A step-by-step walkthrough shows how to connect OpenSearch Dashboards to Manticore Search instead of OpenSearch, using Manticore's EmulateElastic plugin in Manticore Buddy for API compatibility. It covers configuring the HTTP listener and kibana_version_string in Manticore, pointing opensearch_dashboards.yml at Manticore's endpoint, disabling the OpenSearch Security plugin, loading sample log data, creating an index pattern, and building Discover views and visualizations (bar charts, time-series, average latency). The piece also lists unsupported field types (geo, vector, nested, range) and unavailable OpenSearch-specific apps (alerting, anomaly detection, security analytics), positioning the combo as an ELK stack alternative.
Table of contents
How the integration worksPrerequisitesStep 1: Configure ManticoreStep 2: Configure OpenSearch DashboardsStep 3: Add sample data to ManticoreStep 4: Create an index patternStep 5: Explore the data in DiscoverStep 6: Build a log visualizationWhat is supportedCurrent limitationsBringing in real dataConclusionQuestions this post answers
Can I use OpenSearch Dashboards with Manticore Search instead of OpenSearch?
Yes, Manticore Search exposes an API-compatible HTTP endpoint on port 9308 via the EmulateElastic plugin in Manticore Buddy, allowing OpenSearch Dashboards to connect directly without an actual OpenSearch cluster. You configure opensearch.hosts to point at Manticore's endpoint and disable the OpenSearch Security plugin, since Manticore does not provide it. Teams weighing ELK-stack alternatives can track integrations like this one on daily.dev.
What OpenSearch Dashboards version works with Manticore Search?
OpenSearch Dashboards 3.4.0 is the currently tested and recommended version for the Manticore integration, though other versions may work without the same level of testing. The kibana_version_string setting in Manticore's configuration must match the OpenSearch Dashboards version, since a mismatch can trigger startup warnings or prevent it from starting. Developers pinning compatible tool versions can follow updates like this on daily.dev.
Which field types and features are unsupported when using OpenSearch Dashboards with Manticore Search?
Unsupported field types include geo_point, geo_shape, xy_point, xy_shape, range types, semantic, rank_feature, percolator, knn_vector, sparse_vector, nested, join, completion, and search_as_you_type. Nested aggregations are also unsupported, and features like Alerting, Anomaly Detection, Security Analytics, and Index Management are unavailable since they depend on OpenSearch-specific APIs. Evaluating tool limitations before adopting a search stack is easier with daily.dev tracking these details.
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