Introduction

Now, after introducing the subject of this series, let me briefly recapitulate the topics that were covered in the preceding article, so you can grasp more easily the new features that I plan to add to the core structure of this MySQL-driven search application.

As you'll possibly recall, in the first article of the series I went through the development of the different modules that comprise this customizable search engine. I created a simple front-end for entering distinct search terms, and gave the definition of some basic PHP classes for performing searches against one or more selected databases.

Naturally, as you might have supposed by this time, my purpose here is to provide you with the required source files that allow you to implement an internal search engine that can be incorporated into any existing (or future) web site. However, due to the expandable structure exposed by this search application, you'll be able to add to it many other features that might be required to fit your personal needs.

And speaking of additional features, in this second tutorial of the series I'm going to show you how to add some crucial characteristics to the previously-developed search engine. These include the implementation of paginated results and the ability to perform Boolean searches.

By the end of this article, you'll be equipped with the necessary supporting material to implement a highly improved search engine within your own PHP 5-based applications. So, are you ready to continue this educational journey? Let's get started!