Mastering Advanced Search Queries with GraphQL in Sitecore XM Cloud - Part 3

Hi Sitecore folks!,

As your Sitecore content ecosystem evolves, the need for advanced and flexible search queries becomes paramount. Simple GraphQL queries are great for small datasets, but as the content grows and becomes more complex, so too must your queries. This article explores advanced search querying techniques, pagination, and real-world examples that you can implement in Sitecore XM Cloud to optimize content discovery and boost user experience.

Why Advanced Search Queries Matter

When working with Sitecore, especially in large-scale projects, simple queries quickly hit their limits. Advanced querying is essential for handling:

• Multiple Conditions: Using logical operators like AND/OR for more granular control.
• Exclusion Filters: Omitting certain results based on specific criteria.
• Sorting and Pagination: Managing large datasets for better performance and usability.
• Filtering on Complex or Nested Fields: Targeting multi-value or deeply nested fields.

GraphQL offers the flexibility needed to tackle these challenges efficiently, enabling developers to create precise, high-performing queries that meet both functional and performance requirements.

Tips for Writing Efficient GraphQL Queries

To get the most out of your GraphQL queries in Sitecore, consider the following best practices:

1. Use Logical Operators (AND/OR/NEQ): Combine conditions effectively for highly specific filtering.
2. Implement Pagination: Always paginate large result sets to avoid unnecessary data loading and to improve user experience.
3. Sort Results for Better UX: Sort results based on fields like date or relevance to enhance how users interact with your data.
4. Test Queries Before Integration: Use tools like GraphQL Playground to test and refine your queries, ensuring they work as expected before going live.

Common Comparison Operators

Understanding how and when to use comparison operators is key to building effective queries. Here’s a quick reference:

Operator Meaning Example Use Case

    EQ Equal to Department = "Engineering"

    NEQ Not equal to Status != "Inactive" 

    GT Greater than HireDate > "2022-01-01"

    LT Less than Salary < 50000 

    GTE Greater or equal Experience >= 5 

    LTE Less or equal Age <= 30

    IN In a list Department IN ("Engineering", "Marketing")

Practical Query Examples

Let’s explore some advanced query examples that leverage these techniques:

1. Filtering by Path, Template ID, and User Name with Pagination

In this example, we query for filtered items based on path, template ID, and user name, with pagination for improved performance.

query FilteredItemsResult(
  $pageSize: Int = 10
  $after: String
  $rootItem: String!
  $filterValue: String!
  $templateId: String!
) {
  ExpertData: search(
    where: {
      AND: [
        { name: "_path", value: $rootItem, operator: CONTAINS }
        { name: "_templates", value: $templateId, operator: EQ }
        { name: "UserName", value: $filterValue, operator: CONTAINS }
      ]
    }
    first: $pageSize
    after: $after
  ) {
    pageInfo {
      endCursor
      hasNext
    }
    results {
      name
      id
      UserName: field(name: "UserName") { value }
    }
  }
}

Key Points:

• AND Grouping: All conditions must be met.
• Cursor-Based Pagination: Handles large datasets efficiently.

2. Advanced Event Query: Multi-Criteria Filtering

Here we combine OR filters within an AND block to find events based on location, available seats, sponsorship status, and rating. We also exclude events tagged as “Internal” or organized by “Test Org”.

query {
  search(
    where: {
      AND: [
        { name: "_templates", value: "Event", operator: EQ }
        { name: "Status", value: "Published", operator: EQ }
        { name: "StartDate", value: "2025-01-01", operator: GTE }
        { name: "EndDate", value: "2025-12-31", operator: LTE }
        {
          OR: [
            { name: "City", value: "London", operator: EQ }
            { name: "City", value: "Berlin", operator: EQ }
          ]
        }
        { name: "SeatsAvailable", value: "1", operator: GTE }
        { name: "IsVirtual", value: "false", operator: EQ }
        {
          OR: [
            { name: "IsSponsored", value: "true", operator: EQ }
            { name: "Rating", value: "4.5", operator: GT }
          ]
        }
        { name: "Tags", value: "Internal", operator: NEQ }
        { name: "Organizer", value: "Test Org", operator: NEQ }
      ]
    }
    orderBy: [
      { fieldName: "StartDate", direction: ASC }
      { fieldName: "Rating", direction: DESC }
    ]
    first: 10
  ) {
    total
    results {
      items {
        id
        name
        fields {
          Title { value }
          City { value }
          StartDate { value }
          SeatsAvailable { value }
          IsVirtual { value }
          IsSponsored { value }
          Rating { value }
          Tags { value }
          Organizer { value }
        }
      }
      pageInfo { endCursor hasNextPage }
    }
  }
}

3. Combining Filters for Tags and Authors

This query finds articles or news posts tagged with specific labels and authored by designated individuals, all sorted by the most recent publish date.

query {
  search(
    where: {
      AND: [
        {
          OR: [
            { name: "Tags", value: "News", operator: CONTAINS }
            { name: "Tags", value: "Article", operator: CONTAINS }
          ]
        }
        {
          OR: [
            { name: "Author", value: "Alice", operator: EQ }
            { name: "Author", value: "Bob", operator: EQ }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
    orderBy: [{ fieldName: "PublishDate", direction: DESC }]
    first: 6
  ) {
    total
    results {
      items {
        id
        name
        fields {
          Title { value }
          Author { value }
          Tags { value }
        }
      }
      pageInfo { endCursor hasNextPage }
    }
  }
}

Key Points:

• Nested OR within AND: Complex filtering allows for a flexible and tailored query.
• Ordering by Date: Ensures the most recent articles appear first.

4. Filtering by Values Greater Than a Specified Amount

This query filters employees by department, hire date, and template, returning a list of employees hired after January 1, 2022, from either the Engineering or Marketing department.

query {
  search(
    where: {
      AND: [
        { name: "_templates", value: "Employee", operator: EQ }
        { name: "Department", value: "Engineering;Marketing", operator: IN }
        { name: "HireDate", value: "2022-01-01", operator: GT }
      ]
    }
    orderBy: [
      { fieldName: "Department", direction: ASC }
      { fieldName: "HireDate", direction: DESC }
    ]
    first: 12
  ) {
    total
    results {
      items {
        id
        name
        fields {
          FirstName { value }
          LastName { value }
          Department { value }
          HireDate { value }
          Manager {
            value
          }
        }
      }
      pageInfo { endCursor hasNextPage }
    }
  }
}

Conclusion

Advanced GraphQL queries provide Sitecore developers with the flexibility to handle complex search scenarios, enabling personalized content discovery and more efficient content management. By mastering pagination, logical operators, and filters, you can create powerful, scalable solutions that enhance user experience while improving performance.

I hope you enjoy this Sitecore blog. Stay tuned for more Sitecore related articles.

Till that happy Sitecoring :)

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