This page describes configuring the JSON index for Apache Pinot.
The JSON index can be applied to JSON string columns to accelerate value lookups and filtering for the column.
Use the JSON string can be used to represent array, map, and nested fields without forcing a fixed schema. While JSON strings are flexible, filtering on JSON string columns is expensive, so consider the use case.
Suppose we have some JSON records similar to the following sample record stored in the person
column:
Without an index, to look up the key and filter records based on the value, Pinot must scan and reconstruct the JSON object from the JSON string for every record, look up the key and then compare the value.
For example, in order to find all persons whose name is "adam", the query will look like:
The JSON index is designed to accelerate the filtering on JSON string columns without scanning and reconstructing all the JSON objects.
To enable the JSON index, set the following configuration in the table configuration:
With the following JSON document:
Using the default setting, we will flatten the document into the following records:
With maxLevels set to 1:
With maxLevels set to 2:
With excludeArray set to true:
With disableCrossArrayUnnest set to true:
With includePaths set to ["$.name", "$.addresses[*].country"]:
With excludePaths set to ["$.age", "$.addresses[*].number"]:
With excludeFields set to ["age", "street"]:
0.12.0
:Note that the JSON index can only be applied to STRING/JSON
columns whose values are JSON strings.
To reduce unnecessary storage overhead when using a JSON index, we recommend that you add the indexed column to the noDictionaryColumns
columns list.
For instructions on that configuration property, see the Raw value forward index documentation.
The JSON index can be used via the JSON_MATCH
predicate: JSON_MATCH(<column>, '<filterExpression>')
. For example, to find every entry with the name "adam":
Note that the quotes within the filter expression need to be escaped.
Find all persons whose name is "adam":
Find all persons who have an address (one of the addresses) with number 112:
Find all persons whose name is "adam" and also have an address (one of the addresses) with number 112:
Find all persons whose first address has number 112:
Find all persons who have a phone field within the JSON:
Find all persons whose first address does not contain floor field within the JSON:
The JSON context is maintained for object elements within an array, meaning the filter won't cross-match different objects in the array.
To find all persons who live on "main st" in "ca":
This query won't match "adam" because none of his addresses matches both the street and the country.
If JSON context is not desired, use multiple separate JSON_MATCH
predicates. For example, to find all persons who have addresses on "main st" and have addresses in "ca" (matches need not have the same address):
This query will match "adam" because one of his addresses matches the street and another one matches the country.
The array index is maintained as a separate entry within the element, so in order to query different elements within an array, multiple JSON_MATCH
predicates are required. For example, to find all persons who have first address on "main st" and second address on "second st":
See examples above.
To find the records with array element "item1" in "arrayCol":
To find the records with second array element "item2" in "arrayCol":
To find the records with value 123 in "valueCol":
To find the records with null in "nullableCol":
The key (left-hand side) of the filter expression must be the leaf level of the JSON object, for example, "$.addresses[*]"='main st'
won't work.
Config Key | Description | Type | Default |
---|---|---|---|
maxLevels
Max levels to flatten the json object (array is also counted as one level)
int
-1 (unlimited)
excludeArray
Whether to exclude array when flattening the object
boolean
false (include array)
disableCrossArrayUnnest
Whether to not unnest multiple arrays (unique combination of all elements)
boolean
false (calculate unique combination of all elements)
includePaths
Only include the given paths, e.g. "$.a.b", "$.a.c[*]" (mutual exclusive with excludePaths). Paths under the included paths will be included, e.g. "$.a.b.c" will be included when "$.a.b" is configured to be included.
Set<String>
null (include all paths)
excludePaths
Exclude the given paths, e.g. "$.a.b", "$.a.c[*]" (mutual exclusive with includePaths). Paths under the excluded paths will also be excluded, e.g. "$.a.b.c" will be excluded when "$.a.b" is configured to be excluded.
Set<String>
null (include all paths)
excludeFields
Exclude the given fields, e.g. "b", "c", even if it is under the included paths.
Set<String>
null (include all fields)