Search Documentation

Last modified: 5/19/2026

Search Documentation

User guide for searching in GeoHazardWatch. See User Documentation for more guides.

Quick Start

Search Types

1. Text Search

Search across page content, titles, and metadata using keywords or phrases.

Examples:

Filter pages by their assigned categories. Categories are defined in page front matter.

How to use:

Filter pages by user-defined keywords. Keywords are specified in the userKeywords field of page front matter.

How to use:

Combine multiple search criteria for powerful filtering:

Search Interface Features

Search Options Panel

The collapsible Search Options panel provides access to all search features:

Search Scope Options

Control where your search looks using the Search In checkboxes:

Results Display

Search results show comprehensive information:

Search Statistics Sidebar

The sidebar provides useful information:

Search Tips Panel

Built-in help shows advanced search syntax:

Page Organization

Categories

Categories provide high-level organization for pages. They are defined in the page front matter:

---
title: "Page Title"
category: "Documentation"
---

Best Practices:

User Keywords

Keywords provide fine-grained tagging for pages. They are defined in the userKeywords field:

---
title: "Page Title"
userKeywords: ["search", "documentation", "help"]
---

Best Practices:

Tags

Additional tags can be specified in the tags field for even more granular organization:

---
title: "Page Title"
tags: ["search", "help", "documentation", "guide", "tutorial"]
---

Search Syntax

Basic Operators

Advanced Syntax

Fuzzy Matching

The search engine provides intelligent matching:

Empty Search State

When you visit the search page without parameters, you'll see:

Performance and Indexing

Search Index

Search Speed

Search Providers

GeoHazardWatch uses a pluggable search-provider model — the active provider is chosen by the ngdpbase.search.provider setting (see Configuration Properties Reference):

Switching providers is transparent to you as a searcher — the search box, syntax, and results behave the same regardless of which provider is active.

Troubleshooting

No Results Found

If your search returns no results:

  1. Check Spelling: Verify search terms are spelled correctly
  2. Broaden Search: Try fewer or more general terms
  3. Remove Filters: Clear category and keyword filters
  4. Use Wildcards: Try term* for partial matches
  5. Browse Categories: Use category links to explore content

Unexpected Results

If results don't match expectations:

  1. Check Search Scope: Ensure "Search In" is set to "All Fields"
  2. Review Filters: Clear category/keyword filters if they're too restrictive
  3. Use Exact Phrases: Put phrases in quotes for exact matching
  4. Check Page Metadata: Verify pages have correct categories/keywords

Performance Issues

If search seems slow:

  1. Clear Browser Cache: Refresh the page and try again
  2. Simplify Query: Use fewer search terms
  3. Check Network: Ensure stable internet connection

Best Practices

For Content Creators

  1. Use Consistent Categories: Establish and follow category naming conventions
  2. Add Relevant Keywords: Include searchable keywords in page metadata
  3. Write Descriptive Titles: Use clear, searchable page titles
  4. Include Summaries: Add brief descriptions in page content

For Search Users

  1. Start Simple: Begin with basic keywords, then add filters
  2. Use Categories: Browse by category when exploring topics
  3. Combine Filters: Use multiple criteria for precise results
  4. Check Metadata: Look at page categories and keywords for related content

For Administrators

  1. Monitor Categories: Regularly review and organize categories
  2. Update Keywords: Keep keyword lists current and relevant
  3. Train Users: Provide search training for users
  4. Regular Maintenance: Periodically review and update page metadata

Embedding Search Results in Pages

SearchPlugin

You can embed search results directly into pages using the SearchPlugin. This is useful for creating dynamic lists and statistics.

Syntax:

[{Search query='text' system-category='category' user-keywords='keyword' format='format' max=number}]

Format Options:

Examples:

Count pages by category:

Total documentation pages: [{Search system-category='documentation' format='count'}]

List all system pages:

[{Search system-category='system' format='titles'}]

Search with text query:

[{Search query='plugin' system-category='system' format='table' max=10}]

Count pages with specific keywords:

Test pages: [{Search user-keywords='test' format='count'}]

Use Cases:

Example in Action:

There are currently 50 documentation pages on this platform.

All Available Plugins

Any user can embed plugins in pages. Here are all available plugins:

Fully Documented

Documentation In Progress

See GitHub Issue #163 for status

See User Keywords for the complete list of available keywords, system-category for category definitions, and Plugins for the full plugin list.