A search query pipeline is the sequence of steps that a search engine follows to process and return relevant results for a user's query. It starts with the user inputting a search query and ends with the search results being displayed.
The pipeline typically includes stages such as query parsing, where the query is analyzed and broken down into its components (e.g., keywords, phrases, and operators). Next, the query is processed using algorithms that match the user's intent with the most relevant indexed documents. In some cases, additional processes like ranking and personalized filtering are applied to fine-tune the results.
For example, in a simple search engine, the query might first go through a stop word removal phase, followed by a ranking phase that prioritizes pages with relevant keywords. Advanced systems may also incorporate natural language processing (NLP) models, semantic analysis, and machine learning to improve the accuracy and relevance of the results.