Field Query

What is a Field Query?

A field query (fielded search) targets one or more specific fields in the index using prefixes or a query DSL, e.g., title:, brand:, sku:, category:, price:. It gives precise control compared to a general, all-fields query.

How It Works (quick)

• Mapping: Define which fields are searchable and with which analyzers (title vs description vs keyword).
• Syntax: Prefix (title:"air max"), filters (price:[50 TO 100]), and exact fields (sku:"AB-1234").
• Boosting: Weight fields differently (title > attributes > description).
• Fallback: Multi-match across common fields when the user doesn’t specify one.

Why It Matters in E-commerce

• Precision: Exact title/brand searches and SKU/MPN lookups.
• Power-user tooling: Merchandisers and support agents resolve issues quickly.
• Safer parsing: Limits ambiguity vs free-text queries.

Best Practices

• Whitelist fields: Only expose safe, meaningful fields; hide internals.
• Per-field analyzers: Exact/keyword for SKUs; language analyzers for titles; numeric/range for price.
• Synonyms by field: Brand synonyms differ from description synonyms; manage separately.
• Sanitize input: Prevent query injection; escape reserved characters.
• UX: Provide an Advanced Search helper or query builder; show examples.
• Logging: Store parsed fields for debugging and analytics.

Challenges

• User confusion over syntax; long, brittle URLs; inconsistent analyzers across locales.

Examples

• title:"air max 270" AND brand:Nike AND price:[80 TO 150]
• sku:AB-1234 → exact keyword field.
• category:Accessories AND color:Red

Summary

Field queries offer surgical control over where and how search matches happen. Expose the right fields with the right analyzers, sanitize inputs, and provide a good UI for non-experts.