10up has released version 4.4.0 of ElasticPress , its enhanced search plugin that speeds up search while reducing the load on WordPress sites. The plugin is based on Elasticsearch and is used by customers of the ElasticPress.io service (a SaaS solution), as well as those who host their own Elasticsearch instance, such as on our advanced hosting plans.
We've covered ElasticPress in some depth in this article.
This update adds a new “Status Report” page to your dashboard with information that can be useful for troubleshooting ElasticPress and synced content. The user interface uses Gutenberg components for collapsible sections. Version 4.4.0 introduces a new query logging feature that logs failed queries (up to 5 in the last 24 hours) and displays an admin alert if failed queries are found. Failed queries appear on the new Status Report page.
Another highlight of this release is the ability to customize the Instant Results template . It provides developers with a JavaScript hook to replace the component used to display search results in Instant Results. The Instant Results feature was introduced in March with limited customization capabilities. It added a new search modal to the page content that inherits site styles. Developers can change the look and expose facets, but this new update gives them control over the entire template.
Another small but useful update in this release is the ability to exclude specific posts from Search . This helps site owners further customize the search experience to provide only the expected results.
Developers using the plugin should note the announcement included in this release regarding the migration of Users functionality to the ElasticPress Labs plugin, which houses more experimental features:
Note that starting with ElasticPress 5.0.0 the
Usersfunctionality will be moved to the plugin ElasticPress Labs . The functionalitiesTermseCommentsthey will remain in ElasticPress but will only be available when enabled via code.
Check out the full list of updates and bug fixes on GitHub in the changelog for 4.4.0.
