Filter search results

Stack

You can use two methods to filter search results:

• Use a boolean query with a filter clause. Search requests apply boolean filters to both search hits and aggregations.
• Use the search API’s post_filter parameter. Search requests apply post filters only to search hits, not aggregations. You can use a post filter to calculate aggregations based on a broader result set, and then further narrow the results.

When you use the post_filter parameter to filter search results, the search hits are filtered after the aggregations are calculated. A post filter has no impact on the aggregation results.

For example, you are selling shirts that have the following properties:

				PUT /shirts
					{
  "mappings": {
    "properties": {
      "brand": { "type": "keyword"},
      "color": { "type": "keyword"},
      "model": { "type": "keyword"}
    }
  }
}
				PUT /shirts/_doc/1?refresh
					{
  "brand": "gucci",
  "color": "red",
  "model": "slim"
}
		

Imagine a user has specified two filters:

color:red and brand:gucci. You only want to show them red shirts made by Gucci in the search results. Normally you would do this with a bool query:

				GET /shirts/_search
					{
  "query": {
    "bool": {
      "filter": [
        { "term": { "color": "red"   }},
        { "term": { "brand": "gucci" }}
      ]
    }
  }
}
		

However, you would also like to use faceted navigation to display a list of other options that the user could click on. Perhaps you have a model field that would allow the user to limit their search results to red Gucci t-shirts or dress-shirts.

This can be done with a terms aggregation:

				GET /shirts/_search
					{
  "query": {
    "bool": {
      "filter": [
        { "term": { "color": "red"   }},
        { "term": { "brand": "gucci" }}
      ]
    }
  },
  "aggs": {
    "models": {
      "terms": { "field": "model" }
    }
  }
}
		

1. Returns the most popular models of red shirts by Gucci.

But perhaps you would also like to tell the user how many Gucci shirts are available in other colors. If you just add a terms aggregation on the color field, you will only get back the color red, because your query returns only red shirts by Gucci.

Instead, you want to include shirts of all colors during aggregation, then apply the colors filter only to the search results. This is the purpose of the post_filter:

				GET /shirts/_search
					{
  "query": {
    "bool": {
      "filter": {
        "term": { "brand": "gucci" }
      }
    }
  },
  "aggs": {
    "colors": {
      "terms": { "field": "color" }
    },
    "color_red": {
      "filter": {
        "term": { "color": "red" }
      },
      "aggs": {
        "models": {
          "terms": { "field": "model" }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "post_filter": {
    "term": { "color": "red" }
  }
}
		

1. The main query now finds all shirts by Gucci, regardless of color.
2. The colors agg returns popular colors for shirts by Gucci.
3. The color_red agg limits the models sub-aggregation to red Gucci shirts.
4. Finally, the post_filter removes colors other than red from the search hits.