# CopyOnWrite with Elasticsearch **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [November 17, 2018, 12:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176 "2018-11-17T12:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bhalajin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3bc359/32.png) [@bhalajin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bhalajin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 12:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176/1 "2018-11-17T12:13:58Z")
Does Elasticsearch support CopyOnWrite when updating a document ? i.e., During update, instead of performing the update in-place, is it possible to make a copy of the original document and update the copy ? ---
**Author:** ![nik9000](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nik9000/32/44947_2.png) [@nik9000](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nik9000)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 12:35pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176/2 "2018-11-17T12:35:16Z")
We don't have anything built in for that. ---
**Author:** ![bhalajin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3bc359/32.png) [@bhalajin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bhalajin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 1:09pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176/3 "2018-11-17T13:09:39Z")
Thanks Nik. Is there an alternate method to do that ? Or is it possible to just copy an existing document to another document (within the same index) ? ---
**Author:** ![nik9000](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nik9000/32/44947_2.png) [@nik9000](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nik9000)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176/4 "2018-11-17T15:26:48Z")
If you are fetching the document in your application you can send the document back with a new ID. Beyond that I don't know of a way. ---
**Author:** ![bhalajin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3bc359/32.png) [@bhalajin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bhalajin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 4:08pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176/5 "2018-11-17T16:08:19Z")
Cool. Thanks !! That is what I do already. ---
**Author:** ![bhalajin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3bc359/32.png) [@bhalajin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bhalajin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 9:02am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176/6 "2018-11-18T09:02:03Z")
Is there a chance this functionality will be added in a future version of Elasticsearch ? ---
**Author:** ![nik9000](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nik9000/32/44947_2.png) [@nik9000](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nik9000)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 10:20am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176/7 "2018-11-18T10:20:13Z")
I think it depends on what you are using it for and whether you need it done in elasticsearch or you can do it in your application. You could write a plug-in to elasticsearch. I believe you'd implement ActionPlugin. I don't think it is a thing we'd put in Elasticsearch, but I could be wrong. Like I said, if I knew more specifically why it'd be better in Elasticsearch instead of in your application it'd help. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2018, 8:53am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/copyonwrite-with-elasticsearch/157176/9 "2018-12-17T08:53:44Z")
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