SOLR-18197: Add root document query shortcut support to NestPathField by abumarjikar · Pull Request #4512 · apache/solr

abumarjikar · 2026-06-09T07:45:12Z

https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/SOLR-18197

Description

This pull request introduces a quick and intuitive shortcut to query root documents within hierarchical/nested data structures using the NestPathField. Currently, finding root-level documents (which do not have a nested path defined) requires a more verbose or explicit query syntax. This change provides a cleaner "ease of use" developer experience when dealing with nested child documents.

Solution

When a query is made against this field with an empty value, a null value, or a root slash ("/"), it automatically constructs and returns a BooleanQuery that targets only top-level root documents. It accomplishes this by matching all documents and explicitly excluding any documents where the nested path field exists:

MUST: MatchAllDocsQuery

MUST_NOT: ExistenceQuery (for the NestPathField)

For all other standard path inputs, it safely falls back to the default super.getFieldQuery(...) behavior.

Tests

Please describe the tests you've developed or run to confirm this patch implements the feature or solves the problem.

Checklist

Please review the following and check all that apply:

I have reviewed the guidelines for How to Contribute and my code conforms to the standards described there to the best of my ability.
I have created a Jira issue and added the issue ID to my pull request title.
I have given Solr maintainers access to contribute to my PR branch. (optional but recommended, not available for branches on forks living under an organisation)
I have developed this patch against the main branch.
I have run ./gradlew check.
I have added tests for my changes.
I have added documentation for the Reference Guide
I have added a changelog entry for my change

dsmiley

Thanks. Looking to see this used widespread in code & docs. The goal is to ensure no user sees that ugly/confusing syntax that was previously necessary.

dsmiley

still definitely looking for the application of this in the codebase + doc updates

dsmiley

more to do... not ready for my re-review

dsmiley · 2026-06-19T17:45:23Z

Audit usages of org.apache.solr.schema.IndexSchema#NEST_PATH_FIELD_NAME and you will find code that can be updated.

abumarjikar · 2026-06-20T08:04:34Z

@dsmiley I audited the usage of IndexSchema#NEST_PATH_FIELD_NAME as suggested, and here is where I updated the logic (and where I intentionally left it out):

Updated buildAllParentsFilterFromPath: > I replaced the manual, verbose BooleanQuery builder block for the root path (/ or empty) by directly delegating to my new nestPathField.getType().getFieldQuery(this, nestPathField, "/") logic. This completely removes the redundant manual construction of the "match all minus existence" pattern and unifies it under the new shortcut.
Left wrapWithParentPathConstraint mostly as-is: > I evaluated using the new getFieldQuery here, but for the non-MatchAllDocsQuery path, forcing the new method would have required nesting a structured BooleanQuery ([+MatchAllDocsQuery, -ExistenceQuery]) inside a FILTER or MUST clause. This would have introduced an unnecessary extra layer to Lucene's internal query tree structure. Keeping the flat .add(newNestPathExistsQuery(), Occur.MUST_NOT) here keeps the execution path flat and fast, matching Lucene's design patterns perfectly.

dsmiley · 2026-06-21T20:12:35Z

Thanks. TestNestedUpdateProcessor contains plenty of references to the old confusing syntax that can be updated. Maybe other tests too.

dsmiley · 2026-06-26T17:38:34Z

-              "{!parent which='(*:* -_nest_path_:*)'}(+" + inner_child_query + " +_nest_path_:*)");
+              "{!parent which='{!field f=_nest_path_ v=$fieldQ}'}(+"
+                  + inner_child_query
+                  + " +_nest_path_:*)",
+              "fieldQ",
+              "/");


there's irony in you modifying the non-verbose code path .... to make it more verbose. surely you can keep it simple. I'll leave it as a test for you :-)

dsmiley · 2026-06-26T17:38:56Z

-              "parent_filt", "(*:* -_nest_path_:*)",
+              "parent_filt", "{!field f=_nest_path_ v=$fieldQ}",
+              "fieldQ", "/",


