---
id: elasticsearch5
version: "5.5.6"
license: Apache License, Version 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# elasticsearch5 — Python client for Elasticsearch

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 77.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

elasticsearch5 is the official low-level Python client for Elasticsearch 5.x. It provides a thin, opinion-free wrapper around the Elasticsearch REST API, handling connection pooling, automatic node discovery, load balancing across cluster nodes, and serialization of Python data types to JSON. The package includes features like persistent connections, thread safety, SSL/HTTP authentication support, and a pluggable architecture for customization.

This is a foundational library meant to be used directly for low-level cluster operations or as a base for higher-level abstractions. It has no external runtime dependencies, making installation straightforward. However, it is explicitly designed for Elasticsearch 5.x; if you are running a newer Elasticsearch version, you will need a different client package.

Use it for:

- Indexing and querying documents in an Elasticsearch 5.x cluster from Python applications.
- Managing indices, mappings, and cluster settings programmatically via the Elasticsearch API.
- Building custom search applications that need direct control over connection pooling and node selection.
- Integrating Elasticsearch into Python services that require thread-safe, persistent cluster communication.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Low-level Python client for Elasticsearch 5.x that handles connection management, request translation, and cluster communication with configurable load balancing and node discovery.

Yes, if you are running Elasticsearch 5.x and need a low-level Python client. The package is stable, permissively licensed, and has no external dependencies. However, if you are using a newer Elasticsearch version, do not install this—it will not work. If you need a higher-level query DSL, consider elasticsearch-dsl instead, which builds on top of this client.

## Install

pip install elasticsearch5
uv add elasticsearch5
poetry add elasticsearch5

## Installing elasticsearch5

Before you install: Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Repository is active with recent commits, though the package itself has not been updated since 2019 and targets the now-obsolete Elasticsearch 5.x series.

License in practice: Licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive). You can use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

pip install elasticsearch5

from elasticsearch import Elasticsearch

es = Elasticsearch()
es.indices.create(index='my-index', ignore=400)
es.index(index='my-index', doc_type='test-type', id=42, body={'data': 'value'})

Requires a running Elasticsearch 5.x server; the package is designed for that version specifically and will not work with newer Elasticsearch releases.

Verify before relying:

- Whether Elasticsearch 5.x is still in use in your environment or if you need a client for a newer Elasticsearch version.
- Current compatibility with modern Python versions beyond those listed in classifiers (2.6–3.6).

## Package facts

- License: Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 77.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

elasticsearch python client, elasticsearch 5.x connector, elasticsearch api wrapper, elasticsearch cluster client, elasticsearch connection management, elasticsearch, search-engine, deprecated-version

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