We’re pleased to announce the release of Geek ElasticSearch version 5.8.0, a feature-rich update aimed at enhancing search functionality, optimising query performance, and improving compatibility with additional Joomla components. This post provides an in-depth look at the technical changes and what they mean for your websites.
🚀 New Features
Multi-select Facet Filtering
Users can now select multiple options within facet filters, thereby enhancing the search’s flexibility. This allows users to find articles from multiple authors, filter products from numerous manufacturers, search for houses in various cities, and so on.
To activate this feature, please proceed to the settings panel of the search module and toggle the setting “Multiple Selections” under the “Faceted Filters” tab.
New integrations
This release supports two new components: Fabrik and AllVideoShare. Additionally, Geek ElasticSearch now includes over 60 built-in integration plugins in its package, supporting nearly all popular Joomla components across various categories, such as Social, Shopping Cart, CCK, Listing, Page Builder, Directory, and more.
🔄 Key Changes and Enhancements
Enhanced the feature Category Filtering with an “Include Child” Option
This enhancement enables the feature filtering items by categories and their subcategories to work correctly without the need to manually select all subcategories in the backend. This simplifies the selection process within the category filter box while maintaining the functionality of the feature.
Addition of "Short Description" Field
A novel mapping field, short_description, has been introduced. This necessitates a complete re-indexing of the entire site’s content to ensure the addition of the new field to the Mapping and the subsequent update of the data for the newly added field.
Optimised Query Performance
In the updated version, the full description field has been omitted from the search result payload. Consequently, the search engine will only return the short description to optimize data transfer.
This enhancement substantially expedites the loading speed of search results, particularly when websites feature big documents.
Migration from GET to POST Requests
Search queries now utilise POST requests instead of GET. This shift provides better handling of larger payloads, improved security for complex query parameters, and aligns with best practices for RESTful APIs.
⚠️ Critical Action Required: Re-Index Data
After installing version 5.8.0, it is mandatory to re-index your data. This process:
- Applies the updated mappings (adding the short_description field).
- Ensures new field structures are properly indexed.
- Prevents discrepancies in search queries and results.
📊 Conclusion
Geek ElasticSearch 5.8.0 provides significant technical improvements for developers looking to enhance Joomla-based search functionalities. From improved data handling with POST requests to optimised query performance and expanded component support, this update is designed to deliver efficiency and flexibility.
For detailed documentation or support, refer to our [developer guide] or contact the support team. Happy coding!