Zing generates search results in four phases

Generate search results by dividing documents among shards, searching shard documents, scoring shard documents, and merging scores into an index.

Zing generates search results in four phases:

Divide searchable documents among index shards.
Search and filter shard documents.
Score shard documents.
Merge shard document scores into an index.

Phase 1: Divide searchable documents among index shards

When a search is executed, the system equally divides all searchable documents among 10 index shards. Each shard has a unique list of documents.

To maximize search efficiency, the system creates 10 query threads to simultaneously search each index shard.

The system divides all searchable documents among 10 index shards from Shard 0 to Shard 9. — Figure 1. Divide documents among index shards

Phase 2: Search and filter shard documents

Each query thread searches through its list of shard documents to identify documents that match the search criteria. For example, if you search for "wifi network," the system returns all documents containing both "wifi" and "network" in no particular order.

Note: A multiple word search is equivalent to multiple single word searches connected by an AND operator. For example, [contains][wifi][AND][contains][network].

The query thread assigns each matching document a numeric value (a document ID) to uniquely identify it. All other documents are ignored.

Phase 3: Score shard documents

The query thread scores each matching shard document.

The system creates 10 Query threads to search, filter, and score shard documents. — Figure 2. Query threads search, filter, and score shard documents

Phase 4: Merge and sort shard document scores

The system merges the document scores into a single index and sorts the documents from highest to lowest document score. The documents with the highest document score are most relevant to the search query.

Zing generates search results in four phases

Generate search results by dividing documents among shards, searching shard documents, scoring shard documents, and merging scores into an index.

Zing generates search results in four phases:

Divide searchable documents among index shards.
Search and filter shard documents.
Score shard documents.
Merge shard document scores into an index.

Phase 1: Divide searchable documents among index shards

When a search is executed, the system equally divides all searchable documents among 10 index shards. Each shard has a unique list of documents.

To maximize search efficiency, the system creates 10 query threads to simultaneously search each index shard.

Phase 2: Search and filter shard documents

Note: A multiple word search is equivalent to multiple single word searches connected by an AND operator. For example, [contains][wifi][AND][contains][network].

The query thread assigns each matching document a numeric value (a document ID) to uniquely identify it. All other documents are ignored.

Phase 3: Score shard documents

The query thread scores each matching shard document.

Phase 4: Merge and sort shard document scores

How search works:

Topics are ranked in search results by how closely they match your search terms

Zing generates search results in four phases

Zing generates search results in four phases

Phase 1: Divide searchable documents among index shards

Phase 2: Search and filter shard documents

Phase 3: Score shard documents

Phase 4: Merge and sort shard document scores

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Zing generates search results in four phases

Zing generates search results in four phases

Phase 1: Divide searchable documents among index shards

Phase 2: Search and filter shard documents

Phase 3: Score shard documents

Phase 4: Merge and sort shard document scores

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