https://www.harlan.harris.name/tags/algolia/ Recent content in algolia on Harlan D. Harris Hugo -- gohugo.io en harlan@harris.name (Harlan Harris) harlan@harris.name (Harlan Harris) Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.harlan.harris.name/2026/02/algolia-ab-testing-gotchas-tips-lessons/ Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 harlan@harris.name (Harlan Harris) https://www.harlan.harris.name/2026/02/algolia-ab-testing-gotchas-tips-lessons/ I've supported A/B testing of Algolia search systems at three companies now, and have dived deep into A/B testing generally as well as specifically for search. The Algolia documentation on search A/B testing is technically adequate for getting started, and the dashboard has improved, but there are still many ways that you can go wrong when A/B testing Algolia search results. In the style of a 2014-era Buzzfeed listicle, here are 11 Algolia A/B Testing Gotchas, Tips, and Lessons! https://www.harlan.harris.name/2026/01/post-query-refinement-suggestions-in-search-ux/ Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 harlan@harris.name (Harlan Harris) https://www.harlan.harris.name/2026/01/post-query-refinement-suggestions-in-search-ux/ What are Post-Query Refinement Suggestions? One of my favorite search UX patterns is post-query refinement suggestions — buttons that appear between the search box and results, adjusting the query in various ways. See, for instance, these suggestions on Etsy, which recommend that I filter by shipping speed, seller type, cost range, style, etc. Filter Suggestions on Etsy PQRS is a mouthful of an abbreviation, but most of what I've seen as alternatives either describes the UI element ("refinement pills") rather than the function, or is excessively vague ("guided search"). https://www.harlan.harris.name/2026/01/vibe-coding-missing-algolia-comparison-dashboard/ Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 harlan@harris.name (Harlan Harris) https://www.harlan.harris.name/2026/01/vibe-coding-missing-algolia-comparison-dashboard/ Algolia is a tremendously powerful search platform, especially for e-commerce. But like most SaaS tools, the management dashboard doesn't do everything you need it to do. In particular, it's hard to compare search result rankings across variations in indexes -- a super common pattern when you're testing and iterating on index configurations before A/B testing, implementing algorithm and UI proof-of-concepts, or refining search relevance. At several places I've worked, I've built (or spec'ed out) comparison apps that allow you to run the same query in parallel and easily see and compare the results, for internal testing.