Feature comparison
Compare Optimizely Search & Navigation and Optimizely Graph features, focusing on configuration, query behavior, language handling, and feature availability to assess migration impact and required changes.
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Compare features between Optimizely Search & Navigation and Optimizely Graph. It highlights configuration differences, query behavior, language handling, and feature availability to help you evaluate migration impact and plan required changes.
Optimizely Graph provides a modern, API-first search architecture built for headless, composable, and multi-channel experiences. While some Search & Navigation features are implemented differently, Graph offers greater flexibility, scalability, and long-term alignment with modern CMS and frontend architectures.
Synonym handling comparison
The following table summarizes key differences between synonym handling in Optimizely Search & Navigation and Optimizely Graph.
| Feature | Search & Navigation | Optimizely Graph |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Programmatic API and Admin UI | REST API only |
| Format | C# objects, CSV | Plain text (comma-separated) |
| Slots | One set per language | Two slots per language (ONE, TWO) |
| Query Usage | .UsingSynonyms() | synonyms: [ONE, TWO] parameter |
| Admin UI | Supported | Not supported |
| Query Operator Support | All | Most operators (see operator compatibility) |
| All Languages | Supports All languages option | Must configure per language |
Operator Compatibility
Optimizely Graph applies synonyms only to supported query operators to preserve relevance and predictable results.
| Operator | Supports Synonyms | Notes |
|---|---|---|
contains | Yes | In-sentence matching supported |
match | Yes | Recommended for full-text search |
eq | Yes | Exact match with synonym expansion |
in | Yes | Works with array values |
like | No | Synonyms ignored |
startsWith | No | Synonyms ignored |
endsWith | No | Synonyms ignored |
gt/gte/lt/lte | No | Synonyms ignored |
exist | No | Synonyms ignored |
Language behavior differences
Before migrating synonyms, review how language handling differs between Optimizely Search & Navigation and Optimizely Graph. These differences affect how synonyms apply at query time and may require additional configuration during migration.
All languages support
- Search & Navigation – Supports All languages option. A single synonym set applies to every language.
- Graph – Does not support an All languages option and requires synonyms to be configured per language, enabling more precise, language-specific relevance control.
Default language behavior
- Search & Navigation – Applies synonyms to All languages when no language is specified.
- Graph – Applies synonyms only to the standard language when
language_routingis not specified.
Migration impact
If your Search & Navigation configuration uses the All languages option, or does not specify a language, you must upload the same synonym definitions to Graph for each supported language.
Example
Your site supports English (en), Swedish (sv), and French (fr), and you have 50 synonyms in Search & Navigation without language specified:
- Search & Navigation behavior – One synonym set → applies to all 3 languages automatically
- Graph behavior – You must upload separately:
- English:
language_routing=en(50 entries) - Swedish:
language_routing=sv(50 entries) - French:
language_routing=fr(50 entries) - Total: 150 entries (50 × 3 languages)
- English:
ImportantIf you only upload to Optimizely Graph without specifying
language_routing, your synonyms will only work for the standard language, not all languages like Search & Navigation.
Feature availability comparison
Features available in both Search & Navigation and Graph
Both platforms support:
- Full-text search
- Filtering
- Faceting
- Sorting
- Pagination
- Synonyms
- Stopwords
- Boosting
- Best bets and pinned results
- Geospatial search
- Content versioning
Key architectural differences
| Aspect | Search & Navigation | Graph |
|---|---|---|
| API style | LINQ-like .NET | GraphQL |
| Analyzers | Custom Analyzers | Pre-configured analyzers |
Features available only in Graph
Optimizely Graph additionally provides:
- Semantic search
- GraphQL API
- Recursive queries
- Inline fragments
- Preview tokens (JWT)
- Delta import
- Headless CMS support
Features managed differently in Graph
- Administrative configuration is API-based rather than UI-driven.
- Analytics and tracking are handled through application-level or external analytics tools.
- Personalization is designed to integrate with Optimizely experimentation and decisioning services.
Updated 13 days ago