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It appears daunting, but adding a powerful search function to your utility is neither complex nor time-consuming.
Here are some solid recommendations!
MeiliSearch
One of the very best and high-value search engines youll come across isMeiliSearch.
So, what makes me list MeiliSearch among my top recommendations?
Open Source
All the source code powering MeiliSearch is available in the open onGitHub.
That means developers can examine any part of the code themselves.
And, of course, knowledgeable developers can help improve the technology even more.
Great UX
MeiliSearch doesnt have complex rules (like a b means a but not b).
Just jot down your search naturally, and results will start showing up fluidly.
The engine is highly tolerant and accommodative, delivering accurate results even when typos or synonyms are used.
It also supports multiple languages.
Great DevEx
Developers will love MeiliSearch!
Its not only customizable and scalable but interfaces as a REST API!Documentationis also excellent and complete.
Simple search solutions should be simple to use and set up.
As such, MeiliSearch checks all the boxes!
When you are happy to proceed, get it started onDigitalOceanwith one click.
Solr
Solr, part of the Apache Project, has been around for a few years now.
Its used by behemoths such as Disney, eBay, Netflix, Zappos, and BestBuy.
So, why use Solr?
Here are some excellent reasons.
Accurate and powerful
Solr is among the most accurate, capable, and powerful search systems in the world.
Its capability of digesting documents and answering search queries is second to none.
Simple install and maintenance
Installing Solr is as simple as uncompressing and running the program.
Admin Panel
Solr comes with an admin panel that allows visual monitoring and configuration.
With some trivial amount of training, even non-developers can learn to read the key charts.
Not many search solutions on this list come with functionality like this one.
It outputs monitoring data as per the JMX standard, a huge boon for Java developers.
Elasticsearch
Elasticsearchwas, and arguably still is, a pioneer in free-form text search.
Dont be misled by the Start free trial button in the graphic above.
Uff, so many webs to untangle.
If you are curious to learn Elasticsearch, then check out thisUdemy course.
Typesense
Typesenseis a lightweight, straightforward, yet powerful search engine.
Those looking for usefulness and simplicity should definitely try this one out.
One of the best things about Typesense is that you could try it right on their website.
That can save frustration and time in cases where you set everything up and try the API .
only to find that one or more of the features dont work the way youd have liked.
Typos, special symbols, synonyms, and more .
As you could see, this section is right below the topmost one.
Billing is by the hour, and read and writes are unmetered.
All in all, Typesense makes a lot of sense (no pun intended!)
if you need something small, slick, precise, and a real workhorse.
Sonic
Sonicprides itself on being an ElasticSaerch alternative that runs on a few MBs of RAM.
How is this possible?
Okay, so long ruminations aside, why should you consider using Sonic for your organization/project?
The devs have highlighted and discussed them openly on their GitHub page.
Therefore, I consider Sonic to be a great choice for a search engine.
TNTSearch
We now have a fascinating entry on this list.
The first interesting thing is that this feature-complete, production-ready search engine, was written in PHP!
Yes, of all the languages possible, PHP.
And I say that not because I hate PHP but because its a short-lived process by design.
The second interesting thing is their license, at least as of writing.
Now, its not mandatory, as the should indicates, but its funny beyond belief.
I also hope they upgrade it to a PS5 license, though its too early right now.
Anyway, coming from a strong PHP + Laravel background myself, I highly appreciate these guys efforts.
Now, are there any good reasons to use TNTSearch in your projects?
think of re-training costs).
And for such cases, TNTSearch brings a value proposition that is hard to refuse!
Vespa
Vespais a broad and heavyweight offering.
But I must try, so I will.
For this segment, Vespa will hit a home run and is highly recommended.
Conclusion
Search is powerful, search is magic, and search is everywhere!
