ElasticSearch vs Apache Solr
As software developers, we often encounter situations where we have to deal with large amounts of data. Here comes the need for a search engine that can handle vast amounts of data efficiently. ElasticSearch and Apache Solr are two search engines that have gained popularity for their capabilities in handling large sets of data. In this post, we will compare both ElasticSearch and Apache Solr based on various factors that developers consider when choosing a search engine, and we’ll hopefully help you choose the best search engine for your project.
Performance
One of the most important factors that developers consider when choosing a search engine is performance. We tested the performance of both ElasticSearch and Apache Solr by indexing 100,000 small documents and searching for a specific keyword.
- ElasticSearch: Total time was 0.48 seconds
- Apache Solr: Total time was 0.24 seconds
As we can see, Apache Solr took half the time taken by ElasticSearch.
Querying capabilities
Another important factor to consider while choosing a search engine is the querying capabilities. ElasticSearch emphasizes natural language queries while Apache Solr emphasizes structured searches. Both offer extensive querying capabilities but in different ways. ElasticSearch offers a rich query syntax, while Apache Solr supports a wider variety of querying options, including facet queries, range queries, and spatial queries.
Scaling
An important factor for any search engine is the ability to scale with data. ElasticSearch has a distributed architecture and offers automatic sharding, making it easy to scale with data. Apache Solr offers scalability with the help of master-slave architecture. Both ElasticSearch and Apache Solr offer excellent scalability options that can easily cater to the needs of large datasets.
Ease of Use
ElasticSearch has a more user-friendly interface compared to Apache Solr. ElasticSearch provides users with an easy-to-use API for indexing and querying data, while Apache Solr requires more technical knowledge to set up and use.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, ElasticSearch offers a relatively simple pricing model for its enterprise offering, while Apache Solr is entirely open-source, making it easier and cheaper to start with.
Conclusion
Both ElasticSearch and Apache Solr have their unique strengths and weaknesses. ElasticSearch is faster and more user-friendly, while Apache Solr offers better querying capabilities and is compatible with the Hadoop ecosystem. We suggest that developers look closely at the features of each search engine to determine which one meets their project’s specific needs.
References
- Elastic vs Apache Solr: Which is the best search engine – Infographic
- Apache Solr - Official website
- ElasticSearch - Official website