# Wikibase Faceted Search

> MediaWiki extension that enhances special page "Search" with faceted search capabilities by allowing to filter results based on instance types or statement values

**Wikidata**: [Q132774200](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132774200)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/wikibase-faceted-search

## Summary
Wikibase Faceted Search is a free MediaWiki extension developed by Professional Wiki that enhances the standard "Search" special page with advanced faceted search capabilities. It allows users to filter search results dynamically based on Wikibase instance types (e.g., person, location) or specific statement values. The extension is licensed under GNU General Public License v2.0 or later and integrates with CirrusSearch and Elasticsearch.

## Key Facts
- **Developer:** Created and maintained by Professional Wiki and Jeroen De Dauw.
- **Latest Stable Version:** Version 1.0.1, released on December 5, 2025.
- **Software License:** GNU General Public License, version 2.0 or later.
- **Platform:** MediaWiki extension (requires MediaWiki 1.43+).
- **Dependencies:** Requires Wikibase Repository, CirrusSearch, and Elasticsearch (version 7.10.2).
- **Programming Language:** PHP (version 8.1+).
- **Aliases:** Also known as WBFS.
- **Repository:** Hosted on GitHub at `ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch`.

## FAQs
### Q: What specific functionality does Wikibase Faceted Search add?
A: It enhances the default MediaWiki search experience by adding faceted search filters. Users can refine results based on "instance of" types or specific statement values (properties) defined in the Wikibase repository.

### Q: What technical requirements are needed to run this extension?
A: The extension requires a MediaWiki installation version 1.43 or higher running on PHP 8.1+. It also depends on the Wikibase Repository extension, CirrusSearch, and Elasticsearch version 7.10.2.

### Q: Who develops and maintains Wikibase Faceted Search?
A: The extension is developed and maintained by Professional Wiki, a provider of enterprise wiki software solutions, along with contributions from developer Jeroen De Dauw.

## Why It Matters
Wikibase Faceted Search addresses a critical usability gap in wikis powered by Wikibase: the ability to navigate complex datasets intuitively. While standard wikis rely heavily on full-text search, structured data repositories require filtering mechanisms that reflect the relationships between data points.

By allowing users to filter results based on **instance types** (e.g., showing only "Cities") and **statement values** (e.g., filtering by "Population" or "Country"), this extension transforms a wiki from a simple document repository into a queryable database accessible to non-technical users. It leverages existing infrastructure like Elasticsearch and CirrusSearch to provide these capabilities without requiring separate query interfaces, making it an essential tool for enterprise knowledge management and data-heavy public wikis.

## Notable For
- **Deep Wikibase Integration:** It is specifically designed to read Wikibase statement values and instance types, unlike generic search faceting tools.
- **User-Friendly Data Access:** It democratizes access to structured data by placing powerful filters directly on the search page, removing the need for users to write complex SPARQL queries.
- **Modern Architecture:** Built for the latest MediaWiki environments (1.43+) and PHP 8.1+, ensuring compatibility with modern enterprise wiki stacks.
- **Professional Support:** It is one of the few specialized Wikibase tools backed by a dedicated enterprise service provider (Professional Wiki).

## Body

### Core Functionality
Wikibase Faceted Search modifies the `Special:Search` page in MediaWiki. It utilizes the data stored in a Wikibase Repository to generate facets. These facets allow users to narrow down search results dynamically.
- **Filtering by Instance Type:** Users can select a specific class (e.g., "Q5" for humans) to view only items that are instances of that class.
- **Filtering by Statement Values:** Users can filter results based on the values of specific properties (statements) associated with the items.

### Technical Specifications
The extension is built primarily in **PHP 8.1+** and follows MediaWiki coding standards.
- **License:** It is distributed as free software under the GNU General Public License v2.0 or later.
- **Version History:**
    - **0.0.0:** Initial commit identified on November 27, 2024.
    - **1.0.0:** First stable release on June 10, 2025.
    - **1.0.1:** Current stable release as of December 5, 2025.

### Integration and Dependencies
To function correctly, the extension requires a specific stack of software:
- **MediaWiki:** Core platform, version 1.43 or higher.
- **Wikibase Repository:** The extension must have access to Wikibase data to generate facets.
- **Search Backend:** It relies on **CirrusSearch** and **Elasticsearch** (specifically version 7.10.2) to handle the search queries efficiently.

### Development and Maintenance
The project is active, with continuous integration (CI) managed via **GitHub Actions**.
- **Maintainer:** Professional Wiki (Berlin, Germany).
- **Contributors:** Jeroen De Dauw is a noted contributor.
- **Translations:** The extension supports multiple languages via translatewiki.net.

### Resources
- **Source Code:** Available on GitHub (`ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch`).
- **Documentation:** Hosted on MediaWiki.org and Professional.wiki.
- **Video:** A demonstration video (ID: CxKWpTQBrqk) was published by Professional Wiki on June 4, 2025.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch)
2. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/LICENSE)
3. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/commit/888ba9fc108a9d50b02bbb286229c65731e1a3b3)
4. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/graphs/contributors)
5. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/composer.json#L25)
6. [Release 1.0.0. 2025](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/releases/tag/1.0.0)
7. [Release 1.0.1. 2025](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/releases/tag/1.0.1)
8. [Source](https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?title=Extension:Wikibase_Faceted_Search&oldid=7559679)
9. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L19)
10. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L21)
11. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L22)
12. YouTube
13. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L39)
14. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L40)
15. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L41)
16. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L42)
17. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L43)
18. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L44)
19. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L45)
20. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L46)
21. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L47)
22. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L48)
23. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L49)
24. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L50)
25. [Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseFacetedSearch/blob/master/extension.json#L51)