---
title: If
description: Learn about the if step for conditional logic in workflows.
url: https://www.elastic.co/docs/explore-analyze/workflows/steps/if
products:
  - Elastic Cloud Enterprise
  - Elastic Cloud Hosted
  - Elastic Cloud Serverless
  - Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes
  - Elastic Stack
  - Kibana
applies_to:
  - Elastic Cloud Serverless: Preview
  - Elastic Stack: Preview since 9.3
---

# If
The `if` step evaluates a boolean or Kibana Query Language (KQL) expression and runs different steps based on whether the condition is true or false.
Use the following parameters to configure an `if` step:

| Parameter   | Required | Description                                        |
|-------------|----------|----------------------------------------------------|
| `name`      | Yes      | Unique step identifier                             |
| `type`      | Yes      | Step type - must be `if`                           |
| `condition` | Yes      | A boolean or KQL expression to evaluate            |
| `steps`     | Yes      | An array of steps to run if the condition is true  |
| `else`      | No       | An array of steps to run if the condition is false |

```yaml
steps:
  - name: conditionalStep
    type: if
    condition: <KQL expression>
    steps:
      # Steps to run if condition is true
    else:
      # Steps to run if condition is false (optional)
```

The `condition` field supports the following expression types:
- [Boolean expressions](#boolean-expressions)
- [KQL expressions](#kql-expressions)


## Boolean expressions

Use `${{ }}` syntax when you want the expression to evaluate directly to a boolean value:
```yaml
steps:
  - name: check-enabled
    type: if
    condition: "${{ inputs.isEnabled }}"
    steps:
      - name: process-enabled
        type: http
    else:
      - name: log-disabled
        type: console
```

If the expression evaluates to `undefined`, it defaults to `false`.

## KQL expressions

Use a string-based condition to evaluate the value as a KQL expression. You can use `{{ }}` templating to inject dynamic values:
```yaml
steps:
  - name: check-status
    type: if
    condition: "{{ steps.fetchData.output.status }}: completed"
    steps:
      - name: process-data
        type: http
```


### Supported KQL features

The `if` step supports the following KQL features:

#### Equality checks

```yaml
condition: "status: active"
condition: "user.role: admin"
condition: "isActive: true"
condition: "count: 42"
condition: "users[0].name: Alice" 
```


#### Range operators

```yaml
condition: "count >= 100"
condition: "count <= 1000"
condition: "count > 50"
condition: "count < 200"
condition: "count >= 100 and count <= 1000"
```


#### Wildcard matching

```yaml
condition: "fieldName:*"       
condition: "user.name: John*"  
condition: "user.name: *Doe"   
condition: "txt: *ipsum*"      
condition: "user.name: J*n Doe"
```


#### Logical operators

```yaml
condition: "status: active and isEnabled: true"            
condition: "status: active or status: pending"             
condition: "not status: inactive"                          
condition: "status: active and (role: admin or role: moderator)" 
```


#### Property path access

```yaml
condition: "user.info.name: John Doe"           
condition: "steps.fetchData.output.status: completed" 
condition: "users[0].name: Alice"               
condition: "users.0.name: Alice"                
```


### Example: Check severity

This example runs different steps based on the event severity:
```yaml
steps:
  - name: checkSeverity
    type: if
    condition: event.severity: 'critical'
    steps:
      - name: handleCritical
        type: console
        with:
          message: "Critical alert!"
    else:
      - name: handleNormal
        type: console
        with:
          message: "Normal severity"
```


### Example: Check search results count

This example checks the number of search results and processes them differently based on the count:
```yaml
name: National Parks Conditional Processing
steps:
  - name: searchParks
    type: elasticsearch.search
    with:
      index: national-parks-index
      size: 100
  
  - name: checkResultCount
    type: if
    condition: "steps.searchParks.output.hits.total.value > 5"
    steps:
      - name: processLargeDataset
        type: foreach
        foreach: "{{ steps.searchParks.output.hits.hits }}"
        steps:
          - name: processPark
            type: console
            with:
              message: "Processing park: {{ foreach.item._source.title }}"
    else:
      - name: handleSmallDataset
        type: console
        with:
          message: "Only {{ steps.searchParks.output.hits.total.value }} parks found - manual review needed"
```


### Example: Complex KQL condition

This example uses multiple logical operators to check a combination of conditions:
```yaml
steps:
  - name: check-complex
    type: if
    condition: "status: active and (count >= 100 or role: admin)"
    steps:
      - name: process-authorized
        type: http
```