Full-text search

In text retrieval, full-text search refers to techniques for searching a single computer-stored document or a collection in a full-text database. Full-text search is distinguished from searches based on metadata or on parts of the original texts represented in databases (such as titles, abstracts, selected sections, or bibliographical references).

In a full-text search, a search engine examines all of the words in every stored document as it tries to match search criteria (for example, text specified by a user). Full-text-searching techniques appeared in the 1960s, for example IBM STAIRS from 1969, and became common in online bibliographic databases in the 1990s.^{[verification needed]} Many websites and application programs (such as word processing software) provide full-text-search capabilities. Some web search engines, such as the former AltaVista, employ full-text-search techniques, while others index only a portion of the web pages examined by their indexing systems.^[1]

^ In practice, it may be difficult to determine how a given search engine works. The search algorithms actually employed by web-search services are seldom fully disclosed out of fear that web entrepreneurs will use search engine optimization techniques to improve their prominence in retrieval lists.

[1] In practice, it may be difficult to determine how a given search engine works. The search algorithms actually employed by web-search services are seldom fully disclosed out of fear that web entrepreneurs will use search engine optimization techniques to improve their prominence in retrieval lists.

[1]