Hosted search-as-a-service — the default for docs sites and content-heavy marketing.

Algolia indexes your content and returns search results in milliseconds. For docs sites, blogs, or any site with 50+ pages of searchable content, Algolia (or the open-source alternative Pagefind) is the right answer. Connect it to your exported InBuild project to add real search.

What you get

Sub-50ms search across thousands of pages

DocSearch — free Algolia for open-source documentation sites

Built-in typo tolerance, synonyms, filtering, faceting

InstantSearch React library for drop-in search UI

Analytics — which searches lead to clicks, which don't

FAQ

How do I add Algolia to an exported InBuild site?

Install `algoliasearch` + `react-instantsearch-hooks-web`, configure a search index, and wrap your search component with InstantSearch. You'll need a backend script that indexes your content (blog posts, glossary, etc.) when content changes.

Algolia vs Pagefind?

Algolia is hosted, polished, paid (free tier exists). Pagefind is self-hosted, static-first, fully free. For docs sites, both work; pick by whether you want to pay for ease (Algolia) or self-host for free (Pagefind).

Is search important for SEO?

Indirectly. Good search keeps users on your site longer (engagement signal) and helps them find content they'd otherwise bounce from. Direct SEO impact is small; UX and retention impact is large.