---
title:  Creating, Listing and Removing Indexes
---

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The <%=vars.product_name%> `QueryService` API provides methods to create, list and remove the index. You can also use `gfsh` command-line interface to create, list and remove indexes, and use cache.xml to create an index.

## <a id="indexing__section_565C080FBDD0443C8504DF372E3C32C8" class="no-quick-link"></a>Creating Indexes

Indexes can be created programmatically, by using the `gfsh` command line interface or by using cache.xml.

To create an index, use one of the following `QueryService` methods:

-   `createIndex`. Creates the default type of index, a range index. Use this type of index if you will be writing queries that will be doing any kind of comparison operation besides an equality comparison.
-   `createKeyIndex`. Creates a key index. See [Creating Key Indexes](creating_key_indexes.html#concept_09E29507AF0D42CF81D261B030D0B7C8) for more information.
-   **Deprecated.** `createHashIndex`. Creates a hash index. See [Creating Hash Indexes](creating_hash_indexes.html#concept_5C7614F71F394C62ACA1BDC5684A7AC4) for more information.
-   `createDefinedIndexes`. Creates multiple indexes that were previously defined using `defineIndex`. See [Creating Multiple Indexes at Once](create_multiple_indexes.html) for more information.

The following sections provide examples of index creation:

**Using gfsh:**

``` pre
gfsh> create index --name=myIndex --expression=status --region=/exampleRegion
gfsh> create index --name=myKeyIndex --type=key --expression=id --region=/exampleRegion
```

See [Index Commands](../../tools_modules/gfsh/quick_ref_commands_by_area.html#topic_688C66526B4649AFA51C0F72F34FA45E) for more examples.

**Using Java API:**

``` pre
QueryService qs = cache.getQueryService();
 qs.createIndex("myIndex", "status", "/exampleRegion");
 qs.createKeyIndex("myKeyIndex", "id", "/exampleRegion");
```

**Using cache.xml:**

``` pre
<region name=exampleRegion>
 <region-attributes . . . >
 </region-attributes>
 <index name="myIndex" from-clause="/exampleRegion" expression="status"/>
 <index name="myKeyIndex" from-clause="/exampleRegion" expression="id" key-index="true"/>
 ...
</region>
```

**Note:**
If you do not specify the type of index in cache.xml, the type defaults to "range".

## <a id="indexing__section_40089270C67A49FFA0C749E287F722F8" class="no-quick-link"></a>Listing Indexes

To retrieve a list of indexes from the cache or region, use the `QueryService.getIndexes` method or the `gfsh` command line interface.

**Using gfsh:**

``` pre
gfsh> list indexes
gfsh> list indexes --with-stats
```

**Using Java API:**

``` pre
QueryService qs = cache.getQueryService();
 qs.getIndexes(); //returns a collection of all indexes in the cache
 qs.getIndexes(exampleRegion); //returns a collection of all indexes in exampleRegion
 qs.getIndexes(exampleRegion, myKeyIndex); //returns the index named myKeyIndex from the exampleRegion
```

## <a id="indexing__section_ACBFB76C539A405D90B05856CB79BEFF" class="no-quick-link"></a>Removing Indexes

To remove an index or all indexes from the cache or region, use the `QueryService.removeIndexes` method or the `gfsh` command line interface.

**Using gfsh:**

``` pre
gfsh> destroy index
gfsh> destroy index --name=myIndex
gfsh> destroy index --region=/exampleRegion
```

**Using Java API:**

``` pre
QueryService qs = cache.getQueryService();
 qs.removeIndexes(); //removes all indexes from the cache
 qs.removeIndexes(myKeyIndex); //removes the index named myKeyIndex
 qs.removeIndexes(exampleRegion); //removes all indexes from the exampleRegion
```
