Indexing and Crawling

Indexing and crawling are essential processes in SharePoint that contribute to the search functionality and overall content management system performance.

Crawling

Crawling is the process by which SharePoint's search service retrieves content from various sources within the SharePoint environment, including document libraries, list items, and external data sources.
During the crawl, SharePoint's crawler navigates through the hierarchy of sites, libraries, and lists to discover and collect content.
Crawls can be incremental (only changes since the last crawl) or full (all content), depending on the configuration and requirements.
The crawler operates based on a schedule defined in the Search Service Application settings, allowing for timely updates to the indexed content.

Indexing

Indexing is the process of organizing the crawled content into a searchable format that allows users to find information quickly and efficiently.
The indexed data is stored in the search index, which is built during the crawling process and is optimized for quick retrieval.
During indexing, SharePoint extracts key metadata and content properties, such as title, author, and keywords, which enhances the search experience for users.
The index is periodically updated based on the crawl schedule, ensuring that the search results reflect the most up-to-date content available in SharePoint.

Together, crawling and indexing ensure that SharePoint users have access to accurate and relevant search results, enhancing the overall user experience and content discoverability within the platform.