Search Text

Sample Data

The examples in this guide use the following Dish struct as a model for documents in the menu collection:

type Dish struct {
	Name        string
	Description string
}

To run the examples in this guide, load the sample data into the db.menu collection with the following snippet:

coll := client.Database("db").Collection("menu")
docs := []interface{}{
	Dish{Name: "Shepherd’s Pie", Description: "A vegetarian take on the classic dish that uses lentils as a base. Serves 2."},
	Dish{Name: "Green Curry", Description: "A flavorful Thai curry, made vegetarian with fried tofu. Vegetarian and vegan friendly."},
	Dish{Name: "Herbed Whole Branzino", Description: "Grilled whole fish stuffed with herbs and pomegranate seeds. Serves 3-4."},
	Dish{Name: "Kale Tabbouleh", Description: "A bright, herb-based salad. A perfect starter for vegetarians and vegans."},
	Dish{Name: "Garlic Butter Trout", Description: "Baked trout seasoned with garlic, lemon, dill, and, of course, butter. Serves 2."},
}
result, err := coll.InsertMany(context.TODO(), docs)

Each document contains the name and description of a dish on a restaurant's menu.

Text Index

You must create a text index before running a text search. A text index specifies the string or string array field on which to run a text search.

The examples in the following sections run text searches on the description field of documents in the menu collection. To enable text searches on the description field, create a text index with the following snippet:

model := mongo.IndexModel{Keys: bson.D{{"description", "text"}}}
name, err := coll.Indexes().CreateOne(context.TODO(), model)
if err != nil {
	panic(err)
}
fmt.Println("Name of index created: " + name)

Search by a Term

To search for a term, specify the term as a string in your query filter. To search for multiple terms, separate each term with spaces in the string.

filter := bson.D{{"$text", bson.D{{"$search", "herb"}}}}
cursor, err := coll.Find(context.TODO(), filter)
if err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
var results []Dish
if err = cursor.All(context.TODO(), &results); err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
for _, result := range results {
    res, _ := bson.MarshalExtJSON(result, false, false)
    fmt.Println(string(res))
}

Search by a Phrase

To search for a phrase, specify the phrase with escaped quotes as a string in your query filter. If you don't add escaped quotes around the phrase, the Find() method runs a term search.

filter := bson.D{{"$text", bson.D{{"$search", "\"serves 2\""}}}}
cursor, err := coll.Find(context.TODO(), filter)
if err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
var results []Dish
if err = cursor.All(context.TODO(), &results); err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
for _, result := range results {
    res, _ := bson.MarshalExtJSON(result, false, false)
    fmt.Println(string(res))
}

Search with Terms Excluded

For each term or phrase you want to exclude from your text search, specify the term or phrase prefixed with a minus sign as a string in your query filter.

filter := bson.D{{"$text", bson.D{{"$search", "vegan -tofu"}}}}
cursor, err := coll.Find(context.TODO(), filter)
if err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
var results []Dish
if err = cursor.All(context.TODO(), &results); err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
for _, result := range results {
    res, _ := bson.MarshalExtJSON(result, false, false)
    fmt.Println(string(res))
}

Sort by Relevance

A text search assigns a numerical text score to indicate how closely each result matches the string in your query filter. To reveal the text score in your output, use a projection to retrieve the textScore metadata. You can sort the text score in descending order by specifying a sort on the textScore metadata.

filter := bson.D{{"$text", bson.D{{"$search", "vegetarian"}}}}
sort := bson.D{{"score", bson.D{{"$meta", "textScore"}}}}
projection := bson.D{{"name", 1}, {"score", bson.D{{"$meta", "textScore"}}}, {"_id", 0}}
opts := options.Find().SetSort(sort).SetProjection(projection)
cursor, err := coll.Find(context.TODO(), filter, opts)
if err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
var results []bson.D
if err = cursor.All(context.TODO(), &results); err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
for _, result := range results {
   res, _ := bson.MarshalExtJSON(result, false, false)
   fmt.Println(string(res))
}

Match a Search Term

The following example runs a text search for descriptions that contain the term "herb":

matchStage := bson.D{{"$match", bson.D{{"$text", bson.D{{"$search", "herb"}}}}}}
cursor, err := coll.Aggregate(context.TODO(), mongo.Pipeline{matchStage})
if err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
var results []Dish
if err = cursor.All(context.TODO(), &results); err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
for _, result := range results {
    res, _ := bson.MarshalExtJSON(result, false, false)
    fmt.Println(string(res))
}

Sort by Relevance

The following example performs the following actions:

• Runs a text search for descriptions that contain the term "vegetarian"

• Sorts the results in descending order based on their text score

• Includes only the name and score fields in the final output document

matchStage := bson.D{{"$match", bson.D{{"$text", bson.D{{"$search", "vegetarian"}}}}}}
sortStage := bson.D{{"$sort", bson.D{{"score", bson.D{{ "$meta", "textScore" }}}}}}
projectStage := bson.D{{"$project", bson.D{{"name", 1}, {"score", bson.D{{ "$meta", "textScore" }}}, {"_id", 0}}}}
cursor, err := coll.Aggregate(context.TODO(), mongo.Pipeline{matchStage, sortStage, projectStage})
if err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
var results []bson.D
if err = cursor.All(context.TODO(), &results); err != nil {
   panic(err)
}
for _, result := range results {
    res, _ := bson.MarshalExtJSON(result, false, false)
    fmt.Println(string(res))
}

API Documentation

To learn more about any of the methods or types discussed in this guide, see the following API Documentation:

• Find()

• FindOptions.SetSort()

• FindOptions.SetProjection()