# \[Filter Context\] terms query vs should query
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filter-context-terms-query-vs-should-query/177557
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [April 19, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filter-context-terms-query-vs-should-query/177557 "2019-04-19T02:31:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@anirudh\_bharadwaj](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/anirudh_bharadwaj)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filter-context-terms-query-vs-should-query/177557/1 "2019-04-19T02:31:58Z")
I want to know the difference in query performance of a terms query vs a should query in filter context.
i.e,
* * *
# Approach 1
Result =
(myField in ['A1', 'A2'] **AND** condition-1)
**OR**
(myField in ['B1', 'B2'] **AND** condition-2)
# Approach 2
Result =
(myField ='A1' **AND** condition-1)
**OR**
(myField ='A2' **AND** condition-1)
**OR**
(myField ='B1' **AND** condition-2)
**OR**
(myField ='B2' **AND** condition-2)
* * *
`myField` is a keyword
`condition-N` is a bool query
`(myField ='A1' **AND** condition-1)` **represents**
```auto
"bool" : { "filter" : [{"term" : {"myField" : "A1"}},{condition-1 }]}
```
`(myField in ['A1', 'A2'] **AND** condition-1)` **represents**
```auto
"bool" : { "filter" : [{"terms" : {"myField" : ["A1", "A2"]}},{condition-1 } ]}
```
`boolquery-A OR boolquery-B` **represents**
```auto
"should" : [{boolquery-A},{boolquery-B}]
```
and has `"minimum_should_match" : "1"`
* * *
I want to know if the query optimizer would plan both approaches in the same way. If not, which approach would be more efficient in terms of query performance.
I tested both approaches and did not find much difference in performance.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2019, 2:32am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filter-context-terms-query-vs-should-query/177557/2 "2019-05-17T02:32:02Z")
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