Question 1

How does Spatie Searchindex compare to Laravel Scout?

Accepted Answer

Spatie Searchindex offers a unified interface for Elasticsearch and Algolia with an opinionated abstraction, while Laravel Scout is Laravel's official package with broader engine support and deeper framework integration. Searchindex is simpler for specific use cases but may lack the maintenance and features of Scout in newer Laravel versions.

Question 2

How to implement faceted search with Spatie Searchindex?

Accepted Answer

For Algolia, use the provided SearchQuery helpers like withFacet to add facets. For Elasticsearch, you must construct raw queries with aggregations manually, as the package doesn't include built-in faceting abstractions for Elasticsearch, requiring more engine-specific knowledge.

Question 3

Does Spatie Searchindex work with Laravel 8 or 10?

Accepted Answer

The package is designed for Laravel 5.1 and may not be compatible with newer versions without modifications. Check the GitHub repository for updates or community forks, as official support might be limited due to its age.

Question 4

Can I easily switch from Elasticsearch to Algolia using this package?

Accepted Answer

Yes, by updating the configuration file to change the search provider, you can switch between Elasticsearch and Algolia without altering your application code, thanks to the unified API that abstracts engine differences.

Question 5

What are the performance implications of using Spatie Searchindex?

Accepted Answer

The abstraction layer adds minimal overhead, but performance largely depends on the underlying search engine configuration. It doesn't handle caching or advanced optimizations out of the box, so you need to tune queries and indexes for best results.

Question 6

How to handle pagination in search results with this package?

Accepted Answer

For Elasticsearch, include 'from' and 'size' parameters in your raw query array. For Algolia, use the array query parameters. The package doesn't provide built-in pagination helpers, so you must manage it manually based on the search engine's documentation.

SearchIndex

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