Elasticsearch for Apache Hadoop 7.0.0 has been released, aligning with Elasticsearch 7.0.0 and marking significant updates, including a shift to require Java 8 or higher, as the support for older Java versions is phased out. This release also sees the removal of the Cascading integration, which was deprecated in version 6.7.0 due to declining usage and the decision to focus resources on more beneficial areas for the user base. Additionally, the update simplifies the partitioning process by reverting to using one input partition per shard by default, rather than slicing shards into smaller pieces, which had previously led to confusion and performance issues. This change is aimed at enhancing the user experience in terms of getting started and tuning the system. The release encourages user feedback and suggestions for further improvements through forums and GitHub.