NFDI Search Engine

This repository is dedicated to enhancing the search functionality of the NFDI4BioImage training website by collecting and organizing training materials and related resources.

Overview

The project leverages several key technologies:

• Elasticsearch: For indexing and searching materials.
• React: As the frontend framework for building a user-friendly interface.
• Flask: Serving as the backend API to manage interactions with the database and Elasticsearch.
• Scroll API: Used to efficiently handle large datasets during search queries.

Quick Start with Docker

To simplify the setup process, the project is containerized with Docker. Follow these steps to get the search engine up and running on your local machine.

Prerequisites

1. GitHub API Key or Token: The search engine requires access to GitHub for submitting and managing materials. Ensure that you have set up the necessary GitHub API keys or tokens on your machine.

   • You can refer to this website for instructions on how to set up the API key or token.
   • This key/token should be securely stored and added to the necessary environment variables on your machine.

2. Docker and Docker Compose installed on your machine.

3. Currently, this project is only supported on Windows.

Setup Instructions

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/NFDI4BIOIMAGE/nfdi_search_engine.git

   cd nfdi_search_engine

2. Locate the docker-compose.yml file in the project directory.

3. Build and start the containers:

   docker-compose up --build

This command will pull all necessary images, build the project, and start the containers.

4. Important: After the initial setup, when you start the containers again by clicking the Start button in Docker Desktop, you will need to wait approximately 22 seconds for Elasticsearch to fully initialize before the search engine becomes accessible.

Accessing the Application

Once the Docker containers are running, you can access the application:

1. Search Engine Interface: Visit 'http://localhost:3000' to access the search engine. You’ll find a user-friendly interface that allows you to search and browse a variety of training materials related to bioimage analysis.

2. Real-Time Search Suggestions: As you type in the search bar, real-time search suggestions will appear, helping you quickly locate relevant materials. The suggestions provide specific document titles based on your query, making it easier to find exactly what you need.

3. View All Training Materials: Explore all available training materials in the Materials section, where resources are displayed in a paginated, organized format. Use the filters on the left to sort materials by Authors, Tags, Types, and Licenses to refine your search results further.

4. Submit Materials: Contribute to the platform by submitting new training materials through the Submit Materials page. Navigate to 'http://localhost:3000/' submit-materials and complete the form to add your content. Fields marked with * are required, while fields labeled as "Optional" can be filled in at your discretion.

Features

• Search Engine: Find all the current training materials available on the NFDI4BioImage training website with easy-to-use search functionality.

• Material Submission: A streamlined process for collecting and managing training materials via the submission portal.

Contributing

If you'd like to contribute to the project, feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request.