Highlights
The most important updates in this release.
- Add HTTP Headers to crawler requests: Crawler settings now include an optional HTTP Headers section. Use HTTP Headers when you need to crawl a site that requires custom request headers or authentication.
- Use Smart Answers Analytics: If you use Smart Answers, you can use Smart Answers Analytics to see how often visitors ask questions, how often Smart Answers responds, and where content or coverage gaps may exist.
Added
New features and functionality.
HTTP Headers for Crawler Requests
Crawler settings now include an optional HTTP Headers section when you create or edit a crawler. Use this section to send custom headers with crawler requests.
HTTP Headers can help you crawl content that requires authentication or specific request headers. For example, you can add an authorization header or an API key header that the crawler sends when it requests pages.
Each header row includes a Header Name and Header Value. You can show or hide header values while you edit them. Existing saved header values stay masked, but you can replace or delete them.
Additionally, start URL validation is now manual. Instead of validating automatically when you leave the Start URL field, Site Search provides a validation button. If you configure HTTP headers, Site Search uses those headers when it validates the Start URL. The Start URL must be successfully validated before you can save the crawler or run Crawl Now.
See HTTP Headers for more information.
Smart Answers Analytics
Smart Answers Analytics is now available. You can use Smart Answers Analytics to understand how visitors interact with Smart Answers and where you may need to improve answer coverage or site content.
Note: If your site uses SearchStax UI Kits, make sure you're using version 4.2.10 or higher. If you have a custom implementation, refer to the Tracking API (Javascript) and Tracking API (Javascript) articles for more information.
On the Analytics dashboard, you can switch between the standard Overview analytics view and the Smart Answers analytics view.
Smart Answers Analytics includes metrics and tables that help you answer questions like these:
- How many searches are phrased as questions?
- How many questions receive a Smart Answer?
- Which questions are visitors asking most often?
- Which common questions don't return a Smart Answer?
- How often do visitors expand Smart Answers with Show More?
- How often do visitors click Smart Answer citation links?
Smart Answers Analytics uses the selected date range and profile scope, so you can review performance for all profiles or a specific profile.
See Smart Answers Analytics for more information.
Improved
Improvements to existing features.
Facet Field Type Filtering
Faceting configuration now includes a Field Type dropdown next to the field selector. Use it to filter available facet fields by type and search within the filtered list.
For Facets, String is marked as the recommended field type.
Other Release Notes
These release notes cover updates to SearchStax Site Search. Release notes for the SearchStax Drupal module and UI Kits are published separately.
- SearchStax Drupal Module: See Releases for SearchStax Studio for version-by-version notes and the changelog. For setup and configuration guidance, see Drupal Module.
- SearchStax UI Kits: See UI Kits for documentation and getting started guides. For version history and developer-focused change details, check the npm package page for your UI Kit: Angular, JavaScript, React, or Vue.
When an update to the Drupal module or UI Kits affects the Site Search user experience, we also call it out in these release notes.