[[get-features-api]]
=== Get Features API
++++
<titleabbrev>Get features</titleabbrev>
++++

Gets a list of features which can be included in snapshots using the
<<create-snapshot-api-feature-states,`feature_states` field>> when creating a
snapshot.

[source,console]
-----------------------------------
GET /_features
-----------------------------------

[[get-features-api-request]]
==== {api-request-title}

`GET /_features`


[[get-features-api-desc]]
==== {api-description-title}

You can use the get features API to determine which feature states
to include when <<snapshots-take-snapshot,taking a snapshot>>. By default, all
feature states are included in a snapshot if that snapshot includes the global
state, or none if it does not.

A feature state includes one or more system indices necessary for a given
feature to function. In order to ensure data integrity, all system indices that
comprise a feature state are snapshotted and restored together.

The features listed by this API are a combination of built-in features and
features defined by plugins. In order for a feature's state to be listed in this
API and recognized as a valid feature state by the create snapshot API, the
plugin which defines that feature must be installed on the master node.

==== {api-examples-title}

[source,console-result]
----
{
    "features": [
        {
            "name": "tasks",
            "description": "Manages task results"
        },
        {
            "name": "kibana",
            "description": "Manages Kibana configuration and reports"
        }
    ]
}
----
// TESTRESPONSE[skip:response differs between default distro and OSS]