EXT:seal - Search Engine Abstraction Layer

TYPO3 Association Community Budget Ideas 2025 Q3
1

Idea Title
EXT:seal - Search Engine Abstraction Layer

What is your idea about?

The idea is to develop a TYPO3 extension that integrates a “Search Engine Abstraction Layer” (SEAL - Getting Started - SEAL Documentation ). This abstraction layer allows TYPO3 integrators and developers to use different search technologies (e.g., Solr, OpenSearch, Loupe) in a unified and efficient way. Currently, switching between or integrating search engines in TYPO3 often requires different extension, different configuration structures and effort. This extension will solve that problem by providing a standardized indexing and search interface, decoupled from specific search engines. A TYPO3-specific adapter will ensure full compatibility with the TYPO3 ecosystem. This will make it easier to implement powerful and flexible search features in TYPO3 projects, while also allowing for seamless transitions between search technologies.

What do you want to achieve by the end of Q3 2025?

By the end of Q3 2025, the project aims to deliver a stable and documented TYPO3 extension that includes the following:

  • A fully functional integration of SEAL (Search Engine Abstraction Layer) into TYPO3
  • A basic TYPO3 adapter that works out of the box with TYPO3’s database
  • An extendable architecture to allow support for other adapters search engines like Solr, OpenSearch, Loupe, etc. (site based)
  • A flexible indexing process tailored to TYPO3 content structures
  • A working search plugin that is easy to configure and extend
  • Minimal configuration requirements for standard use cases
  • Events for exetnding the SEAL integration

These milestones will ensure a usable and extensible search solution for TYPO3 integrators and developers.

What is the potential impact of your idea for the overall goal?

This project has the potential to significantly improve how search is implemented and maintained in TYPO3 projects. By decoupling search functionality from specific technologies, it will reduce technical debt and increase flexibility for TYPO3 site owners and developers. The community will benefit in several ways:

  • Faster and easier integration of search functionality across TYPO3 projects
  • Improved developer experience through a unified API for indexing and searching
  • Enhanced ability to meet modern search requirements (scalability, speed, accuracy) by enabling the use of powerful external search engines
  • Support for multi-site environments with specific adapter needs

How does your Idea align with the strategic goals for TYPO3 v14.

The extension will align with the goals:

  • 2 → Reducing Complexity
  • 7 → Improve Interconnectivity
  • 10 → Improve Scalability

Which budget do you need for your idea?

  • 7.500€

My name

Tim Lochmüller

5 Likes
2

First of all this idea is really necessary and big step for the necessary flexibility regarding the different tools.

But what i’m really interessted in is what the actual configuration should look like?
Is this done via settings.php or additional.php?
What would the encrypted communication between TYPO3 and the respective search engine look like? Is this possible?

Unfortunately, i am not very fimiliar with the package you described and have not yet been able to find it quickly.

3

Hey @mceikens ,

thanks for the feedback. The general configuration of the extension would be in the site settings. Then you can use different search technologies for different sites in the same instance. BUT: The extension is delivered only with the internal TYPO3 Core adapter, because I want to avoid to install X search technology adapter and only one is used. So the basic idea is, that the extension use multiple events to customize the loading of e.g. adapter (always based on site configuration). Perhaps we could think about a SEARCH_DSN (similar to symfony DATABASE_DSN oder MAILER_DSN) to configure different search adapter.

Related to the encryption question. This is always based on the used adapter. The SEAL Solr adapter based on GitHub - solariumphp/solarium: PHP Solr client library . I think (I do not check this) the communikcation with the solr server is encrypted, but not the data itself.

Here you find more information about the project and the different technology adapter: Getting Started - SEAL Documentation

Regards,
Tim