Sphinx vs. SOLR: Which Stand-Alone Full-Text Search Server Is Right for My Needs?

Stand-alone Full-Text Search Server Comparison: Sphinx vs. SOLR

Introduction

When searching for a stand-alone full-text search server, factors such as bulk indexing, database compatibility, and performance play a crucial role. Among the available options, Sphinx and SOLR stand out as strong contenders. This article delves into their similarities and differences to help you make an informed decision.

Similarities

• Both Sphinx and SOLR meet all the requirements mentioned in the original question.
• They are fast and designed for efficient indexing and searching of large datasets.
• They have a substantial user base and offer commercial support.
• They provide client API bindings for various platforms and languages.
• They support distributed deployment for improved speed and capacity.

Differences

Licensing:

• Solr is Apache2-licensed, while Sphinx is GPLv2. This licensing difference may have implications for commercial applications.

Embeddability:

• Solr is easily embeddable in Java applications, while Sphinx is not.

Underlying Technology:

• Solr is based on Lucene, which provides stability and a wide user base. Sphinx integrates more closely with RDBMSs, particularly MySQL.

Data Handling:

• Solr can index proprietary formats like Microsoft Word and PDF, while Sphinx cannot.
• Solr allows partial index updates for field data, which Sphinx does not.
• Sphinx requires document IDs to be unique unsigned non-zero integers, while Solr allows for wider flexibility in unique key types.

Features:

• Solr includes a built-in spell-checker and facet support, while these features may require more effort in Sphinx.
• Solr supports field collapsing to avoid result duplication, which is not currently available in Sphinx.
• Solr can retrieve entire documents directly, reducing the need for an external data store, while Sphinx primarily provides document IDs.

Deployment:

• Solr runs in a Java web container, which requires additional configuration and tuning. Sphinx, on the other hand, requires minimal configuration.

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