History and Why OpenSearch Was Created
OpenSearch is an open-source search and analytics platform born out of the industry’s demand for solutions free from commercial license restrictions. Originally, OpenSearch was a fork of Elasticsearch and Kibana version 7.10.2, initiated by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2021. This move responded to Elastic NV’s decision to change Elasticsearch’s license from Apache 2.0 to the Server Side Public License (SSPL).
AWS aimed to provide an alternative that remained free and open for developers, companies, and the community, committing to transparency and open innovation.
OpenSearch Licensing
OpenSearch is licensed under Apache 2.0, allowing users to freely use, modify, and distribute the software without legal constraints common in commercial or cloud-based licenses like SSPL.
Why Was OpenSearch Created?
Three primary reasons for OpenSearch’s creation are:
- Community Demand: Many users felt restricted by Elastic NV’s license changes.
- Flexibility: Users required a solution that gave them full control over their data and infrastructure.
- Open Source Commitment: To uphold the open-source spirit and contribute to the global software development ecosystem.
Key Features of OpenSearch
OpenSearch is designed to be a robust and flexible platform, offering the following key features:
- Fast Search Capabilities: Supports full-text search, geographic-based searches, and filtered searches.
- Advanced Data Analysis: Provides visualization tools such as OpenSearch Dashboards.
- Enhanced Security: Offers authentication, authorization, and end-to-end data encryption.
- Extensions and Plugins: Compatible with various plugins to add additional functions.
- Scalability: Built to handle large data volumes with high performance.
The Future of OpenSearch
The future of OpenSearch looks promising due to:
- Active support from a global community.
- Continuous feature development by AWS and other contributors.
- Growing popularity of open-source software, making OpenSearch a top choice for businesses of all sizes.
With its wide support and stable growth, OpenSearch has the potential to become a leading platform in search and data analytics solutions.
Author’s Opinion
As an open-source platform, OpenSearch is a vital innovation in the software ecosystem. Its freedom, backed by the Apache 2.0 license and an active developer community, makes it a viable solution for various industries. I believe OpenSearch will continue to grow and become a new standard for search and data analytics platforms.
FAQ
- What is the main difference between OpenSearch and Elasticsearch?
OpenSearch is a fork of Elasticsearch version 7.10.2 and uses the Apache 2.0 license, while Elasticsearch switched to the SSPL license in 2021. - Is OpenSearch free to use?
Yes, OpenSearch is completely free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. - How do I get started with OpenSearch?
You can start by downloading OpenSearch from the official OpenSearch website and following the available installation and configuration documentation.
