1xINTERNET Shares Community-Driven Updates for Drupal CMS Search Functionality

Drupal CMS is set to receive significant enhancements to its advanced search functionality, as 1xINTERNET, a leading German web development agency, announces a community-driven plan based on insights from nearly 100 experienced users.

The comprehensive survey revealed an overwhelming preference for the Search API module as the standard search solution, with 87% of participants endorsing it over the Core Search module. Related technologies also received strong support, including Facets (88%), Search API Autocomplete (87%), and Search API Decoupled (78%).

To address user concerns about performance, complexity, and configurability, Drupal CMS will implement five separately installable "recipes" for search functionality:

1. Search API Base Recipe: Utilizes the database backend for basic search capabilities.
2. Facet Recipe: Adds configurable search facets based on content type bundles.
3. Search API Autocomplete Recipe: Provides standard configurations for search autocomplete features.
4. Search API Views Recipe: Offers configurations for traditional (coupled) search setups using Views.
5. Search API Decoupled Recipe: Delivers configurations for decoupled search setups.

This modular approach allows users to include only the features they need, enhancing flexibility and usability across various projects without overburdening site builders with unnecessary components.

Survey participants, most of whom identified as expert developers with over five years of experience, emphasized the need for improved documentation and guidance. They highlighted the importance of better control over indexing, clearer performance guidelines, and more intuitive configuration interfaces to make the Search API more accessible, especially for less experienced developers and no-code site builders.

The initiative underscores Drupal's ongoing commitment to open-source collaboration, with community input playing a vital role in shaping the platform's future. The diverse group of survey respondents included frontend and backend developers, site builders, strategists, and decision-makers, providing a well-rounded perspective on user needs.

"Facets and autocomplete features add complexity and may not be necessary for all use cases," noted some participants, suggesting that these should be optional and configurable. Concerns about performance, particularly with large datasets and complex rendered content, were also raised, emphasizing the need for dedicated search backends like Solr or Elasticsearch for larger sites.

Drupal enthusiasts are encouraged to contribute to the Advanced Search Track through the Drupal CMS project or stay updated by subscribing to the monthly newsletter. The collaborative effort aims to deliver a highly customizable search experience that caters to a wide range of user requirements.

By incorporating community feedback and focusing on modularity, Drupal CMS is poised to enhance its search functionality significantly, providing users with powerful tools while maintaining ease of use and flexibility.

About 1xINTERNET

1xINTERNET is a prominent web development agency based in Germany, specializing in Drupal development and digital solutions. The company actively contributes to the Drupal community and plays a significant role in advancing the platform's capabilities.

Get Involved

For those interested in contributing or staying informed about the latest developments in Drupal's advanced search functionality, visit the Starshot Initiative or subscribe to the 1xINTERNET newsletter.