--- title: Migrate boosting slug: graph/docs/migrate-boosting createdAt: 2026-07-30T20:30:19.179Z --- --- title: Migrate boosting slug: migrate-boosting excerpt: >- Migrate boosting configurations from Optimizely Search & Navigation to Optimizely Graph, including filter boosting, decay functions, and weighted scoring. deprecated: false hidden: false metadata: title: Migrate Boosting from Optimizely Search & Navigation to Optimizely Graph description: >- Learn how to migrate boosting configurations from Optimizely Search & Navigation to Optimizely Graph. Covers filter-based boosting, time decay, hit popularity boost, unified weights, and property boosting with code examples for both platforms. keywords: - Optimizely Find boosting migration - Optimizely Graph boosting - migrate boosting to Graph - Search and Navigation boosting - BoostMatching migration - auto-boosting decay - time decay Graph - hit popularity boost - unified weights migration - property boosting Graph - GraphQL boost parameter - filter boosting Graph - decay function Graph - factor operator Graph - search relevance scoring - Optimizely CMS search migration robots: index *** Boosting changes the relevance score of search results so that certain content appears higher or lower. Boost based on business rules, content freshness, popularity, or field importance. Both Search & Navigation and Optimizely Graph support boosting, but they work differently. ## Key differences Search & Navigation provides five boosting features. The following table shows whether each has a Graph equivalent. | Search & Navigation feature | Graph equivalent | Status | | ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | | BoostMatching (filter-based) | `boost` parameter on filter operators | Supported (different syntax) | | Auto-boosting: decay | `decay` function on DateTime/Date fields | Partial (different curve model, fewer parameters) | | Auto-boosting: hit (popularity) boost | No equivalent | Not supported (workaround available) | | Unified weights and property boosting | `boost` on individual field predicates | Supported (no Admin UI) | | Boosting with attributes | No equivalent | Not supported | | No equivalent | `BOOST_ONLY` ranking mode | Graph only (scores using only boost values, ignoring text relevance) | ## Migration workflow ### BoostMatching (filter-based boosting) The `BoostMatching` method in Search & Navigation boosts results that match specific filter criteria. The following table shows how the `BoostMatching` settings compare between Search & Navigation and Graph. | Search & Navigation | Graph | Notes | | ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Filter expression (`x => x.InStock.Match(true)`) | `where` predicate with operator (`InStock: { eq: true }`) | | | Boost factor (Double, for example `2`) | `boost` parameter (Int, for example `boost: 2`) | Graph accepts Int only. Scale fractional values (for example, `1.5` and `3.0` become `15` and `30`). | | Multiple `.BoostMatching()` calls | `_or` clause with `boost` per operator | | | Combined filters (`&`) | Both conditions in the same object with `boost` on one operator | | | Negative boost (factor \< 1.0) | Not supported | Workaround: give other conditions a higher boost, or use `_not` to exclude. | The following is a BoostMatching example in Search & Navigation: ```csharp var results = client.Search() .For("Volvo") .BoostMatching(x => x.InStock.Match(true), 2) .BoostMatching(x => x.SalesMargin.GreaterThan(0.2), 2) .BoostMatching(x => x.NewModelComingSoon.Match(true) & x.InStock.Match(true), 5) .GetResult(); ``` The following is the same BoostMatching example in Graph: ```graphql { Car( locale: en, where: { _fulltext: { contains: "Volvo" }, _or: [ { InStock: { eq: true, boost: 2 } }, { SalesMargin: { gt: 0.2, boost: 2 } }, { NewModelComingSoon: { eq: true, boost: 5 }, InStock: { eq: true } } ] } ) { items { Name InStock SalesMargin _score } } } ``` :::hint{type="info"} **Note** Apply the `boost` parameter to individual filter operators (for example, `eq`, `gt`, `like`, `contains`), not to logical blocks such as `_and` or `_or`. ::: ### Auto-boosting: time decay Search & Navigation uses Weibull decay, and Graph uses Gaussian decay. These are different mathematical models, so the same parameter values produce different results. After migrating, test your queries and adjust `scale` and `rate` in Graph until the ranking meets your expectations. :::hint{type="warning"} **Important** In Search & Navigation, decay uses the document's last modified date (`IChangeTrackable.Changed`). This is hardcoded. In Graph, apply `decay` to any DateTime or Date field (for example, `Changed`, `StartPublish`, `Created`, or custom fields). To match Search & Navigation behavior, use the `Changed` field in Graph. ::: :::hint{type="info"} **Note** In Search & Navigation, `UsingAutoBoost` includes hit boost whenever statistics are enabled, so hit boost affects your decay results. In Graph, `decay` is independent, so your migrated decay scores may differ even with the same parameters. ::: Search & Navigation provides two configuration methods: 1. `UsingAutoBoost()` – Applies to all documents in the query. 