Comparing search options on WordPress VIP
These are the key differences and technical changes between the search options:
| Comparisons | WordPress / MySQL | Jetpack Search | External provider | Enterprise Search |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | MariaDB / MySQL | Elasticsearch | Elasticsearch | Elasticsearch |
| Environment | Leverages your environment’s database | Hosted on WordPress.com | Hosted by your chosen provider | Hosted in the same origin datacenter and managed by WordPress VIP |
| API | via WP_Query | Public API via WordPress.com; Authenticated mode available | As supplied by your chosen provider | Private API; authentication required |
| Code | Standard | Jetpack supplied via vip-go-mu-plugins; optionally es-wp-query customer installed | As supplied | Included in vip-go-mu-plugins |
| Speed & latency | depends on table size and complexity | Fast | Depends on the provider | Very low latency; hosted in the same datacenter |
| Limitations | can be very slow on a large or busy site | There may be sync delays for new content depending on the site’s size and publishing frequency | Hosted & supported outside VIP datacenters | No open search API |
| Support | VIP | VIP | Provider | VIP |
| Local development | Supported | local (i.e. PC/Mac/Linux) data sync is not recommended | Depends on provider | Supported via beta VIP local development tools |