Better search

[oskarrough]

The search we have on /all only searches the data we already have in the store. It doesn't scale. We need something that scales. This would also allow us to continue with pagination.

Projects to consider

• https://lunrjs.com (interesting since no server needed)
• https://www.algolia.com/
• https://www.elastic.co/
• https://github.com/firebase/flashlight

[4www]

css selectors in js https://sizzlejs.com/

[oskarrough]

I tried out Algolia again and here's a little status report.

They have a free "community plan" with a limit to 10k records. So we can't use it for tracks but it'll work fine for radios.

Updating the search index from Firebase is pretty easy. I followed this guide https://www.algolia.com/doc/tutorials/indexing/3rd-party-service/firebase-algolia/. And we can customize the ranking with last updated, amount of tracks etc.

Some tests:

• https://www.algolia.com/realtime-search-demo/search-channels
• https://www.algolia.com/realtime-search-demo/another

[oskarrough]

Made a repo with the node script that generates the search index. Just in case :]

https://github.com/internet4000/radio4000-search-index

[oskarrough]

Search UI inspiration for better and worse.

• github header search
• https://github.com/internet4000/radio4000 (press t on your keyboard)
• https://support.stripe.com/search?q=money
• https://gitlab.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search=what&group_id=&project_id=&repository_ref=
• https://open.spotify.com/search/results/boogie
• https://www.algolia.com/doc/ (top right corner)

[oskarrough]

https://www.algolia.com/doc/tutorials/indexing/3rd-party-service/firebase-algolia/#ongoing-live-sync-to-algolia

[4www]

We need to refactor/unify/improve how search works on our app, on many routes. Anfixea few bugs that prevent some search to work correctly; quick list:
PR: #298 (algolia for channels)
Issues:

• Better search #163 (this one)
• Add shortcut to focus search #212
• Deleting a track breaks the search on /tracks #233
• Add search for /channel/followers #265
• Broken search on /:my-radio-slug/tracks after adding a new track #275
• Broken search on channels #274

[4www]

Fig . something not stupid, quick jump search available everywhere, first result being "go to detailed search result", and all the next results (1 + n ) are quick jumps to the project.

For r4 it could be the same

1. first result goes to a detailed search result page
2. all other results are the quick jump like implemented in Add input-autocomplete for Algolia search #298

[4www]

Think we have something now that fixes this issue. Search is always something to improve, but it is a new issue now.