How do you implement Elasticsearch indexing in Spring Boot?

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• 1. Setting Up Elasticsearch in Spring Boot
  • Dependency Configuration
  • Application Properties
• 2. Creating an Elasticsearch Index
  • Using Annotations
  • Using Elasticsearch REST Client
• 3. Indexing Data in Elasticsearch
  • Indexing with Spring Data Elasticsearch
  • Indexing with Elasticsearch REST Client
• 4. Updating and Deleting Indexes
  • Updating an Index
  • Deleting an Index
• Practical Example
  • Batch Indexing
• Conclusion

Introduction

Elasticsearch indexing is the process of adding, updating, and managing data structures that enable fast search and retrieval. In a Spring Boot application, you can leverage Spring Data Elasticsearch or the Elasticsearch REST client to interact with indexes effectively. This guide explains the steps to implement Elasticsearch indexing, including creating indexes, mapping data, and performing CRUD operations.

1. Setting Up Elasticsearch in Spring Boot

Dependency Configuration

Add the required Spring Data Elasticsearch dependency to your pom.xml:

Application Properties

Configure Elasticsearch in the application.properties or application.yml file:

2. Creating an Elasticsearch Index

Using Annotations

Spring Data Elasticsearch provides annotations to define index mapping directly in your entity classes.

When the application starts, the Product entity will automatically map to the products index in Elasticsearch.

Using Elasticsearch REST Client

You can also create an index programmatically using the Elasticsearch REST client.

3. Indexing Data in Elasticsearch

Indexing with Spring Data Elasticsearch

Use the ElasticsearchRepository interface to save data into an index.

Example of saving a product:

Indexing with Elasticsearch REST Client

You can use the REST client for more granular control over indexing.

4. Updating and Deleting Indexes

Updating an Index

For updating mappings or settings, use the PutMappingRequest or similar APIs.

Deleting an Index

Delete an index when it's no longer needed:

Practical Example

Batch Indexing

Index multiple documents in a single operation using bulk indexing.

Conclusion

Implementing Elasticsearch indexing in Spring Boot involves creating and managing indexes, mapping data, and performing CRUD operations. You can use Spring Data Elasticsearch for simplicity or the Elasticsearch REST client for more control. By mastering these techniques, you can effectively store and retrieve data in your Elasticsearch-powered Spring Boot applications.