Indexing in the Algolia Shopify app happens in two stages: complete reindexing and real-time updates. Delays can occur at different points in this process depending on your setup and data.
Complete reindexing
A complete reindex creates a new index from scratch by retrieving all your:
- Products
- Collections
- Blog posts
- Pages
During this process:
- Data is first stored in a temporary index
- Once fully processed, it replaces the live index
- Your search remains available throughout
This step can take time, especially if your records include metafields. Each metafield requires additional Shopify API requests, which can slow down the process.
Also note:
- Blog posts and pages don’t have webhooks, so they are periodically reindexed in full rather than updated incrementally.
Real-time indexing
Real-time updates rely on Shopify webhooks to keep your index up to date whenever changes are made.
Here’s how the process works:
- A product is updated in Shopify
- The update is added to Shopify’s internal processing queue
- Once processed, Shopify sends a webhook to the Algolia Shopify plugin
- The plugin queues the update and forwards it to the Algolia API
- The Algolia API processes the update and refreshes search results
Why delays can happen
Indexing delays can occur due to:
- Shopify’s internal queue being busy
- Algolia’s indexing queue handling multiple requests
- The Algolia Shopify plugin, which has limited resources and may process updates more slowly during high activity
- Heavy use of metafields, which require additional API calls
While both Shopify and Algolia APIs are optimized, the plugin is often the main bottleneck when updates are frequent.
What to check
If indexing seems unusually slow or stuck:
- Open the Algolia Shopify app and check for any errors
- Confirm that updates are still being processed
- If everything appears normal but delays persist, contact Algolia Support for further investigation
Understanding where delays occur can help you better manage indexing performance and expectations.