Smart Search (com_finder) uses a pre-built index for faster, more accurate results than the legacy Search component, which runs live database queries on every search. It supports stemming, phrase matching, content-type filtering, and relevance ranking. Enable it by installing the Finder plugins for each content type, building the index at Admin → Smart Search → Index, and placing the mod_finder module in the search position.
Smart Search supports stemming (searching “running” finds “run”), phrase matching, and filtering by content type, category, author, language, and date range. Results are ranked by relevance rather than just recency.
To enable it: install the Finder plugins for each content type (Content, Categories, Tags, Contacts etc.) via Admin → Plugins, then build the initial index at Admin → Smart Search → Index. Place the mod_finder module in the search position. The index updates automatically when content is saved.