Using Apache Solr with Drupal

Drupal's Core Search Module

SQL-based searching

Index table

Tables Can Get Big

On A2Ethics.org:
200 nodes = 33,456 index table rows

What happens when if you have 200,000 nodes?

MySQL tables with tens of millions of rows will be very difficult to optimize

Advanced Search

Search with Views

Search with Views

Improving Drupal's Search

• Handle large numbers of nodes.
  
  
• Provide easier way to find content.
  
  
• More forgiving of typos, alternative spellings.
  
  

What is Apache Solr?

• Lucene-based search server.
  
  
• Written in Java.
  
  
• High performance.
  
  
• Advanced features.
  
  

http://lucene.apache.org/solr/

Server flow diagram

Setting up Apache Solr

• Download Solr 3.x. (1.4.x on D6)
  
  
• Copy configuration files from Drupal module to example/solr/conf.
  schema.xml
  solrconfig.xml
  protwords.txt
  
  
• Start Solr server. (java -jar example/start.jar)
  
  
• Hosted options: Acquia Search, Websolr.com

Drupal Modules We Need

• Apache Solr Integration
  http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr
• Facet API
  http://drupal.org/project/facet_api
  
  - or -
  
  
• Search API
  http://drupal.org/project/search_api
• Search API Solr Search
  http://drupal.org/project/search_api_solr

Connecting Drupal to Apache Solr

Setting up Facets

Note: Only fields which are indexed can be searched or faceted on!

Importing Nodes into Solr

Using Solr Search

Search Pages

Boosting Fields

Content Recommendations

Query suggestions

Bug in 7.x-1.0-rc4: http://drupal.org/node/1793610

Searching Withing Attachments

Apache Solr Attachments
http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr_attachments

Multiple Sites in a Single Index

Apache Solr Multisite Search
http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr_multisitesearch

Multiple Sites on a single server (different indexes)

"Multicore" Solr

http://www.softwarerockstars.com/article/drupal-apache-solr-search-multi-site-instance-setup

Solr-related contrib modules

• Apache Solr Views
  http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr_views
• Apache Solr Organic Groups Integration
  http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr_og
• OpenLayers Apache Solr
  http://drupal.org/project/openlayers_solr
• Apache Solr Term
  http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr_term
• Apache Solr Commerce
  http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr_commerce
• Apache Solr Exclude Node
  http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr_exclude_node
• Apache Solr Autocomplete
  http://drupal.org/project/apachesolr_autocomplete

Wrapup

Apache Solr  >  Drupal core search

• High performance with thousands of documents
• Language stemming
• Faceted search
• Multiple custom search pages
• Content recommendations
• Query spell-checking and suggestions
• Search within files
• Search multiple sites