[[modules-scripting]] == Scripting The scripting module allows to use scripts in order to evaluate custom expressions. For example, scripts can be used to return "script fields" as part of a search request, or can be used to evaluate a custom score for a query and so on. The scripting module uses by default http://groovy.codehaus.org/[groovy] (previously http://mvel.codehaus.org/[mvel] in 1.3.x and earlier) as the scripting language with some extensions. Groovy is used since it is extremely fast and very simple to use. .Groovy dynamic scripting off by default from v1.4.3 [IMPORTANT] =================================================== Groovy dynamic scripting is off by default, preventing dynamic Groovy scripts from being accepted as part of a request or retrieved from the special `.scripts` index. You will still be able to use Groovy scripts stored in files in the `config/scripts/` directory on every node. To convert an inline script to a file, take this simple script as an example: [source,json] ----------------------------------- GET /_search { "script_fields": { "my_field": { "script": "1 + my_var", "params": { "my_var": 2 } } } } ----------------------------------- Save the contents of the script as a file called `config/scripts/my_script.groovy` on every data node in the cluster: [source,js] ----------------------------------- 1 + my_var ----------------------------------- Now you can access the script by file name (without the extension): [source,json] ----------------------------------- GET /_search { "script_fields": { "my_field": { "script_file": "my_script", "params": { "my_var": 2 } } } } ----------------------------------- =================================================== Additional `lang` plugins are provided to allow to execute scripts in different languages. All places where a `script` parameter can be used, a `lang` parameter (on the same level) can be provided to define the language of the script. The following are the supported scripting languages: [cols="<,<,<",options="header",] |======================================================================= |Language |Sandboxed |Required plugin |groovy |no |built-in |expression |yes |built-in |mustache |yes |built-in |mvel |no |https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch-lang-mvel[elasticsearch-lang-mvel] |javascript |no |https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch-lang-javascript[elasticsearch-lang-javascript] |python |no |https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch-lang-python[elasticsearch-lang-python] |======================================================================= To increase security, Elasticsearch does not allow you to specify scripts for non-sandboxed languages with a request. Instead, scripts must be placed in the `scripts` directory inside the configuration directory (the directory where elasticsearch.yml is). Scripts placed into this directory will automatically be picked up and be available to be used. Once a script has been placed in this directory, it can be referenced by name. For example, a script called `calculate-score.groovy` can be referenced in a request like this: [source,sh] -------------------------------------------------- $ tree config config ├── elasticsearch.yml ├── logging.yml └── scripts └── calculate-score.groovy -------------------------------------------------- [source,sh] -------------------------------------------------- $ cat config/scripts/calculate-score.groovy log(_score * 2) + my_modifier -------------------------------------------------- [source,js] -------------------------------------------------- curl -XPOST localhost:9200/_search -d '{ "query": { "function_score": { "query": { "match": { "body": "foo" } }, "functions": [ { "script_score": { "lang": "groovy", "script_file": "calculate-score", "params": { "my_modifier": 8 } } } ] } } }' -------------------------------------------------- The name of the script is derived from the hierarchy of directories it exists under, and the file name without the lang extension. For example, a script placed under `config/scripts/group1/group2/test.py` will be named `group1_group2_test`. [float] === Indexed Scripts Elasticsearch allows you to store scripts in an internal index known as `.scripts` and reference them by id. There are REST endpoints to manage indexed scripts as follows: Requests to the scripts endpoint look like : [source,js] ----------------------------------- /_scripts/{lang}/{id} ----------------------------------- Where the `lang` part is the language the script is in and the `id` part is the id of the script. In the `.scripts` index the type of the document will be set to the `lang`. [source,js] ----------------------------------- curl -XPOST localhost:9200/_scripts/groovy/indexedCalculateScore -d '{ "script": "log(_score * 2) + my_modifier" }' ----------------------------------- This will create a document with id: `indexedCalculateScore` and type: `groovy` in the `.scripts` index. The type of the document is the language used by the script. This script can be accessed at query time by appending `_id` to the script parameter and passing the script id. So `script` becomes `script_id`.: [source,js] -------------------------------------------------- curl -XPOST localhost:9200/_search -d '{ "query": { "function_score": { "query": { "match": { "body": "foo" } }, "functions": [ { "script_score": { "script_id": "indexedCalculateScore", "lang" : "groovy", "params": { "my_modifier": 8 } } } ] } } }' -------------------------------------------------- The script can be viewed by: [source,js] ----------------------------------- curl -XGET localhost:9200/_scripts/groovy/indexedCalculateScore ----------------------------------- This is rendered as: [source,js] ----------------------------------- '{ "script": "log(_score * 2) + my_modifier" }' ----------------------------------- Indexed scripts can be deleted by: [source,js] ----------------------------------- curl -XDELETE localhost:9200/_scripts/groovy/indexedCalculateScore ----------------------------------- [float] [[enable-dynamic-scripting]] === Enabling dynamic scripting We recommend running Elasticsearch behind an application or proxy, which protects Elasticsearch from the outside world. If users are allowed to run inline scripts (even in a search request) or indexed scripts, then they have the same access to your box as the user that Elasticsearch is running as. For this reason dynamic scripting is allowed only for sandboxed languages by default. First, you should not run Elasticsearch as the `root` user, as this would allow a script to access or do *anything* on your server, without limitations. Second, you should not expose Elasticsearch directly to users, but instead have a proxy application inbetween. If you *do* intend to expose Elasticsearch directly to your users, then you have to decide whether you trust them enough to run scripts on your box or not. It is possible to enable scripts based on their source, for every script engine, through the following settings that need to be added to the `config/elasticsearch.yml` file on every node. [source,yaml] ----------------------------------- script.inline: on script.indexed: on ----------------------------------- While this still allows execution of named scripts provided in the config, or _native_ Java scripts registered through plugins, it also allows users to run arbitrary scripts via the API. Instead of sending the name of the file as the script, the body of the script can be sent instead or retrieved from the `.scripts` indexed if previously stored. There are three possible configuration values for any of the fine-grained script settings: [cols="<,<",options="header",] |======================================================================= |Value |Description | `off` |scripting is turned off completely, in the context of the setting being set. | `on` |scripting is turned on, in the context of the setting being set. | `sandbox` |scripts may be executed only for languages that are sandboxed |======================================================================= The default values are the following: [source,yaml] ----------------------------------- script.inline: sandbox script.indexed: sandbox script.file: on ----------------------------------- NOTE: Global scripting settings affect the `mustache` scripting language. <> internally use the `mustache` language, and will still be enabled by default as the `mustache` engine is sandboxed, but they will be enabled/disabled according to fine-grained settings specified in `elasticsearch.yml`. It is also possible to control which operations can execute scripts. The supported operations are: [cols="<,<",options="header",] |======================================================================= |Value |Description | `aggs` |Aggregations (wherever they may be used) | `mapping` |Mappings (script transform feature) | `search` |Search api, Percolator api and Suggester api (e.g filters, script_fields) | `update` |Update api | `plugin` |Any plugin that makes use of scripts under the generic `plugin` category |======================================================================= Plugins can also define custom operations that they use scripts for instead of using the generic `plugin` category. Those operations can be referred to in the following form: `${pluginName}_${operation}`. The following example disables scripting for `update` and `mapping` operations, regardless of the script source, for any engine. Scripts can still be executed from sandboxed languages as part of `aggregations`, `search` and plugins execution though, as the above defaults still get applied. [source,yaml] ----------------------------------- script.update: off script.mapping: off ----------------------------------- Generic settings get applied in order, operation based ones have precedence over source based ones. Language specific settings are supported too. They need to be prefixed with the `script.engine.` prefix and have precedence over any other generic settings. [source,yaml] ----------------------------------- script.engine.groovy.file.aggs: on script.engine.groovy.file.mapping: on script.engine.groovy.file.search: on script.engine.groovy.file.update: on script.engine.groovy.file.plugin: on script.engine.groovy.indexed.aggs: on script.engine.groovy.indexed.mapping: off script.engine.groovy.indexed.search: on script.engine.groovy.indexed.update: off script.engine.groovy.indexed.plugin: off script.engine.groovy.inline.aggs: on script.engine.groovy.inline.mapping: off script.engine.groovy.inline.search: off script.engine.groovy.inline.update: off script.engine.groovy.inline.plugin: off ----------------------------------- [float] === Default Scripting Language The default scripting language (assuming no `lang` parameter is provided) is `groovy`. In order to change it, set the `script.default_lang` to the appropriate language. [float] === Automatic Script Reloading The `config/scripts` directory is scanned periodically for changes. New and changed scripts are reloaded and deleted script are removed from preloaded scripts cache. The reload frequency can be specified using `watcher.interval` setting, which defaults to `60s`. To disable script reloading completely set `script.auto_reload_enabled` to `false`. [[native-java-scripts]] [float] === Native (Java) Scripts Even though `groovy` is pretty fast, this allows to register native Java based scripts for faster execution. In order to allow for scripts, the `NativeScriptFactory` needs to be implemented that constructs the script that will be executed. There are two main types, one that extends `AbstractExecutableScript` and one that extends `AbstractSearchScript` (probably the one most users will extend, with additional helper classes in `AbstractLongSearchScript`, `AbstractDoubleSearchScript`, and `AbstractFloatSearchScript`). Registering them can either be done by settings, for example: `script.native.my.type` set to `sample.MyNativeScriptFactory` will register a script named `my`. Another option is in a plugin, access `ScriptModule` and call `registerScript` on it. Executing the script is done by specifying the `lang` as `native`, and the name of the script as the `script`. Note, the scripts need to be in the classpath of elasticsearch. One simple way to do it is to create a directory under plugins (choose a descriptive name), and place the jar / classes files there. They will be automatically loaded. [float] === Lucene Expressions Scripts experimental[The Lucene expressions module is undergoing significant development and the exposed functionality is likely to change in the future] Lucene's expressions module provides a mechanism to compile a `javascript` expression to bytecode. This allows very fast execution, as if you had written a `native` script. Expression scripts can be used in `script_score`, `script_fields`, sort scripts and numeric aggregation scripts. See the link:http://lucene.apache.org/core/4_9_0/expressions/index.html?org/apache/lucene/expressions/js/package-summary.html[expressions module documentation] for details on what operators and functions are available. Variables in `expression` scripts are available to access: * Single valued document fields, e.g. `doc['myfield'].value` * Parameters passed into the script, e.g. `mymodifier` * The current document's score, `_score` (only available when used in a `script_score`) There are a few limitations relative to other script languages: * Only numeric fields may be accessed * Stored fields are not available * If a field is sparse (only some documents contain a value), documents missing the field will have a value of `0` [float] === Score In all scripts that can be used in aggregations, the current document's score is accessible in `_score`. [float] === Computing scores based on terms in scripts see <> [float] === Document Fields Most scripting revolve around the use of specific document fields data. The `doc['field_name']` can be used to access specific field data within a document (the document in question is usually derived by the context the script is used). Document fields are very fast to access since they end up being loaded into memory (all the relevant field values/tokens are loaded to memory). Note, however, that the `doc[...]` notation only allows for simple valued fields (can’t return a json object from it) and makes sense only on non-analyzed or single term based fields. The following data can be extracted from a field: [cols="<,<",options="header",] |======================================================================= |Expression |Description |`doc['field_name'].value` |The native value of the field. For example, if its a short type, it will be short. |`doc['field_name'].values` |The native array values of the field. For example, if its a short type, it will be short[]. Remember, a field can have several values within a single doc. Returns an empty array if the field has no values. |`doc['field_name'].empty` |A boolean indicating if the field has no values within the doc. |`doc['field_name'].multiValued` |A boolean indicating that the field has several values within the corpus. |`doc['field_name'].lat` |The latitude of a geo point type. |`doc['field_name'].lon` |The longitude of a geo point type. |`doc['field_name'].lats` |The latitudes of a geo point type. |`doc['field_name'].lons` |The longitudes of a geo point type. |`doc['field_name'].distance(lat, lon)` |The `plane` distance (in meters) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon. |`doc['field_name'].distanceWithDefault(lat, lon, default)` |The `plane` distance (in meters) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon with a default value. |`doc['field_name'].distanceInMiles(lat, lon)` |The `plane` distance (in miles) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon. |`doc['field_name'].distanceInMilesWithDefault(lat, lon, default)` |The `plane` distance (in miles) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon with a default value. |`doc['field_name'].distanceInKm(lat, lon)` |The `plane` distance (in km) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon. |`doc['field_name'].distanceInKmWithDefault(lat, lon, default)` |The `plane` distance (in km) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon with a default value. |`doc['field_name'].arcDistance(lat, lon)` |The `arc` distance (in meters) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon. |`doc['field_name'].arcDistanceWithDefault(lat, lon, default)` |The `arc` distance (in meters) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon with a default value. |`doc['field_name'].arcDistanceInMiles(lat, lon)` |The `arc` distance (in