Why the response status of the error "Result window is too large" is 500?

[akefirad]

I encountered the following error:

{
    "error":{
        "root_cause":[
            {
                "type":"query_phase_execution_exception",
                "reason":"Result window is too large, from + size must be less than or equal to: [10000] but was [100000]. See the scroll api for a more efficient way to request large data sets. This limit can be set by changing the [index.max_result_window] index level setting."
            }
        ],
        "type":"search_phase_execution_exception",
        "reason":"all shards failed",
        "phase":"query",
        "grouped":true,
        "failed_shards":[...]
    },
    "status":500
}

My question is why the status is 500? It's more of client's fault, isn't it? Shouldn't it be 4XX?

[javanna]

I would agree on this, thanks for pointing it out. I think the status code is an unwanted side effect of the exception used for this error message, and the exception that it inherits from.

[liketic]

@javanna Can we just response a bad request status for QueryPhaseExecutionException ? thanks.

[javanna]

@liketic yes that would be a better thing to do.

[javanna]

Not sure though if 4xx should be associated with QueryPhaseExecutionException which can also be a server side problem. The solution may also be to use a different exception for these cases where we validate user input.

[liketic]

Some possible options:

1. Bind 4xx status to QueryPhaseExecutionException
2. Replace QueryPhaseExecutionException in those cases with IllegalArgumentException
3. Create a new exception extends QueryPhaseExecutionException
4. find a another existing exception to replace QueryPhaseExecutionException in those places and response 4xx.

Do you prefer which one? Thanks!

[akefirad]

I would not associate 4xx to all QueryPhaseExecutionException either. IMHO the best is option 3, but 2 also works.