Search configuration and usage

Configure search

Open Cointacted → Search, or Settings → Cointacted – Search when Social Terminal is not active. Enable the fallback search surface when the theme has no native placement, set the minimum query length and per-source result limit, then enable only the sources visitors should discover.

Free sources are regular public WordPress posts and pages. Pro adapters become available for public authors, Cointacted/SnapWeb Docs, WooCommerce products, FluentCart products, FluentCommunity content, and future official addon-owned content when the corresponding software and capability are present. Search checks source availability and item visibility for every request; enabling a source does not make private content public.

Use [cointacted_search] for the local WordPress interface. The REST search endpoint is /wp-json/cointacted-search/v1/search. Themes and add-ons should consume the result contract or register a presentation handler rather than duplicating source queries.

Publish and verify the interface

For a regular WordPress site, place the [cointacted_search] shortcode in a normal page and add that page to the desired WordPress menu. On SnapWeb, use the same canonical page or the native Search placement supplied by the active SnapWeb integration; do not publish a second search index. The header trigger may open an overlay without changing the URL, while a dedicated results page remains a normal navigable route.

Use this acceptance sequence after changing sources:

1. Search for a unique public post title as a signed-out visitor and confirm the result opens the canonical URL.
2. Search for a draft or private item and confirm it is absent.
3. Sign in as a low-privilege user and repeat the test for each enabled Pro source.
4. Disable one source, save, and confirm both the interface and search sources stop advertising it.
5. Test a query below the minimum length, a no-result query, keyboard selection, Escape, Back/Forward, and a direct result-page reload.

Typesense is optional acceleration supplied by the future shared SnapWeb Search architecture. Cointacted Search must retain its local WordPress fallback and must never expose a Typesense administration key to the browser.

Terminal workflows

• search TERM, s TERM, and find TERM perform universal search.
• search sources lists available scopes.
• Scoped examples include search posts roadmap, s shop hoodie, s com update, and find users NAME.

Exact scopes depend on active sources. Pro can rename visible source labels and define non-conflicting terminal aliases. Command IDs and REST source IDs stay stable even when their labels change.

Troubleshooting

• No results: test a query above the minimum length, confirm the source is enabled and available, then check whether the current visitor can view the content.
• Terminal command missing: enable terminal integration and confirm Social Terminal is active.
• Community source missing: FluentCommunity sources require the corresponding active integration and Search Pro boundary described in the overview.
• Commerce products missing: confirm the commerce plugin is active and the product is publicly visible.
• REST returns 403: the settings endpoints require administration permissions; search permission follows the configured public/signed-in policy.

Search indexes or returns titles, excerpts, URLs, source identifiers, and optional public images. It must not index passwords, private messages, secrets, or content the current viewer cannot access.