Rajeev Kumar Develops Open-Source Instant Search for Drupal with Typesense

Rajeev Kumar is developing an open-source instant search solution for Drupal sites that delivers Algolia-like performance without third-party services. He based his approach on a recent Hublot project where Algolia and Drupal Search API powered a fast, user-friendly search experience.

His proof of concept uses Typesense as a backend search engine and leverages Drupal Search API to create a dedicated content index. A Drupal View exposes the indexed data, including filters and sort options, while a custom module defines a search path, transforms query results, and renders them with the instantsearch JavaScript library. Initial tests show substantial speed gains compared with Drupal’s default search functionality.

Rajeev is refining the implementation of facet filtering, sort controls and field styling to improve usability and consistency. He plans to integrate a large language model to deliver results based on user intent and to add a ranking counter for trending content. Those interested in collaborating on a contributed module within the Drupal Search API ecosystem are invited to connect with him. Rajeev intends to publish detailed documentation and sample code once the core features are stable.

More information is available on Rajeev Kumar’s LinkedIn post.