From SQL to Solr – A Smarter Search Experience
Mid May 2025
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.
🔄 What Changed:
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.
✅ Key Enhancements:
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.
🧠 Why Solr?
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
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