Full-Text Search with Elasticsearch

[Eyad-Wahdan]

Implement full-text search capabilities using Elasticsearch to allow real estate companies to quickly search through properties, tenants, contracts, or other data stored in the platform.

[Eyad-Wahdan]

Here is a detailed approach to implementing full-text search capabilities using Elasticsearch, along with key considerations and discussion points to guide the development process:

Background

Implementing full-text search capabilities using Elasticsearch would significantly enhance the platform's usability, especially for real estate companies that need to quickly access specific information. By leveraging Elasticsearch, we can provide robust and high-performance search functionality across various types of data, such as buildings, properties, projects, contracts, or other relevant datasets.

Key Benefits

• Improved Efficiency: Users can locate relevant information faster, saving time and reducing frustration when working with large datasets
• Enhanced User Experience: Providing intuitive and accurate search results will improve overall satisfaction with the platform
• Scalability: Elasticsearch is built to handle large-scale search requirements, making it suitable for growing datasets

Discussion Points

1. Scope of Search Features

   • Which entities should be prioritized for full-text search (e.g., buildings, properties, projects, contracts)?
   • Should search include partial matches, synonyms, or fuzzy matching to handle typos or similar terms?

2. Indexing Strategy

   • How should data be indexed to ensure real-time or near-real-time search capabilities?
   • What frequency should we use for syncing changes from the database to Elasticsearch?

3. Performance Considerations

   • How do we ensure that search queries remain fast, even with large datasets?
   • What steps can be taken to optimize search performance without overloading the system?

4. User Interface Enhancements

   • How can we make the search feature intuitive and user-friendly?
   • Should we provide a global search bar or entity-specific search options?

Call for Input

Feedback and suggestions are welcome regarding:

• Prioritization of search features
• Challenges or edge cases that might arise during implementation
• Additional features that could improve the search functionality

[LudwigHTW]

1. response to Scope of Search Features

I think Elasticsearch makes the most sense for "more complex" searches or those that need to process a large amount of data, which would take too long with a regular search. Considering the models, the type and number of properties, as well as the expected volume of data, it might be particularly useful for apartments and tasks. While buildings also have several properties, there will always be more apartments than buildings. As a result, we can expect a significant amount of data for apartments in the future.