elasticsearch/docs/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-dsl-distance-feature-query.md

---
navigation_title: "Distance feature"
mapped_pages:
  - https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/query-dsl-distance-feature-query.html
---

# Distance feature query [query-dsl-distance-feature-query]


Boosts the [relevance score](/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-filter-context.md#relevance-scores) of documents closer to a provided `origin` date or point. For example, you can use this query to give more weight to documents closer to a certain date or location.

You can use the `distance_feature` query to find the nearest neighbors to a location. You can also use the query in a [`bool`](/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-dsl-bool-query.md) search’s `should` filter to add boosted relevance scores to the `bool` query’s scores.

## Example request [distance-feature-query-ex-request]

### Index setup [distance-feature-index-setup]

To use the `distance_feature` query, your index must include a [`date`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date.md), [`date_nanos`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date_nanos.md) or [`geo_point`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/geo-point.md) field.

To see how you can set up an index for the `distance_feature` query, try the following example.

1. Create an `items` index with the following field mapping:

    * `name`, a [`keyword`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/keyword.md) field
    * `production_date`, a [`date`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date.md) field
    * `location`, a [`geo_point`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/geo-point.md) field

    ```console
    PUT /items
    {
      "mappings": {
        "properties": {
          "name": {
            "type": "keyword"
          },
          "production_date": {
            "type": "date"
          },
          "location": {
            "type": "geo_point"
          }
        }
      }
    }
    ```

2. Index several documents to this index.

    ```console
    PUT /items/_doc/1?refresh
    {
      "name" : "chocolate",
      "production_date": "2018-02-01",
      "location": [-71.34, 41.12]
    }

    PUT /items/_doc/2?refresh
    {
      "name" : "chocolate",
      "production_date": "2018-01-01",
      "location": [-71.3, 41.15]
    }


    PUT /items/_doc/3?refresh
    {
      "name" : "chocolate",
      "production_date": "2017-12-01",
      "location": [-71.3, 41.12]
    }
    ```



### Example queries [distance-feature-query-ex-query]

#### Boost documents based on date [distance-feature-query-date-ex]

The following `bool` search returns documents with a `name` value of `chocolate`. The search also uses the `distance_feature` query to increase the relevance score of documents with a `production_date` value closer to `now`.

```console
GET /items/_search
{
  "query": {
    "bool": {
      "must": {
        "match": {
          "name": "chocolate"
        }
      },
      "should": {
        "distance_feature": {
          "field": "production_date",
          "pivot": "7d",
          "origin": "now"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```


#### Boost documents based on location [distance-feature-query-distance-ex]

The following `bool` search returns documents with a `name` value of `chocolate`. The search also uses the `distance_feature` query to increase the relevance score of documents with a `location` value closer to `[-71.3, 41.15]`.

```console
GET /items/_search
{
  "query": {
    "bool": {
      "must": {
        "match": {
          "name": "chocolate"
        }
      },
      "should": {
        "distance_feature": {
          "field": "location",
          "pivot": "1000m",
          "origin": [-71.3, 41.15]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```




## Top-level parameters for `distance_feature` [distance-feature-top-level-params]

`field`
:   (Required, string) Name of the field used to calculate distances. This field must meet the following criteria:

    * Be a [`date`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date.md), [`date_nanos`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date_nanos.md) or [`geo_point`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/geo-point.md) field
    * Have an [`index`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/mapping-index.md) mapping parameter value of `true`, which is the default
    * Have an [`doc_values`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/doc-values.md) mapping parameter value of `true`, which is the default


`origin`
:   (Required, string) Date or point of origin used to calculate distances.

If the `field` value is a [`date`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date.md) or [`date_nanos`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date_nanos.md) field, the `origin` value must be a [date](/reference/data-analysis/aggregations/search-aggregations-bucket-daterange-aggregation.md#date-format-pattern). [Date Math](/reference/elasticsearch/rest-apis/common-options.md#date-math), such as `now-1h`, is supported.

If the `field` value is a [`geo_point`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/geo-point.md) field, the `origin` value must be a geopoint.


`pivot`
:   (Required, [time unit](/reference/elasticsearch/rest-apis/api-conventions.md#time-units) or [distance unit](/reference/elasticsearch/rest-apis/api-conventions.md#distance-units)) Distance from the `origin` at which relevance scores receive half of the `boost` value.

If the `field` value is a [`date`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date.md) or [`date_nanos`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/date_nanos.md) field, the `pivot` value must be a [time unit](/reference/elasticsearch/rest-apis/api-conventions.md#time-units), such as `1h` or `10d`.

If the `field` value is a [`geo_point`](/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/geo-point.md) field, the `pivot` value must be a [distance unit](/reference/elasticsearch/rest-apis/api-conventions.md#distance-units), such as `1km` or `12m`.


`boost`
:   (Optional, float) Floating point number used to multiply the [relevance score](/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-filter-context.md#relevance-scores) of matching documents. This value cannot be negative. Defaults to `1.0`.



## Notes [distance-feature-notes]

### How the `distance_feature` query calculates relevance scores [distance-feature-calculation]

The `distance_feature` query dynamically calculates the distance between the `origin` value and a document’s field values. It then uses this distance as a feature to boost the [relevance score](/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-filter-context.md#relevance-scores) of closer documents.

The `distance_feature` query calculates a document’s [relevance score](/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-filter-context.md#relevance-scores) as follows:

```
relevance score = boost * pivot / (pivot + distance)
```

The `distance` is the absolute difference between the `origin` value and a document’s field value.


### Skip non-competitive hits [distance-feature-skip-hits]

Unlike the [`function_score`](/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-dsl-function-score-query.md) query or other ways to change [relevance scores](/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-filter-context.md#relevance-scores), the `distance_feature` query efficiently skips non-competitive hits when the [`track_total_hits`](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-search) parameter is **not** `true`.