Allow updating inference_id of semantic_text fields by dimitris-athanasiou · Pull Request #136120 · elastic/elasticsearch

dimitris-athanasiou · 2025-10-07T17:44:14Z

Previously the inference_id of semantic_text fields was not updatable. This commit allows users to update the inference_id of a semantic_text field. This is particularly useful for scenarios where the user wants to switch to using the same model but from a different service.

There are two circumstances when the update is allowed.

No values have been written for the semantic_text field.

The inference endpoint can be changed freely as there is no need for compatibility between the current and the new endpoint.

The new inference endpoint is compatible with the previous one.

The model_settings of the new inference endpoint are compatible with those of the current endpoint, thus the update is allowed.

Previously the `inference_id` of `semantic_text` fields was not updatable. This commit allows users to update the `inference_id` of a `semantic_text` field. This is particularly useful for scenarios where the user wants to switch to using the same model but from a different service. There are two circumstances when the update is allowed. - No values have been written for the `semantic_text` field. The inference endpoint can be changed freely as there is no need for compatibility between the current and the new endpoint. - The new inference endpoint is compatible with the previous one. The `model_settings` of the new inference endpoint are compatible with those of the current endpoint, thus the update is allowed.

elasticsearchmachine · 2025-10-07T17:44:39Z

Pinging @elastic/search-relevance (Team:Search - Relevance)

elasticsearchmachine · 2025-10-07T17:44:40Z

Pinging @elastic/es-search-foundations (Team:Search Foundations)

elasticsearchmachine · 2025-10-07T17:44:40Z

Hi @dimitris-athanasiou, I've created a changelog YAML for you.

dimitris-athanasiou · 2025-10-07T17:45:19Z

PR is ready for review. However, I intend to add documentation changes soon.

docs/changelog/136120.yaml

github-actions · 2025-10-08T14:06:34Z

🔍 Preview links for changed docs

docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/semantic-text.md

github-actions · 2025-10-08T14:06:35Z

ℹ️ Important: Docs version tagging

👋 Thanks for updating the docs! Just a friendly reminder that our docs are now cumulative. This means all 9.x versions are documented on the same page and published off of the main branch, instead of creating separate pages for each minor version.

We use applies_to tags to mark version-specific features and changes.

Expand for a quick overview

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✅ At the page level to indicate which products/deployments the content applies to (mandatory)
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leemthompo

Couple of very minor wording suggestions from me :)

docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/semantic-text.md

Co-authored-by: Liam Thompson <leemthompo@gmail.com>

docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/semantic-text.md

kderusso

Nice work! I've left a few comments but I think it's pretty close.

docs/changelog/136120.yaml

docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/semantic-text.md

...rc/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/mock/TestSparseInferenceServiceExtension.java

...nference/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/mapper/SemanticTextFieldMapper.java

kderusso · 2025-10-08T16:37:16Z

...nference/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/mapper/SemanticTextFieldMapper.java

+         * @param modelSettings the new model settings. If null the mapper will be returned unchanged.
+         * @return A mapper with the copied settings applied
+         */
+        private SemanticTextFieldMapper copyWithNewModelSettingsIfNotSet(


So we're doing a null check here before we copy the settings, but we silently ignore if that case happens. Should we throw if it's not null and this method is called?

It could be that it's not null because the update itself contains model_settings. In that case the explicitly set model_settings take precedence.

kderusso · 2025-10-08T16:37:48Z

...c/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/inference/10_semantic_text_field_mapping_bwc.yml

Didn't review this file, assume it's the same as the other yaml test

...e/src/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/inference/10_semantic_text_field_mapping.yml

Co-authored-by: Kathleen DeRusso <kathleen.derusso@elastic.co>

Mikep86

Partial review, didn't get to the tests. I'll pick it up next week.

...nference/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/mapper/SemanticTextFieldMapper.java

Co-authored-by: Mike Pellegrini <mike.pellegrini@elastic.co>

Mikep86

Production code looks good! I left some comments about test adjustments, other than that we're good to go 🚀

...nce/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/mapper/SemanticTextFieldMapperTests.java

...e/src/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/inference/10_semantic_text_field_mapping.yml

...c/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/inference/10_semantic_text_field_mapping_bwc.yml

...e/src/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/inference/10_semantic_text_field_mapping.yml

docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/semantic-text.md

dimitris-athanasiou · 2025-10-15T10:29:21Z

@Mikep86 Thank you for the review! I have addressed all your feedback. I replied on replacing those tests with randomized testing that I'd prefer to keep it that way explaining my reasons. Let me know what you think. Otherwise, should be good to go now!

