Index templates let you initialize new indexes with predefined mappings and settings. For example, if you continuously index log data, you can define an index template so that all of these indexes have the same number of shards and replicas.
This command creates a template named `daily_logs` and applies it to any new index whose name matches the pattern `logs-2020-01-*` and also adds it to the `my_logs` alias:
You can create multiple index templates for your indexes. If the index name matches more than one template, OpenSearch takes the mappings and settings from the template with the highest priority and applies it to the index.
For example, say you have the following two templates that both match the `logs-2020-01-02` index and there’s a conflict in the `number_of_shards` field:
Because `template-02` has a higher `priority` value, it takes precedence over `template-01` . The `logs-2020-01-02` index would have the `number_of_shards` value as 3 and the `number_of_replicas` as the default value 1.
Managing multiple index templates has the following challenges:
- If you have duplication between index templates, storing these index templates results in a bigger cluster state.
- If you want to make a change across all your index templates, you have to manually make the change for each template.
You can use composable index templates to overcome these challenges. Composable index templates let you abstract common settings, mappings, and aliases into a reusable building block called a component template.
You can combine component templates to compose an index template.
Settings and mappings that you specify directly in the [create index]({{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/api-reference/index-apis/create-index/) request override any settings or mappings specified in an index template and its component templates.
OpenSearch applies the component templates in the order in which you specify them within the index template. The settings, mappings, and aliases that you specify inside the index template are applied last.