Search index in PrestaShop

development/products-lifecycle/_index.md

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+---
+title: Products lifecycle
+weight: 42
+useMermaid: true
+---
+
+# Products lifecycle
+
+{{% children /%}}

development/products-lifecycle/search-index.md

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+---
+title: Products search index
+weight: 42
+useMermaid: true
+---
+
+# Products search index
+
+In PrestaShop, product search functionality relies on keyword-based indexing. Each search query entered in the search bar undergoes sanitization and is split into individual words. These words are then matched against the `ps_search_word` table. Matching product IDs are retrieved from the `ps_search_index`, followed by the process of weighting and sorting to deliver the most relevant product results.
+
+<div class="mermaid">
+flowchart TB
+    id1[Search Query] --> id2[Sanitize,\nremove unwanted words,\nsplit by words]
+    id2 --> id3[Retrieve `id_word` from `ps_search_word`]
+    id3 --> id4[Retrieve `id_product` and `weight` from `ps_search_index`]
+    id4 --> id5[Weight results to return most relevant products]
+</div>
+
+## Search index structure
+
+<div class="mermaid">
+classDiagram
+    ps_product <-- ps_search_index
+    ps_search_word <-- ps_search_index
+    ps_product : int product_id
+    ps_product : ...
+    class ps_search_index{
+        int id_product
+        int id_word
+        int weight
+    }
+    class ps_search_word{
+        int id_word
+        int id_shop
+        int id_lang
+        varchar word    
+    }
+</div>
+
+## Search index lifecycle
+
+There are several actions that can trigger a reindex of a product or the complete catalog in the database:
+
+| Location | action | indexation type |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| PrestaShop installation | injecting fixtures | product |
+| PrestaShop installation | installing a theme | full |
+| Back Office | creating a product from Back Office | product |
+| Back Office | updating a product from Back Office | product |
+| Back Office | duplicating a product from Back Office | product |
+| Back Office | deleting a product from Back Office | product |
+| Back Office | activating a product from Back Office | product |
+| Back Office | creating a new shop | full |
+| Back Office | installing a theme | full |
+| Back Office | requesting an index rebuild | full or missing product only |
+| Webservices | creating a product | product |
+| Webservices | updating a product | product |
+| Crons | refreshing search index | full |
+
+## Search index fields weights
+
+Almost every field / information in the product is weighted to fine tune result relevance.
+
+The weight of fields is adjustable from the `Back Office > Shop Parameters > Search` with the configuration keys below: 
+
+| Field | Configuration key | Default weight | Description |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| pname | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_PNAME` | 6 | Product name |
+| reference | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Product reference |
+| pa_reference | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Combination reference |
+| supplier_reference | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Supplier reference
+| pa_supplier_reference | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Combination supplier reference |
+| ean13 | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Product EAN13 |
+| pa_ean13 | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Combination EAN13 |
+| isbn | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Product ISBN |
+| pa_isbn | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Combination ISBN |
+| upc | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Product UPC |
+| pa_upc | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Combination UPC |
+| mpn | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Product MPN |
+| pa_mpn | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_REF` | 10 | Combination MPN |
+| description_short | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_SHORTDESC` | 1 | Product short description |
+| description | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_DESC` | 1 | Product description |
+| cname | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_CNAME` | 3 | Category name |
+| mname | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_MNAME` | 3 | Manufacturer name |
+| tags | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_TAG` | 4 | Product tags |
+| attributes | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_ATTRIBUTE` | 2 | Combinations |
+| features | `PS_SEARCH_WEIGHT_FEATURE` | 2 | Product features |
+
+## Trigger a Search Index refresh by cron
+
+To trigger a search index refresh via cron, create a GET request URL to the Back Office Admin controller, **AdminSearch**.
+
+| Param | Value | Description |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| action | searchCron | |
+| ajax | 1 | |
+| full | 1 | If 1, it will rebuild the full index. If 0 or omitted, it will index only missing products |
+| token | **tokenValue** | |
+
+
+{{% notice note %}}
+You can find indexation URL in `Back Office > Shop Parameters > Search > Indexing`
+{{% /notice %}}
+
+Instead of manually running the script, you can use an indexation URL with cURL in a crontab.
+
+``` bash
+# crontab
+# triggers a reindex everyday at 6:00AM
+0 6 * * * curl https://domain.tld/admin-xxx/index.php?controller=AdminSearch&action=searchCron&ajax=1&full=1&token=xxxxxxxx
+```