---
title: "Sorting"
manual: "ke_search"
version: "main"
source: "Configuration/Sorting.rst"
rendered: "2026-09-25T08:10:48+00:00"
---

# Sorting {#sorting}

You may define the sorting method in the plugin configuration. Available options
are `relevance`, `title` and `date`.
More options may be added through third party extensions
(see below [Adding your own sorting options](#sorting-own-options)).

There are two sorting method options, one if a searchword was given and
one if only filters have been used without a searchword. The reason for that is
without a search word, you don't have a relevance ranking.

Default sorting is `relevance descending` if a searchword has been given and
`date descending` if no search word has been given.

![Sorting plugin options](../Images/Configuration/sorting-plugin-settings.png)

You may also activate the "frontend sorting" feature. This allows the visitor
to decide for a sorting method.

![Sorting links in frontend](../Images/Configuration/sorting-links.png)

You may then choose the fields you want to allow sorting for. By default these
are `relevancy`, `date` and `title`.

## Adding your own sorting options {#sorting-own-options}

If you want other sorting options than relevance, date or title, you will
have to

-   Extend the table `tx_kesearch_index` by the fields you want to use for sorting
    (for example `mysortfield`) (`ext_tables.sql`, TCA configuration).
    Note: Don't use an underscore `_` in the field name and use a string type
    (TEXT, VARCHAR) as field type.
-   Register your sorting fields by hook `registerAdditionalFields`, so that
    they are written to the database.
-   Write your own indexer or extend an existing one that fills your new field
    during the indexing process.

> [!NOTE]
> If you add an "additional field" to the index **every** indexer must set this
> field. So make sure you use the provided hooks for every indexer you use.
> Additional fields cannot be integers, they must be strings.
> See [https://github.com/tpwd/ke_search/issues/248](https://github.com/tpwd/ke_search/issues/248)

You can find an example in the extension
ke_search_hooks: [https://extensions.typo3.org/extension/ke_search_hooks](https://extensions.typo3.org/extension/ke_search_hooks)

```php
// in ext_localconf.php:

// Register hook to register additional fields in the index table
$GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['EXTCONF']['ke_search']['registerAdditionalFields'][] =
   \MyVendor\KeSearchHooks\AdditionalIndexerFields::class;
```

```php
<?php
namespace MyVendor\KeSearchHooks;

/**
 * Class AdditionalIndexerFields
 * @package MyVendor\KeSearchHooks
 */
class AdditionalIndexerFields {
   public function registerAdditionalFields(&$additionalFields) {
      $additionalFields[] = 'mysorting';
   }
}
```

Your new database field will automatically appear in the backend selection
of sorting fields.

For the frontend sorting links you will have to add a label for your new
sorting field.

The key of the field is the same as the field name, prepended with `oderlink_`,
so in this case it would be `orderlink_mysorting`.

You can add the label in your extension's locallang file for
`locallang_searchbox.xlf` as described in [Multilangual support](../Multilingual/Index.html#multilangual).