2. `ForInstancesOf().SetDecayParameters()` – Applies per content type. Graph has no convention system. Each content type needs its own decay configuration directly in the query. The following table shows how the Auto-boosting settings compare between Search & Navigation and Graph. | Search & Navigation | Graph | Notes | | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `decayScale`/`scale` (TimeSpan) | `scale` (Int, days only) | Must be >= 0. Convert hours and minutes to days. | | `decayOrigin`/`origin` (DateTime) | `origin` (Date scalar) | Formats: `YYYY-MM-DD` or `YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssZ`. Default: `now()`. | | `decayMinimum`/`minimum` (Double, 0.0-1.0) | `rate` (Float) | Valid range: `[0..1)`. Defaults differ: Search & Navigation `0.2`, Graph `0.5`. | | `decayOffset`/`offset` (TimeSpan) | No equivalent | Graph decay starts immediately from the origin. | | `decayShape`/`shape` (Double) | No equivalent | Graph uses Gaussian decay with a fixed curve shape. | **Method 1:** `UsingAutoBoost()` **(applies to all documents)** Search & Navigation: ```csharp var results = client.Search() .For("Banana") .UsingAutoBoost( decayScale: TimeSpan.FromDays(14), decayOrigin: DateTime.UtcNow, decayMinimum: 0.2, ).GetResultAsync(); ``` Graph: ```graphql { BlogPost( where: { _fulltext: { contains: "Banana" }, Changed: { decay: { scale: 14, rate: 0.2 } } } ) { items { Name Changed _score } } } ``` **Method 2:** `ForInstancesOf().SetDecayParameters()` **(per content type):** Search & Navigation: ```csharp client.Conventions .ForInstancesOf() .SetDecayParameters(new DateDecayParameters( scale: TimeSpan.FromDays(60), minimum: 0.3, origin: new DateTime(2024, 1, 1) )); ``` Graph: ```graphql { BlogPost( where: { Changed: { decay: { origin: "2024-01-01", scale: 60, rate: 0.3 } } } ) { items { Name Changed _score } } } ``` :::hint{type="warning"} **Important** If you use per-type conventions in Search & Navigation (for example, `BlogPost` decays over 60 days and `NewsPage` decays over 7 days), use separate Graph queries for each content type and merge the results in your application. You cannot compare `_score` values from different queries, so you may need to adjust scores before sorting. ::: ### Auto-boosting: Hit (popularity) boost Hit boost in Search & Navigation is automatic. It tracks user clicks on search results and boosts frequently clicked documents in future searches. Graph does not provide this feature. Graph search tracking only logs data and does not use click data in scoring. As a workaround, collect click data from your own tracking system, store click counts in a numeric field on your content model (for example, `NumClicks`), and use the `factor` operator to boost by that field. ```graphql { BlogPost( where: { _fulltext: { contains: "Banana" }, NumClicks: { gt: 1, factor: { value: 10.0, modifier: SQRT } } } ) { items { Name NumClicks _score } } } ``` For more details about the `factor` operator and modifiers, see [Graph Boosting documentation](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/platform-optimizely/v1.4.1-optimizely-graph/docs/boosting). ### Unified weights and property boosting In Search & Navigation, property boosting works with `UnifiedSearch` to search across all content types. Configure weights using the `UsingUnifiedWeights()` API or the Admin UI at **Search & Navigation** > **Configure** > **Boosting**. In Graph, query with `Content` to search across all content types. Graph has no Admin UI and no weight system. Use the `boost` parameter in each query. The following table shows how the properties compare between Search & Navigation and Graph. | Search & Navigation property | Graph equivalent on `Content` | Notes | | ---------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | | `SearchTitle` | `boost` on `Name` | `Name: { contains: "...", boost: 4 }` | | `SearchText` | No direct mapping | Query specific content types instead | | `SearchSummary` | No direct mapping | Query specific content types instead | | `SearchAttachment` | No direct mapping | Query specific content types instead | The following is a unified weights example in Search & Navigation: ```csharp var weights = new UnifiedWeightsValues() { SearchTitle = 4.0, SearchText = 3.0, SearchSummary = 2.0, SearchAttachment = 1.0 }; var result = client.UnifiedSearch(Language.English) .For("Beethoven") .UsingUnifiedWeights(weights) .GetResult(); ``` The following is a unified weights example using `Content` in Graph. Only `Name` maps to the Search & Navigation `SearchTitle` property. ```graphql { Content( locale: en, where: { Name: { contains: "Beethoven", boost: 4 } } ) { items { Name _score } } } ``` The following is a unified weights example on specific content type in Graph, where you can boost all fields. ```graphql { ArticlePage( locale: en, where: { _or: [ { Name: { contains: "Beethoven", boost: 4 } }, { MainBody: { contains: "Beethoven", boost: 3 } }, { Summary: { contains: "Beethoven", boost: 2 } }, { AttachmentText: { contains: "Beethoven", boost: 1 } } ] } ) { items { Name _score } } } ``` :::hint{type="info"} **Note** Field names (for example, `MainBody`, `Summary`, `AttachmentText`) depend on your content model. Check your Graph schema for the correct field names. ::: ### Boost with attributes Boosting with attributes in Search & Navigation is specific to Product Recommendations. It boosts search results based on product attributes and personalization signals. Graph does not have this feature. If you use this feature, handle the personalization logic in your application layer.