> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.storefront.co.za/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://support.storefront.co.za/commerce/roadmap/from-sql-to-solr-a-smarter-search-experience.md).

# From SQL to Solr – A Smarter Search Experience

Delivered - May 2025

| Release Type             | Status              | Impact                                                                   |
| ------------------------ | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Major functional upgrade | Delivered, May 2025 | Faster, more responsive product search, particularly on large catalogues |

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## What changed

* The legacy SQL-based search was replaced with a [Solr-powered](https://solr.apache.org/features.html) search engine.
* Real-time suggested search terms were introduced, assisting customers as they type.
* Search results load without a full page reload.
* Search was aligned with the platform's headless architecture, enabling API-driven frontend capabilities.
* It laid the groundwork for the search filtering, personalisation and AI-driven ranking that followed.

## Key benefits

**Suggested search**

Customers receive suggestions as they type, which gets them to the right product faster.

**Results without page reloads**

Results are fetched dynamically, so browsing and filtering feel immediate rather than stepwise.

## Why Solr?

[Solr](https://solr.apache.org/) is an enterprise-grade search engine that brings:

* **Performance and scalability** - handles large catalogues comfortably
* **Relevance and speed** - accurate results, returned quickly
* **Flexibility** - supports the filtering, personalisation and ranking work built on top of it since

## Where to configure it

Search behaviour is now configured per store under Store Settings > Catalogue & Products, covering filter search, search filters, predictive search and automatic search indexing. A store can also be re-indexed on demand from System > Search Indexing.