# How to use bulk api for reindexing

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-use-bulk-api-for-reindexing/191043>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [July 17, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-use-bulk-api-for-reindexing/191043 "2019-07-17T15:26:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zatom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/f0a364/32.png) [@zatom](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/zatom)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-use-bulk-api-for-reindexing/191043/1 "2019-07-17T15:26:56Z")

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Hi, I am currently using the reindex api like this:  
POST \_reindex?scroll=60m&timeout=60m  
{

"source":{

"index": "source\_index"

},

"dest": {  
"index": "destination\_index"  
}  
}  
. Is this bulk indexing? If not How can I use Bulk api inorder to do similar task which would be faster?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BenTrent](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/bentrent/32/33915_2.png) [@BenTrent](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/BenTrent)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-use-bulk-api-for-reindexing/191043/2 "2019-07-17T19:18:59Z")

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Heya @zatom,

Yes `_reindex` is utilizing bulk indexing when writing the documents.

[See documentation quote](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-reindex.html#_url_parameters_3)

> Since the batch is issued as a single `_bulk` request, large batch sizes will cause Elasticsearch to create many requests and then wait for a while before starting the next set. This is "bursty" instead of "smooth". The default value is `-1` .

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-use-bulk-api-for-reindexing/191043/3 "2019-08-14T19:19:02Z")

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