Upgrading Search in Drupal: From Solr to Algolia and OpenAI

Is your Drupal site’s Solr search delivering poor results or frustrating your users?

That was the challenge facing a national nonprofit in the health education space. As their content library grew, their Solr-based search system couldn’t keep up. Visitors struggled to find the right information using natural language or conversational queries. The organization needed a faster, smarter, and more intuitive search solution—without rebuilding the entire Drupal site.

Our Solution: Replacing Solr with Algolia + OpenAI for Smarter Drupal Search

We implemented a modern, AI-enhanced search experience by integrating:

• Algolia, for fast and typo-tolerant indexing with real-time updates
• OpenAI, to interpret vague or conversational queries using natural language understanding
• Drupal 10, supported by a custom-built module that connects content with both APIs

This upgraded search interface works seamlessly inside the existing Drupal theme, requiring no redesign or CMS migration.

Why Algolia + OpenAI?

Algolia for Lightning-Fast Indexing and Relevant Results

• Hosted search API with typo tolerance, synonym handling, and customizable relevance ranking
• Real-time indexing that keeps pace with new or updated Drupal content
• Scalable infrastructure to support high-traffic environments

OpenAI for Natural Language Understanding

• Converts unclear or vague queries into precise search intents
• Helps users unfamiliar with technical terms or internal taxonomy
• Enables conversational UX aligned with user expectations from modern tools

Custom Drupal Integration

• We developed a custom Drupal module to manage:
  • Content synchronization with Algolia
  • Query transformation via OpenAI
  • Real-time analytics logging for search trends and fallback handling

Technical Stack

• Drupal 10 for CMS and module development
• Algolia for hosted, relevance-based search indexing
• OpenAI API for natural language query rewriting
• Custom API Layer to handle edge cases, analytics, and fallback behavior
• Automated Testing to validate performance, accuracy, and speed across multiple query types

Measurable Results

• Faster Discovery: Visitors now use everyday language to quickly locate relevant content
• Improved Engagement: Bounce rates dropped and time-on-site increased
• More Insightful Analytics: Logged search data now informs editorial and content strategy
• Scalable Search: The hosted solution easily supports growth in both traffic and content volume

Future-Proof Your Drupal Search with AI

Modern users expect intelligent search that understands their intent—not just their keywords. By replacing Solr with Algolia and OpenAI, this nonprofit’s Drupal site now offers a search experience that feels fast, helpful, and human.

Considering a Drupal search upgrade or Solr replacement?

We specialize in integrating Algolia, OpenAI, and other advanced tools with Drupal. Contact us today to bring natural language search to your site—without disrupting your platform.