A distributed search system can include a group of nodes assigned to different partitions. Each partition can store indexes for a group of documents. Nodes in the same partition can independently processing document-based records to construct the indexes. One of the nodes can process a stored checkpoint to produce a repartitioned checkpoint. The group of nodes can respond to search requests during the construction of the repartitioned checkpoint. The repartitioned checkpoint can be loaded into the group of nodes to repartition the group of nodes.