# How to check if an index exists over HTTP? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [July 23, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-check-if-an-index-exists-over-http/4935 "2011-07-23T19:14:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ajsie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@ajsie](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ajsie)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-check-if-an-index-exists-over-http/4935/1 "2011-07-23T19:14:20Z")
I wanna create a new index if it doesn't already exist. How can I check that? ---
**Author:** ![kimchy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kimchy/32/44952_2.png) [@kimchy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/kimchy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-check-if-an-index-exists-over-http/4935/2 "2011-07-25T05:20:40Z")
You can use `curl -XHEAD localhost:9200/test` where test is the name of the index. It will return 404 status if it does not exists, and 200 if it does. On Sat, Jul 23, 2011 at 10:14 PM, johnnywengluu [johnny.weng.luu@gmail.com](mailto:johnny.weng.luu@gmail.com)wrote: > I wanna create a new index if it doesn't already exist. > > How can I check that? > > -- > View this message in context: > [http://elasticsearch-users.115913.n3.nabble.com/How-to-check-if-an-index-exists-over-HTTP-tp3194041p3194041.html](http://elasticsearch-users.115913.n3.nabble.com/How-to-check-if-an-index-exists-over-HTTP-tp3194041p3194041.html) > Sent from the Elasticsearch Users mailing list archive at [Nabble.com](http://Nabble.com). ---
**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, 3:59am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-check-if-an-index-exists-over-http/4935/3 "2017-07-06T03:59:39Z")