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Free Plugin by ishitaka v2.14.8

Full-Text Search

Replaces site search with full-text search.

Full-Text Search

The facts

Rating
5★ from 2
Active installs
200+
Price
Free
Last updated
10 Jan 2026
Added
Mar 2021
Requires WP
5.5
Tested up to
WP 6.9.7
Requires PHP
7.2
Downloads
12,842

Our analysis

AI-assisted

Full-Text Search is a WordPress plugin that enhances site search functionality by replacing the default LIKE search with a full-text search system specifically designed for Japanese text. It utilises either the MySQL with Ngram parser or the Mroonga engine with TokenMecab parser to improve search performance, allowing users to search pure strings without HTML tags.

This plugin is suitable for websites that require advanced search capabilities, including the ability to search within PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. It is compatible with WordPress multisite installations and offers various search string options for more refined queries.

Best for: This plugin suits websites needing enhanced search capabilities, particularly those with Japanese content.

What it does well

  • Replaces default search with full-text search
  • Supports searching in multiple file formats
  • Compatible with WordPress multisite
  • Allows for advanced search string options
  • Does not alter existing table structures

Where it falls short

  • Secured PDF files are not supported
  • Requires specific database engines for optimal performance

Verdict

Full-Text Search offers a robust solution for improving search performance on WordPress sites, especially for users dealing with Japanese text. It is a practical choice for those looking to enhance their site's search functionality.

From the developer

ishitaka's own description of Full-Text Search, lightly tidied.

Replaces site search with full-text search.

Replace the site search from LIKE search to Japanese full-text search (MySQL + Ngram parser or Mroonga engine + TokenMecab parser). This will significantly improve search performance.

Search for pure strings (plain text) without HTML tags. This will prevent HTML tags from being searched.

The data (index) for searching is stored in a dedicated table. It does not rewrite existing table structures or post data (posts table).

Searches for text in PDF, Word (doc, docx), Excel, and PowerPoint files. Secured PDF file are currently not supported.

It supports WordPress multisite.

Search string options

  • OR (uppercase letter) – Combine searches. Example: foo OR bar
  • - – Exclude words from the search. Example: foo -bar
  • "" – Search for an exact match. Example: “foo bar”
  • * – Search by wildcard. Mroonga only. Example: foo*
  • () – Grouping. Mroonga only. Example: (foo OR bar) baz

Operating environment

Requires MySQL 5.6 or later, or Mroonga engine.

Mroonga engine is strongly recommended. InnoDB engine performs significantly worse with large amounts of data.

Read the full description on the official page →

Tagged as

purpose Site Search

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