# Copy an engine

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-an-engine/291513>\
**Category:** Elastic Search\
**Created:** [December 11, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-an-engine/291513 "2021-12-11T17:37:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![miki\_haiat](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/miki_haiat/32/83361_2.png) [@miki\_haiat](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/miki_haiat)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-an-engine/291513/1 "2021-12-11T17:37:54Z")

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Im trying to figure out if there a way to copy an existing engine with all his properties.

the [API](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/app-search/current/engines.html#engines) doesn't support this feature.

It will be very useful if you create a "DEV" engine and you convert it to a "PROD" engine

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**Author:** ![oleksiy-elastic](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/oleksiy-elastic/32/49074_2.png) [@oleksiy-elastic](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/oleksiy-elastic)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-an-engine/291513/2 "2021-12-11T19:46:06Z")

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Hello, @miki_haiat,

Unfortunately, engine cloning is not supported by App Search at the moment. One workaround that comes to mind for dev/prod engine switching scenarios is using meta engines:

### The initial setup

1. Create an engine (let's call it `engine1`)
2. Create a meta engine (let's call it `my-search`) and add `engine1` into it
3. Index your data into `engine1` and send all of your searches to `my-search`

### Swapping out engines

Now, imagine, you want to make some changes that require you to swap out production engines:

1. Create a new engine `engine2`, index your data into it
2. Add `engine2` into `my-engine` and remove `engine1`
3. As long as your search traffic goes through the meta engine, the swap out procedure should be really graceful and require no downtime.

I hope this helps.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copy-an-engine/291513/3 "2022-11-04T08:33:20Z")

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