[[indices-template-exists-v1]]
=== Index template exists API
++++
<titleabbrev>Index template exists (legacy)</titleabbrev>
++++

IMPORTANT: This documentation is about <<indices-templates-v1,legacy index
templates>>, which are deprecated and will be replaced by the composable
templates introduced in {es} 7.8. For information about composable templates,
see <<index-templates>>.

Checks if an <<indices-templates-v1,legacy index template>> exists.



[source,console]
-----------------------------------------------
HEAD /_template/template_1
-----------------------------------------------


[[template-exists-api-request]]
==== {api-request-title}

`HEAD /_template/<index-template>`

[[template-exists-api-prereqs]]
==== {api-prereq-title}

* If the {es} {security-features} are enabled, you must have the
`manage_index_templates` or `manage` <<privileges-list-cluster,cluster
privilege>> to use this API.

[[template-exists-api-desc]]
==== {api-description-title}

Use the index template exists API
to determine whether one or more index templates exist.

Index templates define <<index-modules-settings,settings>>, <<mapping,mappings>>, 
and <<aliases,aliases>> that can be applied automatically to new indices. 

[[template-exists-api-path-params]]
==== {api-path-parms-title}

include::{es-ref-dir}/rest-api/common-parms.asciidoc[tag=index-template]


[[template-exists-api-query-params]]
==== {api-query-parms-title}

include::{es-ref-dir}/rest-api/common-parms.asciidoc[tag=flat-settings]

include::{es-ref-dir}/rest-api/common-parms.asciidoc[tag=local]

include::{es-ref-dir}/rest-api/common-parms.asciidoc[tag=master-timeout]


[[template-exists-api-response-codes]]
==== {api-response-codes-title}

`200`::
Indicates all specified index templates exist.

`404`::
Indicates one or more specified index templates **do not** exist.
