Candidate Debut feature: Debut Search, built on Search API

Problem/Motivation

Search is a basic site requirement. Drupal core search is limited in many ways: performance issues, lack of flexibility, limited Views integration, no native support for faceted search, etc. However, solutions built on a particular search index backend server (e.g., apachesolr) are also limited in that they cannot be used unless that backend is in place.

Proposed resolution

The Search API provides a powerful and flexible toolset.

The draft feature at http://drupal.org/sandbox/nedjo/1289522 includes:

• A node index component.
• A db server component using search_api_db.
• A view of search results.
• A context for displaying the enabled search facets on the search page.

Remaining tasks

Feature generates errors on install. Relevant issue: #1414078: Revert of exportables not working.

If that is resolved:

• Add a drush .make file.
• Fix up some component naming issues.
• Add a solr backend server configuration.
• Implement a drupal_alter() hook on the node index, using the search_api_solr based server if available.
• Test, fix up.

Also requires #1289716: Adopt Search API as the standard search solution in Debut.

User interface changes

Provides a search page at /search.

API changes

none.