# What is the future plan on shadow index? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [February 26, 2016, 7:56am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-future-plan-on-shadow-index/42818 "2016-02-26T07:56:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Youxu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/youxu/32/117375_2.png) [@Youxu](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Youxu)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 7:56am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-future-plan-on-shadow-index/42818/1 "2016-02-26T07:56:50Z")
I am interested in the shadow index feature, but find following statement: "This functionality is experimental and may be changed or removed completely in a future release." from [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/master/indices-shadow-replicas.html](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/master/indices-shadow-replicas.html) So what is the future plan on shadow index? I am afraid it will be removed later on if I use it in our production. ---
**Author:** ![dakrone](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dakrone/32/23351_2.png) [@dakrone](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dakrone)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-future-plan-on-shadow-index/42818/2 "2016-02-26T18:44:30Z")
Hi Youxu, That warning is mostly there because the feature has not been widely used yet, and it's liable to having the API change if we deem it necessary. That said, we don't have any plans to remove the feature at all right now, so I would feel free to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Youxu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/youxu/32/117375_2.png) [@Youxu](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Youxu)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 5:04am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-future-plan-on-shadow-index/42818/3 "2016-02-29T05:04:27Z")
Thanks for clarification. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 11:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-future-plan-on-shadow-index/42818/4 "2017-07-05T23:12:59Z")