From SQL to Solr – A Smarter Search Experience

Mid May 2025

Release Type	Effective Date	Impact
Major functional upgrade	Beta launch from 15 to 22 May 2025	User Experience: Significantly improved with faster, more responsive search interactions (no page reloads, suggested results). Performance: Improved search speed and scalability, especially noticeable on large product catalogues. Developer Flexibility: Enables greater customisation and frontend innovation via API-driven architecture. No Downtime Expected: The transition is seamless and will not require users or merchants to make any changes.

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🔄 What Changed:

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• Replaced the legacy SQL-based search with a Solr-powered search engine.
• Introduced real-time suggested search terms to assist users as they type.

• Implemented Ajax-based search result loading, eliminating full page reloads.

• Aligned the search functionality with our ongoing headless architecture transition, enabling API-driven, decoupled frontend capabilities.

• Laid the groundwork for future enhancements like search filtering, personalisation, and AI-driven ranking.

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✅ Key Enhancements:

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1. Suggested Search

Users will receive real-time search suggestions as they type, dramatically improving the speed and relevance of product discovery.

2. Ajax-Based Results (No Page Reloads)

Search results are now fetched dynamically without a full page reload, offering a fast, seamless user experience—a core benefit of our headless transition.

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🧠 Why Solr?

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Solr is a robust, enterprise-grade search engine that enhances:

• Performance & Scalability: Handles large product catalogs with ease

• Relevance & Speed: Delivers accurate, lightning-fast results

• Flexibility: Supports future enhancements like AI ranking, advanced filtering, and personalisation