Advanced search filtering UI

[mirekys]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

In some cases, standard search facets combined with a general search query is not enough to locate specific records. A common requirement is the ability to, for example, retrieve all records by a particular author, or to search for a specific metadata field value —such as a keyword in the description— while ignoring that value’s appearance in other fields. Although it is possible to perform such advanced queries using the documented advanced search syntax, the solution is not user-friendly and is challenging for non-technical users.

Describe the solution you'd like

Introduce a component within the Search app UI that allows users to easily build and combine field-level queries through intuitive dropdowns or form-based inputs. This would enable more precise filtering without requiring any knowledge of advanced query syntax.

The process would be:

• User chooses a query field from a menu
• Specialised input is displayed (depending on the field type) to provide field value
• User either confirms the query or adds another field query

Describe alternatives you've considered

• A specialised form-based page, like the one GitHub uses.
• A set of filtering presets, like the ones here

Challenges

Accessibility

Currently, dropdowns in SUI have accessibility issues. We need to make sure the solution meets the accessibility requirements.

Querying

The design relies on the Advanced query syntax, which currently
ends in the q url query string parameter. We might need to introduce another url query parameter for this purpose,
it would otherwise interfere with a regular query string provided into the search input box by the user.

Coexistence with faceted filtering

• Facet filters usually cover only the most common values of the most commonly used pre-configured record fields,
  but they are easily accessible and usable.
• If needed, the top 10 values could be expanded by show more link in the future, there might also be search input to search for a specific facet value.
• Limitation is that users cannot change boolean operator applied to combination of multiple facets, it is fixed to logical AND, neither they can filter over fields not in configured facets.

The goal is to complement the faceted filtering, rather than interfere with it, by enabling users to easily input completely custom queries on any possible indexed metadata fields, for cases, where faceted filtering isn't just sufficient.

Additional context

Conceptual prototype: https://balsamiq.cloud/ssg4nq2/p68p1b0/rC0D9

[lnielsen]

The CERN team is working on a RFC right now to be shared in upcoming telecons for improved faceting and filtering with the goal to start working on it in Q3. The current thinking goes along what is also outlined here, so I'd proposed @slint to get in touch and discuss further.