How to Create an Index on a Specific Column in Apache Solr using cURL

Discover the step-by-step guide to indexing specific columns in `Apache Solr`. Learn how to tailor data indexing to your needs with `cURL` commands.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Apache solr curl commad for creating index on specific columns

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Create an Index on a Specific Column in Apache Solr using cURL

When it comes to search engines like Apache Solr, indexing your data correctly is crucial. Many users want to index only specific columns from a dataset, but they may not always know how to achieve this. In this guide, we will discuss how to create an index in Apache Solr for only certain columns using a cURL command. Let's dive into it!

Understanding the Problem

In Apache Solr, when you load data from a CSV file, it automatically creates indexes for all the columns in that file. This is not always ideal. For example, if you have a CSV file with the following columns:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

You might only want to create an index for the first column (Admission_number) in your Solr core, and store the other columns without indexing them. This ensures that your search queries remain efficient and focused.

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve our problem, we need to define the fields in the Solr schema before indexing the CSV data. Here’s how to do that.

Step 1: Define the Admission_number Field

We need to define the Admission_number column as an integer type (plong), which allows it to be stored and indexed:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Define the Name Field

Next, we will define the Name field. Depending on your needs, you can either index it for searching or exclude it from indexing altogether. Here, we will define it as a stored field without indexing:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Optional – Define Other Fields

If you want to store other fields (e.g., Fathers_name, DOA) but not index them, you can follow similar commands to those mentioned above. Just ensure that these fields are properly defined in your schema.

Step 4: Re-import Your Data

Once the schema is set up, it’s a good practice to re-import your data. This ensures that Solr uses the new field definitions and indexes the data accordingly.

Understanding Solr's Schema Management

It’s worth noting that the fields with _str suffix in your managed schema are optimization fields created by Solr for default types like text_general. When you manually define fields, they will not be automatically generated. This is important to remember when customizing your Solr instance for better performance.

Conclusion

Customizing your indexing approach in Apache Solr can enhance its performance significantly. By defining specific fields to index and store, you can create a search engine that meets your exact needs without unnecessary overhead. Follow the steps outlined above to ensure your Solr instance is optimized for your use case.

With that said, happy indexing! If you have any questions or issues, feel free to leave a comment below.