In the SearchStax Site Search solution, we frequently refer to “Apps” and to “Profiles,” especially in the context of multi-site search management. What exactly is the difference between them?
- An App (or Search App) houses a single Solr index.
- A Profile is a set of search configurations within an App. Each profile offers search users a different view of the index.
You might think of an App’s index as an object that people want to view, like a vista or a book. Profiles provide different viewing experiences, the way that eyeglasses, sunglasses, and telescopes augment the experience of specific viewers.
If an App uses multiple Language Experiences, each language hosts its own set of Profiles.
App vs. Profile Settings
The Site Search features are scoped at either the App level or the Profile level:
- App level – All profiles share this setting for the feature
- Profile level – Each profile can have a different setting for this feature
When creating a new profile, you can optionally copy the settings of another profile as a convenience.
The following table summarizes the distribution of App-level and Profile-level features:
| Setting | Scope |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | App |
| Stopwords | App |
| Smart Match Assist | App |
| Auto-Suggest | App |
| Related Searches | App |
| Multi-Language Experience | App |
| Sorting | Profile |
| Location | Profile |
| Results Fields | Profile |
| Facets | Profile |
| Promotions | Profile |
| Search Fields | Profile |
| Ranking | Profile |
| Rules | Profile |
| Data Filters | Profile |
| Hosted Search Experience | Profile |
Questions?
Note that these distinctions may evolve over time. If a question arises, simply ask your Account Manager or the SearchStax Support Desk for clarification.