At a Glance
- Custom Craft CMS plugin - built Algolia indexing solution that didn't exist at the time
- Instant results - housing resources found in milliseconds instead of slow page loads
- ZIP code search - enabled location-based discovery for housing resources
- 2 engineers - collaborated with frontend developer on implementation
Lead Web Engineer responsible for developing (via Solspace Inc.) a custom Algolia Instant Search integration for Neighbor to Neighbor, a nonprofit organization providing housing assistance, affordable housing communities, homeownership education, and financial coaching services.
The challenge: N2N’s Craft CMS website had slow database queries and lacked location-based search. Users seeking housing assistance in their area had no way to quickly find relevant resources by ZIP code.
What I Built
Custom Craft CMS Algolia Plugin:
At the time, Craft CMS had no plugin for Algolia integration. I built a custom indexing solution that:
- Synced N2N’s bespoke content structure to Algolia
- Handled the nonprofit’s complex data relationships (housing communities, assistance programs, resources)
- Maintained index accuracy as content editors updated the CMS
Extended InstantSearch Frontend:
I extended Algolia’s InstantSearch beyond its out-of-box capabilities:
- ZIP code pre-filtering: Homepage search captured ZIP codes and passed them as parameters to the results page, pre-filtering housing communities by location
- Seamless redirect flow: Users entering a ZIP code on the homepage landed on a filtered product listing with relevant communities already displayed
- Custom faceting: Built location-aware filtering that helped users narrow down housing options by area
Technical Approach
The solution required bridging Craft CMS data to Algolia while maintaining the flexibility N2N needed for their content structure:
- Developed PHP indexing logic using Yii2 framework to transform Craft entries into Algolia records
- Built parameter passing between search entry points and results pages
- Implemented pre-filter logic that interpreted URL parameters and applied them to InstantSearch queries
- Created a maintainable architecture that content editors could use without technical intervention
This project demonstrates the kind of intelligent search integration that removes friction for end users. Instead of slow, frustrating searches through housing resources, N2N visitors can now find relevant assistance by simply entering their ZIP code.
Interested in Similar Work?
If you're looking for similar solutions or want to discuss your project, I'd be happy to help.