Discover opens in ES|QL mode by default #8973

Summary

Discover now opens in ES|QL mode by default. Previously the default was classic mode when the discover.isEsqlDefault setting was absent. The PR flips that fallback to true and updates the Logs locator accordingly. Users can still switch to classic mode, and Discover continues to remember the last mode used in the browser.

Why this needs docs: Changes the default query mode users see on first open, and the published switch-mode page only describes remembering the last mode without stating the default.

Resources

• PR #297980 — [Discover] Make ESQL the default query mode
• Product issue: [Discover] Make ES|QL the default query mode kibana#297421
• Also applies to: ES|QL in Kibana

Availability

Created with Docs Quest Scanner by @florent-leborgne

Suggested edits

Switch between ES|QL and classic mode > Intro (query mode memory)

• What the docs say: Discover remembers the last query mode you used in your browser. New Discover tabs and sessions open in that mode.
• What to add: State what mode Discover opens in when no mode has been remembered yet: ES|QL from 9.6, classic before. Keep the 9.4+ remembered-mode statement and scope the new default with applies_to as a separate paragraph. Also check whether the discover.isEsqlDefault setting is documented anywhere (not verified). Applies from 9.6.0 and in serverless.

Explore fields and data with Discover > Tutorial steps that assume classic mode (KQL, data view picker)

• What the docs say: Tutorial walks through Discover with a data view and KQL filtering.
• What to add: Verify the tutorial's opening steps still match what a new user sees, since Discover now opens in ES|QL mode on first load. Add a step or tip to switch to classic mode if the tutorial relies on it. Applies from 9.6.0 and in serverless.