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README.md

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+# search.nixos.org
+
+This repository contains the scripts and the web application for
+`search.nixos.org`. 
+
+
+## How this project came to be
+
+Initial idea was to replace NixOS packages and options search which was
+fetching one JSON file which contained all packages (or options). This approach
+is good for its simple setup, but started to show its problems when packages
+number was getting bigger and bigger. I'm sure we could optimize it further,
+but ideas what all could we do if there would be some database in the back were
+to tempting not to try.
+
+For backend we are using Elasticsearch instance which is kindly sponsored by
+[bonsai.io](https://bonsai.io). On the frontend we are using
+[Elm](https://elm-lang.org).
+
+
+## Ideas we want to explore
+
+Apart from searching packages and options we would like to:
+
+- Not only search for latest channels, but be enable to search in any
+  evaluation. We need to explore how much in the past we can go, I'm sure we
+  will have to make some compromises.
+- Provide each maintainer with a page that lists packages that they
+  maintain. A page - later - could also show his ticket and opened Pull
+  Requests.
+- Each package should have a page which would show versions in different
+  evaluations/channels. It could also show - at one point - ticket that this
+  package
+- With all this information in the database it would be very useful to show
+  some sort of reports. Few examples that come to my mind:
+   - What packages and options were added/removed/changed between to evaluations?
+     This could be useful for Release Manager when making release notes or just
+     in general to see difference what has changed since last time.
+   - How are we doing with tickets/pull requests? Burn-down chart maybe. The
+     idea behind is to have a nicer view over current status of tickets/pull
+     requests.
+
+Probably there are more ideas I just need to remind myself to write them down.
+
+
+## Development
+
+To start developing open a terminal and run:
+
+```
+$ nix-shell --run "yarn dev"
+```
+
+You can point your browser to `http://localhost:3000` and start developing.
+Any changes to source files (`./src`) will trigger a hot reload of an
+application.
+
+
+## Deploying
+
+- On each commit to `master` branch a GitHub Action is trigger.
+- GitHub Action then builds production version of the web application using
+  `yarn prod` command.
+- The built web application (in `./dist`) is then deployed to Netlify.
+- GitHub Action can also be triggered via Pull Request, which if Pull Request
+  was created from a non-forked repo's branch, will provide a preview url in a
+  comment.