> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://algolia.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Backend search with React InstantSearch

> Set up search on your backend with React InstantSearch.

export const FlavorSwitcher = ({current, baseHref = "", options = [], label = "InstantSearch framework"}) => {
  if (options.length === 0) {
    return <div className="not-prose" role="alert" style={{
      margin: "0.25rem 0 1.5rem",
      padding: "0.75rem",
      border: "1px solid #f59e0b",
      borderRadius: "0.625rem",
      color: "inherit",
      fontSize: "0.875rem"
    }}>
        FlavorSwitcher requires at least one option.
      </div>;
  }
  const selected = options.find(option => option.value === current) ?? options[0];
  return <div className="not-prose mint-flavor-switcher">
      <style>{`
        .mint-flavor-switcher {
          --mfs-bg: #ffffff;
          --mfs-bg-hover: #f4f4f5;
          --mfs-bg-current: #eef2ff;
          --mfs-border: #d4d4d8;
          --mfs-fg: #18181b;
          --mfs-muted: #71717a;
          --mfs-accent: #4f46e5;
          position: relative;
          width: min(100%, 19rem);
          margin: 0.25rem 0 1.5rem;
          color: var(--mfs-fg);
          font-size: 0.875rem;
          line-height: 1.25rem;
        }

        .dark .mint-flavor-switcher {
          --mfs-bg: #18181b;
          --mfs-bg-hover: #27272a;
          --mfs-bg-current: #272747;
          --mfs-border: #3f3f46;
          --mfs-fg: #fafafa;
          --mfs-muted: #a1a1aa;
          --mfs-accent: #a5b4fc;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher details {
          position: relative;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher summary {
          display: flex;
          min-height: 2.75rem;
          box-sizing: border-box;
          align-items: center;
          justify-content: space-between;
          gap: 0.75rem;
          padding: 0.625rem 0.75rem;
          border: 1px solid var(--mfs-border);
          border-radius: 0.625rem;
          background: var(--mfs-bg);
          color: var(--mfs-fg);
          cursor: pointer;
          font-weight: 600;
          list-style: none;
          transition: border-color 150ms ease, box-shadow 150ms ease;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher summary::-webkit-details-marker {
          display: none;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher summary:hover {
          border-color: var(--mfs-accent);
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher summary:focus-visible {
          outline: 2px solid var(--mfs-accent);
          outline-offset: 2px;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__label {
          overflow: hidden;
          text-overflow: ellipsis;
          white-space: nowrap;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__chevron {
          flex: none;
          transition: transform 150ms ease;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher details[open] .mint-flavor-switcher__chevron {
          transform: rotate(180deg);
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__menu {
          position: absolute;
          z-index: 50;
          top: calc(100% + 0.375rem);
          left: 0;
          width: 100%;
          box-sizing: border-box;
          margin: 0;
          padding: 0.375rem;
          border: 1px solid var(--mfs-border);
          border-radius: 0.625rem;
          background: var(--mfs-bg);
          box-shadow: 0 12px 30px rgb(0 0 0 / 16%);
          list-style: none;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__menu li {
          margin: 0;
          padding: 0;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__option {
          display: grid;
          gap: 0.125rem;
          padding: 0.625rem 0.75rem;
          border-radius: 0.4rem;
          color: var(--mfs-fg);
          text-decoration: none;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__option:hover {
          background: var(--mfs-bg-hover);
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__option:focus-visible {
          outline: 2px solid var(--mfs-accent);
          outline-offset: -2px;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__option[aria-current="page"] {
          background: var(--mfs-bg-current);
          color: var(--mfs-accent);
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__name {
          font-weight: 600;
        }

        .mint-flavor-switcher__description {
          color: var(--mfs-muted);
          font-size: 0.8125rem;
        }

        @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
          .mint-flavor-switcher summary,
          .mint-flavor-switcher__chevron {
            transition: none;
          }
        }
      `}</style>

