Advanced Search query

Elastic Stack Elasticsearch
1

I'm just starting with Elasticsearch but am required to create an 'advanced search' query. One of those searches where you select the drop-down boxes of your field, search accuracy, input value, and boolean condition.
e.g.

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I have done some looking around, and it seems like query_string might be the way to go. Is that correct? Or is there something better for my case that I'm not seeing?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

2

Since you are planning on using a GUI, drop-downs, etc to construct the query I'd personally use the rest of the query DSL and avoid Query String. E.g. construct a bool query, and each time the user adds a new query condition, add a new match query to the bool clauses. Etc etc.

This will give you control over what is being executed, and most importantly, allow you to restrict what the user can search. Essentially, you are converting the GUI dropdowns into query dsl components and combining them in different boolean combinations.

query_string is an option, but it's more designed for "single line" queries. E.g. when you want to express a full boolean query with multiple components, all in a single string on a single line.

The downside to Query String is the power: it expects the user to A) know the syntax and B) exposes all the query functionality to the user. So there's nothing stopping a user from specifying very bad queries, like leading wildcards (*foo) or excessive fuzzy queries. QueryString is mainly for "power users" that need a single line query syntax.

There is also simple_query_string, which provides some of the same advanced features (boolean logic, etc) but is a bit "safer" in that it restricts what can be used.

But yeah, since you're already overlaying a GUI on the DSL, I'd just use boolean queries with match queries for most of it :slight_smile:

3

Hey! Thanks for this response, maybe I should have updated this post. I did end up actually doing exactly as you described in the end and it is working great. It's good to see that I went about it the correct way so appreciate your explanation.

4

Ah cool, sounds good! Happy to help validate :slight_smile:

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