Welcome to the Meilisearch specifications!

# Sortable Attributes Setting API

# 1. Summary

This specification describes the sortableAttributes index setting API endpoints.

# 2. Motivation

N/A

# 3. Functional Specification

# 3.1. Explanations

sortableAttributes setting allows to configure the document fields usable as sort criteria at search time

By default, Meilisearch focuses on ordering results according to their relevancy. This sorting behavior can be altered so end-users can decide at search time what type of results they want to see first.

sortableAttributes need to be properly processed and prepared by Meilisearch before they can be used. Fields defined as sortableAttributes are usable in the sort search API parameter.

By default, Meilisearch has no sortable attributes defined.

# 3.2. Global Settings API Endpoints Definition

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

See Settings API.

# 3.3. API Endpoints Definition

Manipulate the sortableAttributes setting of a Meilisearch index.

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

Fetch the sortableAttributes 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/sortable-attributes

Modify the sortableAttributes 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/sortable-attributes API endpoint.

Specifying a document attribute that does not exist as a sortableAttributes 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/sortable-attributes

Reset the sortableAttributes 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

← Stop words setting api →