      <details>
        <summary aria-label={`${label}: ${selected.label}`}>
          <span className="mint-flavor-switcher__label">{selected.label}</span>
          <svg className="mint-flavor-switcher__chevron" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" aria-hidden="true">
            <path d="m6 9 6 6 6-6" />
          </svg>
        </summary>

        <ul className="mint-flavor-switcher__menu" aria-label={label}>
          {options.map(option => {
    const isCurrent = option.value === selected.value;
    const href = option.href ?? `${baseHref.replace(/\/$/, "")}/${encodeURIComponent(option.value)}`;
    return <li key={option.value}>
                <a className="mint-flavor-switcher__option" href={href} aria-current={isCurrent ? "page" : undefined}>
                  <span className="mint-flavor-switcher__name">
                    {option.label}
                  </span>
                  {option.description ? <span className="mint-flavor-switcher__description">
                      {option.description}
                    </span> : null}
                </a>
              </li>;
  })}
        </ul>
      </details>
    </div>;
};

<div className="mint-flavor-switcher-slot not-prose">
  <FlavorSwitcher
    current="react"
    baseHref="/doc/guides/building-search-ui/going-further/backend-search"
    options={[
{ value: "js", label: "JavaScript", description: "InstantSearch.js" },
{ value: "react", label: "React", description: "React InstantSearch" },
{ value: "vue", label: "Vue", description: "Vue InstantSearch" },
{ value: "ios", label: "iOS", description: "InstantSearch iOS" },
{ value: "android", label: "Android", description: "InstantSearch Android" },
]}
  />
</div>

<Note>
  This is the **React InstantSearch v7** documentation.
  If you're upgrading from v6, see the [upgrade guide](/doc/guides/building-search-ui/upgrade-guides/react/#migrate-from-react-instantsearch-v6-to-react-instantsearch-v7).
  If you were using React InstantSearch Hooks,
  this v7 documentation applies—just check for [necessary changes](/doc/guides/building-search-ui/upgrade-guides/react/#migrate-from-react-instantsearch-hooks-to-react-instantsearch-v7).
  To continue using v6, you can find the [archived documentation](https://algolia.com/old-docs/deprecated/instantsearch/react/v6/api-reference/instantsearch/).
</Note>

## Frontend versus backend search

You should use frontend search because:

* **It's faster**.
  Speed alone justifies the choice.
  Backend search requires two more trips between a user's browser and Algolia's servers.
  This decreases the effectiveness of Algolia's engine and infrastructure optimizations.

* **UI libraries aid development**.
  Algolia's UI libraries ([InstantSearch](/doc/guides/building-search-ui/getting-started/react) and [Autocomplete](/doc/ui-libraries/autocomplete/introduction/getting-started)) help build a frontend solution so that you can focus on configuring relevance and creating the best possible search experience.

* **It frees up your resources**.
  Algolia reduces the need for development and eliminates the requirement for additional server deployments and its associated infrastructure.

## Why backend search?

* Server-side pre-processing. Perhaps the most important reason for a backend solution is to make complex calculations or format your data before displaying the results.
* Real-time availability updates (like Airbnb)
* In some situations, SEO is easier to manage.

## How to implement backend search

You only need a few lines of code to send a query to Algolia and receive a response.
The response contains everything needed to build your UI.

You can perform backend search with either InstantSearch or one of the Algolia API clients.

### Backend InstantSearch

[Backend InstantSearch](/doc/guides/building-search-ui/going-further/backend-search/in-depth/backend-instantsearch/react) offers a good compromise.
You perform the search on your servers, carry out any required pre-processing,
and then send your results to InstantSearch's widgets.
This enables you to control the query and response but saves you the work of building a custom frontend.

### Backend search with an Algolia API client

This option requires a server-side solution and custom frontend development.
You manage all queries and responses, and you build the frontend UI.
You need to parse the API response, which includes:

* Results formatted for display, for example, full record content, embedded HTML, or image URLs
* Highlighting and snippeting
* Pagination

To learn more, see [Backend search with an API client](/doc/guides/building-search-ui/going-further/backend-search/in-depth/backend-search-with-an-api-client/react).