# Filtered query vs query w/ filter **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [August 30, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filtered-query-vs-query-w-filter/13415 "2013-08-30T21:22:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asanderson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@asanderson](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/asanderson)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filtered-query-vs-query-w-filter/13415/1 "2013-08-30T21:22:34Z")
Is there any difference in performance (or otherwise) between using a filtered query vs. a query with a filter at the same level? e.g. { "query": { "filtered" : { "query" : { "term" : { "foo" : "bar" } }, "filter" : { "term" : { "foo2" : "bar2" } } } } } vs. { "query": { "term" : { "foo" : "bar" } }, "filter" : { "term" : { "foo2" : "bar2" } } } -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![Jason\_Wee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ea924/32.png) [@Jason\_Wee](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Jason_Wee)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 11:22am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filtered-query-vs-query-w-filter/13415/2 "2013-08-31T11:22:45Z")
The hunch said the first example is probably faster but try execute and record the timespent? it should give an indication. Jason On Sat, Aug 31, 2013 at 5:22 AM, asanderson [a.steven.anderson@gmail.com](mailto:a.steven.anderson@gmail.com)wrote: > Is there any difference in performance (or otherwise) between using a > filtered query vs. a query with a filter at the same level? > > e.g. > { > "query": { > "filtered" : { > "query" : { > "term" : { "foo" : "bar" } > }, > "filter" : { > "term" : { "foo2" : "bar2" } > } > } > } > } > > vs. > > { > "query": { > "term" : { "foo" : "bar" } > }, > "filter" : { > "term" : { "foo2" : "bar2" } > } > } > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "elasticsearch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![polyfractal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/polyfractal/32/48162_2.png) [@polyfractal](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/polyfractal)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filtered-query-vs-query-w-filter/13415/3 "2013-08-31T23:01:07Z")
A filtered query is faster than a top-level filter. Filtered queries first apply the filter, then perform query phase on remaining documents. Top-level filter first executes the query (e.g. on all documents), then applies the top-level filter to docs that matched the query. The only time to use a top-level filter is when you need to filter search results but not facet results. Since top-level filters are applied after queries, and facets get their data from the query results, top-level filters don't affect the facet results at all. This can be useful in certain situations, usually when you need the facet results in the UI to not change. So yeah, tl;dr: use filtered\_query unless you are doing facets and need specific behavior =) -Zach On Friday, August 30, 2013 5:22:34 PM UTC-4, asanderson wrote: > Is there any difference in performance (or otherwise) between using a > filtered query vs. a query with a filter at the same level? > > e.g. > { > "query": { > "filtered" : { > "query" : { > "term" : { "foo" : "bar" } > }, > "filter" : { > "term" : { "foo2" : "bar2" } > } > } > } > } > > vs. > > { > "query": { > "term" : { "foo" : "bar" } > }, > "filter" : { > "term" : { "foo2" : "bar2" } > } > } -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![asanderson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@asanderson](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/asanderson)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filtered-query-vs-query-w-filter/13415/4 "2013-09-03T13:34:42Z")
> A filtered query is faster than a top-level filter. Filtered queries > first apply the filter, then perform query phase on remaining documents. > Top-level filter first executes the query (e.g. on all documents), then > applies the top-level filter to docs that matched the query. > > The only time to use a top-level filter is when you need to filter search > results but not facet results. Since top-level filters are applied after > queries, and facets get their data from the query results, top-level > filters don't affect the facet results at all. This can be useful in > certain situations, usually when you need the facet results in the UI to > not change. > > So yeah, tl;dr: use filtered\_query unless you are doing facets and need > specific behavior =) Zach, Thanks for the explanation. It would be great if the ES guide had this explanation. Also, it would be great if top level filters had some parameter that allowed one to specify before or after query phase. Thanks! Steve -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 2:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filtered-query-vs-query-w-filter/13415/5 "2017-07-06T02:18:23Z")