[data views] data view management doesn't always show correct field types due to field caps response

[mattkime]

The data view field list is provided by the field caps api and is largely a transparent view into the api response. Unfortunately there are a few cases that don't provide accurate type info:

• constant_keyword is displayed as keyword
• wildcard is displayed as keyword
• token_count is displayed as integer
• match_only_text is displayed as text

There may be others.

After talking with an ES engineer, its clear that the Field Caps API is more focused on communicating specific capabilities than accurate type info. For instance, constant_keyword and wildcard are communicated as keyword since they have the same capabilities. Unfortunately this provides potentially misleading and muddled info to users who are trying to understand their data and visualizations from the top down.

Options -

1. Add field types to the field caps api

• Relatively easy from the kibana side, just need to access new fields in response
• Need an ES engineer to weigh in on the pros and cons

2. Use the mapping API - [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/indices-get-mapping.html|https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/indices-get-mapping.html]

• We would need to flatten the field list
• Make sure we account for all mapping response permutations
• Work with ES to ensure its performant
• Need to get thoughts from an ES engineer

related to [https://github.com//issues/120289|https://github.com//issues/120289]

[elasticmachine]

Pinging @elastic/kibana-app-services (Team:AppServicesSv)

[elasticmachine]

Pinging @elastic/kibana-data-discovery (Team:DataDiscovery)

[kertal]

Closing this because it's not planned to be resolved in the foreseeable future. It will be tracked in our Icebox and will be re-opened if our priorities change. Feel free to re-open if you think it should be melted sooner.