and
<<docs-delete-by-query,delete by query>> APIs to update or delete existing
documents in a data stream. See <<update-docs-in-a-data-stream-by-query>> and <<delete-docs-in-a-data-stream-by-query>>.

If needed, you can update or delete a document by submitting requests to the
backing index containing the document. See
<<update-delete-docs-in-a-backing-index>>.

TIP: If you frequently update or delete existing documents,
we recommend using an <<indices-add-alias,index alias>> and
<<indices-templates,index template>> instead of a data stream. You can still
use <<index-lifecycle-management,{ilm-init}>> to manage indices for the alias.

include::set-up-a-data-stream.asciidoc[]
include::use-a-data-stream.asciidoc[]
include::change-mappings-and-settings.asciidoc[]