Enkelfältsökning

Enkelfältsökning refers to a search method that restricts a query to a single field or metadata element within a data collection, such as title, author, or ISBN in a library catalog, or a single attribute in a product or document database. Unlike multi-field or advanced search, the user provides the search term and the system applies it to one specified field.

In practice, enkelfältsökning is common in simple search interfaces where a single search box is paired with a field selector. Users choose the field to search (for example, title) and enter keywords. The search engine then matches terms within that field, often using partial, phrase, or fuzzy matching based on the index.

Advantages include ease of use, fast response, and focused results when the target field is well indexed. It is particularly useful for tasks such as finding items by title in a library catalog or locating products by name in a storefront.

Limitations include limited recall and precision when the needed information resides in other fields; the inability to naturally combine multiple criteria; and potentially lower overall discovery compared to multi-field or natural-language search. To address these limitations, many systems offer an optional advanced search or multi-field search mode.

Implementation considerations include consistent field naming, robust indexing, support for case-insensitive and diacritic-insensitive matching, and handling of synonyms and stop words. Enkelfältsökning remains a foundational, user-friendly option within broader search interfaces.