Configuring and Using the Meilisearch Search Engine in ServBay

Meilisearch is a robust, lightning-fast, and easy-to-use open-source search engine designed to deliver an outstanding “search-as-you-type” experience. It offers extensive features through a straightforward RESTful API. With ServBay, deploying a fully functional Meilisearch instance on a local macOS environment has never been easier.

Overview

ServBay integrates Meilisearch directly into its graphical management interface, allowing developers to install and configure it with a single click—no more hassles with complex command lines or dependencies. ServBay also automatically provides Meilisearch with a built-in web dashboard, accessible via the convenient domain https://meilisearch.servbay.host/, where you can manage indexes, test searches, and monitor the service status.

Prerequisites

• ServBay is successfully installed and running on your macOS system.
• You have a development project ready for integrating search functionality.
• You have a basic understanding of search engine concepts such as Index, Document, and API Key.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Install the Meilisearch Package

First, install Meilisearch via the ServBay package manager:

1. Open the ServBay application.
2. In the left navigation bar, click Packages.
3. In the packages list, locate Search - Meilisearch.
4. Click the install button next to Meilisearch and wait for the installation to finish.
5. Click the enable button to start the Meilisearch service.

2. Configure the Meilisearch Service

After installation, you can fine-tune the Meilisearch configuration:

1. In the left navigation panel of ServBay, click Search.

2. From the drop-down menu, select Meilisearch to enter its configuration screen.

   

3. Adjust the following settings as needed:

   • Bind IP: The IP address Meilisearch listens to. The default 127.0.0.1 means the service is accessible only from your local machine—best practice for local development security.
   • Port: The underlying port for Meilisearch’s API, defaulting to 7700. Although the service runs on this port, we strongly recommend that you interact with Meilisearch via the domain provided by ServBay: https://meilisearch.servbay.host.
   • Master Key: This is the most critical credential protecting your Meilisearch instance. All API requests—including creating, updating, or deleting indexes—must be authorized with this key. Set a strong, unique password and keep it secure.
   • Data Path: The local path where Meilisearch stores all index and database files. By default, it’s /Applications/ServBay/data/meilisearch. You can quickly open this directory in Finder by clicking the folder icon to the right.
   • Runtime Environment: Choose between Development and Production. Development mode provides detailed error reports and API hints—ideal for development. Production hides this information for better performance and security.
   • Log Level: Controls the detail of log output. Options include INFO, DEBUG, WARN, ERROR, and more—helpful when debugging issues.

3. Save Configuration and Start the Service

1. Once you’ve made your adjustments, click the Save button in the bottom right corner.
2. ServBay will automatically apply your changes and attempt to start/restart the Meilisearch service.
3. Check the status indicator next to Meilisearch; a green light means the service is running successfully.

4. Access the Meilisearch Web Dashboard

ServBay offers an extremely convenient way to access the built-in Meilisearch admin panel:

1. Method 1 (Recommended): In the top-right of the Meilisearch configuration page, click the browser icon (which looks like a compass). ServBay will open the dashboard in your default browser automatically.

2. Method 2: Manually enter https://meilisearch.servbay.host/ into your browser’s address bar.

   

Within this dashboard, you can:

• Create and manage indexes.
• Easily test search queries and view results.
• Monitor task status (such as document additions or settings changes).
• Manage API keys.

5. Integrate Meilisearch into Your Application

You can connect to your local Meilisearch instance using any official or community-supported Meilisearch client library.

Use the following connection info:

• Host: https://meilisearch.servbay.host (make sure to include https://)
• API Key: The Master Key you set in Step 2.

Example: PHP Code (Using meilisearch/meilisearch-php)

First, install the client library in your PHP project:

composer require meilisearch/meilisearch-php

Then connect and operate with your code:

<?php
require_once 'vendor/autoload.php';

use MeiliSearch\Client;

// Initialize the Meilisearch client
$client = new Client('https://meilisearch.servbay.host', 'YOUR-STRONG-MASTER-KEY'); // Replace with your own Master Key

try {
    // 1. Create or get an index
    $index = $client->index('movies');

    // 2. Add documents
    $documents = [
        ['id' => 1, 'title' => 'Carol', 'genres' => ['Romance', 'Drama']],
        ['id' => 2, 'title' => 'Wonder Woman', 'genres' => ['Action', 'Adventure']],
        ['id' => 3, 'title' => 'Life of Pi', 'genres' => ['Adventure', 'Drama']],
        ['id' => 4, 'title' => 'Mad Max: Fury Road', 'genres' => ['Action', 'Adventure']],
        ['id' => 5, 'title' => 'Moana', 'genres' => ['Fantasy', 'Action']],
        ['id' => 6, 'title' => 'Philadelphia', 'genres' => ['Drama']],
    ];
    $index->addDocuments($documents);
    echo "Documents added to 'movies' index.\n";

    // Wait a moment for Meilisearch to process the indexing task
    sleep(1);

    // 3. Perform a search
    $searchResults = $index->search('max');
    print_r($searchResults->getHits());

} catch (\Exception $e) {
    echo "Meilisearch Error: {$e->getMessage()}\n";
}

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Q: What should I do if I forget the Master Key?
  • A: In the ServBay Meilisearch settings panel, you can simply enter a new Master Key and click Save. ServBay will restart the service for you and apply the new key.
• Q: What if the Meilisearch service fails to start?
  • A: First, click the log icon at the top right of the Meilisearch settings page to view the live log. This typically contains clear error messages. Also, make sure that local port 7700 is not being used by another application.
• Q: What’s the practical difference between Development and Production under “Runtime Environment”?
  • A: In Development mode, API responses include detailed stack traces for errors, making debugging easier—but also exposing more internal details. Production mode provides only general error info, which is safer and more performant—ideal for production environments or when you don’t need detailed debugging.

Conclusion

The combination of ServBay and Meilisearch offers macOS developers a powerful, seamless local search development experience. With streamlined GUI management and a built-in web dashboard, you can stay focused on building your application's core search features without getting bogged down by tedious environment configurations.