1

Acquire Raw Content

The very first step of any search application is to collect the target contents on which search is to be conducted.

2

Build the document

The next step is to build the document(s) from the raw contents which the search application can understand and interpret easily.

3

Analyze the document

Before indexing can start, the document is to be analyzed.

4

Indexing the document

Once the documents are built and analyzed, the next step is to index them so that this document can be retrieved based on certain keys, instead of the whole contents of the document.

Indexing is similar to the indexes that we have at the end of a book where common words are shown with their page numbers so that these words can be tracked quickly, instead of searching the complete book.

5

User Interface for Search

Once a database of indexes is ready, then the application can perform search operations. To help the user make a search, the application must provide a user interface where the user can enter text and initiate the search process

6

Build Query

Once the user makes a request to search a text, the application should prepare a query object using that text, which can then be used to inquire the index database to get relevant details.

7

Search Query

Using the query object, the index database is checked to get the relevant details and the content documents.

8

Render Results

Once the required result is received, the application should decide how to display the results to the user using its User Interface.