mabye leave the "verbose" codepath as-is.... it should be "verbose" after all :-)

dsmiley · 2026-06-26T17:39:07Z

        if (verbose) {
          return params(
              "q", "{!child of=$parent_filt v=$parent_q})",
-              "parent_filt", "(*:* -_nest_path_:*)",
+              "parent_filt", "{!field f=_nest_path_ v=$fieldQ}",
+              "fieldQ", "/",
              "parent_q", "(+" + inner_parent_query + " -_nest_path_:*)");
        } else {
          return params(
              "q",
-              "{!child of='(*:* -_nest_path_:*)'}(+" + inner_parent_query + " -_nest_path_:*)");
+              "{!child of='{!field f=_nest_path_ v=$fieldQ}'}(+"
+                  + inner_parent_query
+                  + " -_nest_path_:*)",
+              "fieldQ",
+              "/");


same critique as down here and below

abumarjikar added 2 commits June 9, 2026 12:40

Initial Commit

e306ef9

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

b39e339

github-actions Bot added the cat:schema label Jun 9, 2026

dsmiley reviewed Jun 9, 2026

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Comment thread changelog/unreleased/SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use.yml Outdated

Comment thread solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/schema/NestPathField.java Outdated

abumarjikar requested a review from dsmiley June 10, 2026 06:27

abumarjikar added 4 commits June 10, 2026 11:57

Changed the type as suggested.

cdb63fd

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

bbd24e3

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

c240e22

Added Test and also null handling with bad request

f3c86ff

github-actions Bot added the tests label Jun 11, 2026

abumarjikar marked this pull request as ready for review June 11, 2026 07:41

dsmiley reviewed Jun 11, 2026

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Comment thread solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/schema/TestNestPathField.java Outdated

abumarjikar added 2 commits June 15, 2026 08:34

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

e4ab909

Changed the type as suggested.

ba79e8a

github-actions Bot added the cat:search label Jun 15, 2026

abumarjikar requested a review from dsmiley June 15, 2026 03:29

dsmiley reviewed Jun 15, 2026

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Comment thread solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/search/QueryEqualityTest.java

Changed the type as suggested.

26866bc

github-actions Bot added documentation Improvements or additions to documentation cat:index labels Jun 16, 2026

abumarjikar requested a review from dsmiley June 16, 2026 05:29

dsmiley requested changes Jun 16, 2026

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Comment thread solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/search/QueryEqualityTest.java Outdated

Comment thread solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/update/TestNestedUpdateProcessor.java Outdated

Comment thread solr/solr-ref-guide/modules/query-guide/pages/searching-nested-documents.adoc

Changes done as per the review.

a457c03

abumarjikar requested a review from dsmiley June 18, 2026 04:58

dsmiley reviewed Jun 18, 2026

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Comment thread solr/solr-ref-guide/modules/query-guide/pages/dense-vector-search.adoc Outdated

abumarjikar added 2 commits June 19, 2026 11:00

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

cb632ee

changes made as per the review to have '/' by default

9da87be

abumarjikar requested a review from dsmiley June 19, 2026 05:36

Changes made to use the shortcut for root lny docs search.

35547e9

abumarjikar added 2 commits June 20, 2026 13:35

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

8303718

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

31b0676

abumarjikar added 3 commits June 25, 2026 19:00

Changes Made as per the review, also changed the test

647e1cd

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

3be192c

Merge branch 'main' into SOLR_18197_nest_path_easy_of_use

b23d0ff

dsmiley reviewed Jun 26, 2026

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dsmiley mentioned this pull request Jun 26, 2026

SOLR-18256: Fix lucene QParser to support nested pure negative queries #4552

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dsmiley commented Jun 19, 2026

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abumarjikar commented Jun 9, 2026 •

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