miles) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon. |`doc['field_name'].arcDistanceInMilesWithDefault(lat, lon, default)` |The `arc` distance (in miles) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon with a default value. |`doc['field_name'].arcDistanceInKm(lat, lon)` |The `arc` distance (in km) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon. |`doc['field_name'].arcDistanceInKmWithDefault(lat, lon, default)` |The `arc` distance (in km) of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon with a default value. |`doc['field_name'].factorDistance(lat, lon)` |The distance factor of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon. |`doc['field_name'].factorDistance(lat, lon, default)` |The distance factor of this geo point field from the provided lat/lon with a default value. |`doc['field_name'].geohashDistance(geohash)` |The `arc` distance (in meters) of this geo point field from the provided geohash. |`doc['field_name'].geohashDistanceInKm(geohash)` |The `arc` distance (in km) of this geo point field from the provided geohash. |`doc['field_name'].geohashDistanceInMiles(geohash)` |The `arc` distance (in miles) of this geo point field from the provided geohash. |======================================================================= [float] === Stored Fields Stored fields can also be accessed when executing a script. Note, they are much slower to access compared with document fields, as they are not loaded into memory. They can be simply accessed using `_fields['my_field_name'].value` or `_fields['my_field_name'].values`. [float] === Accessing the score of a document within a script When using scripting for calculating the score of a document (for instance, with the `function_score` query), you can access the score using the `_score` variable inside of a Groovy script. [float] === Source Field The source field can also be accessed when executing a script. The source field is loaded per doc, parsed, and then provided to the script for evaluation. The `_source` forms the context under which the source field can be accessed, for example `_source.obj2.obj1.field3`. Accessing `_source` is much slower compared to using `_doc` but the data is not loaded into memory. For a single field access `_fields` may be faster than using `_source` due to the extra overhead of potentially parsing large documents. However, `_source` may be faster if you access multiple fields or if the source has already been loaded for other purposes. [float] === Groovy Built In Functions There are several built in functions that can be used within scripts. They include: [cols="<,<",options="header",] |======================================================================= |Function |Description |`sin(a)` |Returns the trigonometric sine of an angle. |`cos(a)` |Returns the trigonometric cosine of an angle. |`tan(a)` |Returns the trigonometric tangent of an angle. |`asin(a)` |Returns the arc sine of a value. |`acos(a)` |Returns the arc cosine of a value. |`atan(a)` |Returns the arc tangent of a value. |`toRadians(angdeg)` |Converts an angle measured in degrees to an approximately equivalent angle measured in radians |`toDegrees(angrad)` |Converts an angle measured in radians to an approximately equivalent angle measured in degrees. |`exp(a)` |Returns Euler's number _e_ raised to the power of value. |`log(a)` |Returns the natural logarithm (base _e_) of a value. |`log10(a)` |Returns the base 10 logarithm of a value. |`sqrt(a)` |Returns the correctly rounded positive square root of a value. |`cbrt(a)` |Returns the cube root of a double value. |`IEEEremainder(f1, f2)` |Computes the remainder operation on two arguments as prescribed by the IEEE 754 standard. |`ceil(a)` |Returns the smallest (closest to negative infinity) value that is greater than or equal to the argument and is equal to a mathematical integer. |`floor(a)` |Returns the largest (closest to positive infinity) value that is less than or equal to the argument and is equal to a mathematical integer. |`rint(a)` |Returns the value that is closest in value to the argument and is equal to a mathematical integer. |`atan2(y, x)` |Returns the angle _theta_ from the conversion of rectangular coordinates (_x_, _y_) to polar coordinates (r,_theta_). |`pow(a, b)` |Returns the value of the first argument raised to the power of the second argument. |`round(a)` |Returns the closest _int_ to the argument. |`random()` |Returns a random _double_ value. |`abs(a)` |Returns the absolute value of a value. |`max(a, b)` |Returns the greater of two values. |`min(a, b)` |Returns the smaller of two values. |`ulp(d)` |Returns the size of an ulp of the argument. |`signum(d)` |Returns the signum function of the argument. |`sinh(x)` |Returns the hyperbolic sine of a value. |`cosh(x)` |Returns the hyperbolic cosine of a value. |`tanh(x)` |Returns the hyperbolic tangent of a value. |`hypot(x, y)` |Returns sqrt(_x2_ + _y2_) without intermediate overflow or underflow. |======================================================================= [float] === Arithmetic precision in MVEL When dividing two numbers using MVEL based scripts, the engine tries to be smart and adheres to the default behaviour of java. This means if you divide two integers (you might have configured the fields as integer in the mapping), the result will also be an integer. This means, if a calculation like `1/num` is happening in your scripts and `num` is an integer with the value of `8`, the result is `0` even though you were expecting it to be `0.125`. You may need to enforce precision by explicitly using a double like `1.0/num` in order to get the expected result.