Welcome to the Meilisearch specifications!

# Filterable Attributes Setting API

# 1. Summary

This specification describes the filterableAttributes index setting API endpoints.

# 2. Motivation

N/A

# 3. Functional Specification

# 3.1. Explanations

filterableAttributes setting allows to configure the document fields usable as filter criteria and as facets.

Filters have several use-cases, such as restricting the results a specific user has access to or creating faceted search interfaces. Faceted search interfaces are particularly efficient in helping users navigate a great number of results across many broad categories.

filterableAttributes need to be properly processed and prepared by Meilisearch before they can be used at search time. Fields defined as filterableAttributes are usable in the filter and facets search API parameters.

By default, Meilisearch has no filterable attributes defined.

# 3.2. Global Settings API Endpoints Definition

filterableAttributes is a sub-resource of /indexes/:index_uid/settings.

See Settings API.

# 3.3. API Endpoints Definition

Manipulate the filterableAttributes setting of a Meilisearch index.

# 3.3.1. GET - indexes/:index_uid/settings/filterable-attributes

Fetch the filterableAttributes setting of a Meilisearch index.

# 3.3.1.1. Response Definition
  • Type: Array of String
  • Default: []
# 3.3.1.2. Errors
  • 🔴 Sending an invalid index uid format for the :index_uid path parameter returns an invalid_index_uid error.
  • 🔴 If the requested index_uid does not exist, the API returns an index_not_found error.

# 3.3.2. PUT - indexes/:index_uid/settings/filterable-attributes

Modify the filterableAttributes setting of a Meilisearch index.

# 3.3.2.1. Request Payload Definition
  • Type: Array of String / null

Setting null is equivalent to using the 3.3.3. DELETE - indexes/:index_uid/settings/filterable-attributes API endpoint.

Specifying a document attribute that does not exist as a filterableAttributes index setting returns no error.

# 3.3.2.2. Response Definition

When the request is successful, Meilisearch returns the HTTP code 202 Accepted. The response's content is the summarized representation of the received asynchronous task.

See Summarized task Object for 202 Accepted.

# 3.3.2.3. Errors
# 3.3.2.3.1. Async Errors

Otherwise, Meilisearch will create the index in a lazy way. See 3.2.2.4. Lazy Index Creation.

# 3.3.2.4. Lazy Index Creation

If the requested index_uid does not exist, and the authorization layer allows it (See 3.3.2.3.1. Async Errors), Meilisearch will create the index when the related asynchronous task resource is executed. See 3.3.2.2. Response Definition.

# 3.3.3. DELETE - indexes/:index_uid/settings/filterable-attributes

Reset the filterableAttributes setting of a Meilisearch index to the default value [].

# 3.3.3.1. Response Definition

When the request is in a successful state, Meilisearch returns the HTTP code 202 Accepted. The response's content is the summarized representation of the received asynchronous task.

See Summarized task Object for 202 Accepted.

# 3.3.3.3. Errors
  • 🔴 Sending an invalid index uid format for the :index_uid path parameter returns an invalid_index_uid error.
# 3.3.3.3.1. Asynchronous Index Not Found Error

# 3.3.4. General Errors

These errors apply to all endpoints described here.

# 3.3.4.1 Auth Errors

The auth layer can return the following errors if Meilisearch is secured (a master-key is defined).

  • 🔴 Accessing this route without the Authorization header returns a missing_authorization_header error.
  • 🔴 Accessing this route with a key that does not have permissions (i.e. other than the master-key) returns an invalid_api_key error.

# 4. Technical Details

# 4.1. Triggering Documents Re-Indexing

Meilisearch favors search speed and makes a trade-off on indexing speed by computing internal data structures to get search results as fast as possible.

Modifying this index setting cause documents to be re-indexed.

# 5. Future Possibilities

n/a

← Proximity precision →