Mikep86

LGTM, I left one comment about how we could improve the assertions on the embeddings mappers

...nce/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/mapper/SemanticTextFieldMapperTests.java

Previously the `inference_id` of `semantic_text` fields was not updatable. This commit allows users to update the `inference_id` of a `semantic_text` field. This is particularly useful for scenarios where the user wants to switch to using the same model but from a different service. There are two circumstances when the update is allowed. - No values have been written for the `semantic_text` field. The inference endpoint can be changed freely as there is no need for compatibility between the current and the new endpoint. - The new inference endpoint is compatible with the previous one. The `model_settings` of the new inference endpoint are compatible with those of the current endpoint, thus the update is allowed.

dimitris-athanasiou added >enhancement :SearchOrg/Relevance Label for the Search (solution/org) Relevance team :Search Foundations/Search Catch all for Search Foundations v9.3.0 labels Oct 7, 2025

dimitris-athanasiou requested a review from Mikep86 October 7, 2025 17:44

elasticsearchmachine added Team:Search Foundations Meta label for the Search Foundations team in Elasticsearch Team:Search - Relevance The Search organization Search Relevance team labels Oct 7, 2025

Update docs/changelog/136120.yaml

190d6e7

Fix changelog

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dimitris-athanasiou commented Oct 7, 2025

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dimitris-athanasiou added 2 commits October 8, 2025 11:20

Fix InferenceGetServicesIT

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Update docs

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leemthompo reviewed Oct 8, 2025

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dimitris-athanasiou and others added 2 commits October 8, 2025 18:47

Update docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/semantic-text.md

566efba

Co-authored-by: Liam Thompson <leemthompo@gmail.com>

Update docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/semantic-text.md

177f4fe

Co-authored-by: Liam Thompson <leemthompo@gmail.com>

leemthompo reviewed Oct 8, 2025

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kderusso reviewed Oct 8, 2025

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dimitris-athanasiou and others added 4 commits October 9, 2025 12:26

Update docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/semantic-text.md

7b2036f

Co-authored-by: Kathleen DeRusso <kathleen.derusso@elastic.co>

Address review comments

bb43271

Merge branch 'main' into allow-inference-id-updates-for-semantic_text

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[CI] Auto commit changes from spotless

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Mikep86 reviewed Oct 10, 2025

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Apply suggestion from @Mikep86

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Co-authored-by: Mike Pellegrini <mike.pellegrini@elastic.co>

dimitris-athanasiou and others added 3 commits October 13, 2025 13:22

Address more review comments

c0802fc

[CI] Auto commit changes from spotless

f06ca8a

Merge branch 'main' into allow-inference-id-updates-for-semantic_text

33c3de7

Mikep86 reviewed Oct 14, 2025

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dimitris-athanasiou added 3 commits October 15, 2025 11:25

Merge branch 'main' into allow-inference-id-updates-for-semantic_text

a776ab3

Address review feedback

d37b0c8

Merge branch 'main' into allow-inference-id-updates-for-semantic_text

0ab428d

Merge branch 'main' into allow-inference-id-updates-for-semantic_text

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Mikep86 approved these changes Oct 17, 2025

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...nce/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/mapper/SemanticTextFieldMapperTests.java Show resolved Hide resolved

...nce/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/mapper/SemanticTextFieldMapperTests.java Show resolved Hide resolved

dimitris-athanasiou and others added 3 commits October 20, 2025 14:03

More assertions for text embeddings field mapper

2ebb04c

Merge branch 'main' into allow-inference-id-updates-for-semantic_text

857efe3

[CI] Auto commit changes from spotless

b0b3040

dimitris-athanasiou merged commit df159ce into elastic:main Oct 20, 2025
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dimitris-athanasiou deleted the allow-inference-id-updates-for-semantic_text branch October 20, 2025 13:05

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ℹ️ Important: Docs version tagging

When to use applies_to tags:

What NOT to do:

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