Search with `exact: true` doesn't work as intended

[zeroliu]

Describe the bug

When I search with exact: true, documents with partially matching terms are also returned.

To Reproduce

https://codesandbox.io/p/sandbox/lvy7mc

const db = create({
  schema: {
    path: "string",
    title: "string",
  },
});

insert(db, { path: "First Note.md", title: "First Note" });
insert(db, { path: "Second Note.md", title: "Second Note" });

const noExact = search(db, {
  term: "first",
  properties: ["path"],
}); // 1 result OK
const withExact = search(db, {
  term: "first",
  properties: ["path"],
  exact: true,
}); // 1 result NOT OK

console.log("noExact path", noExact);
console.log("withExact path", withExact);

Expected behavior

Calling search with exact: true should only return documents with terms that exactly matches.

Environment Info

@orama/orama 3.0.4

Affected areas

Search

Additional context

No response

[logancyang]

Anybody looking at this issue? Any pointer would be appreciated @micheleriva

[micheleriva]

Hi @logancyang and @zeroliu, we are currently experiencing a temporary slowdown in managing this activity. We will keep you updated.

[micheleriva]

I'll try to speed this up:

/bounty 150

[algora-pbc]

💎 $150 bounty • OramaSearch

Steps to solve:

1. Start working: Comment /attempt #866 with your implementation plan
2. Submit work: Create a pull request including /claim #866 in the PR body to claim the bounty
3. Receive payment: 100% of the bounty is received 2-5 days post-reward. Make sure you are eligible for payouts

❗ Important guidelines:

• To claim a bounty, you need to provide a short demo video of your changes in your pull request
• If anything is unclear, ask for clarification before starting as this will help avoid potential rework
• Low quality AI PRs will not receive review and will be closed
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Thank you for contributing to oramasearch/orama!

Attempt	Started (UTC)	Solution	Actions
🟢 @keremercin	Oct 01, 2025, 05:29:51 AM	#985	Reward
🟢 @melmathari	Sep 04, 2025, 04:16:48 PM	#968	Reward
🟢 @Erodri6z	Feb 04, 2025, 11:22:24 PM	WIP
🟢 @ram-amoncar	Feb 13, 2025, 07:17:09 AM	WIP
🟢 @akv2011	Jan 13, 2025, 10:14:37 AM	WIP
🟢 @algora-pbc	May 20, 2025, 03:01:38 PM	WIP
🟢 @vachmara	May 20, 2025, 03:01:36 PM	#941	Reward
🟢 @luffy-orf	May 24, 2025, 04:20:10 AM	#942	Reward

[akv2011]

/attempt #866

[Erodri6z]

/attempt #866

[micheleriva]

@matijagaspar is this fixed with your last PR?

[joybro]

I'm experiencing this issue with the latest version (3.1.1).

[Mobarak786]

I understand the problem. It happens because the adject match in search matching with "First" But not with "Note.md" And this is the behavior of "orama" as it tokenise the name when an space occours. Thats why you are getting the error.

@zeroliu Could you assign to me. I can fix it. /assign #866

[zeroliu]

Thanks for looking into it @Mobarak786 . I don't have the permission to assign the ticket though. Maybe a repo admin can help

[micheleriva]

Hi @Mobarak786 , @zeroliu , thanks for your help! You don't need to get the issue assigned, just send a PR and if it gets merged, we will pay the bounty. Thanks again!

[Mobarak786]

Exact match

The exact property finds all the document with an exact match of the term property.

const searchResult = search(movieDB, {
  term: "Chris",
  properties: ["director"],
  exact: true,
});

We are now searching for all the documents that contain exactly the word Chris in the director property.

📌 Without the exact property, for example, the term Christopher Nolan would be returned as well, as it contains the word Chris.

So in my opinion there is no bug in the issue. The issue is with the example input , the creator of the issue uses.

📍issue shoud be closed. Don't need a PR

[Sambit003]

@micheleriva is this issue still open? if. then I will start working on it

[DecodersLord]

@micheleriva I believe what @Mobarak786 pointed out is correct.

Can you advise if the output should only include if the document had "first.md" in the user's test case?

[Omar8345]

@micheleriva Could you check with @Mobarak786 said, if its not correct then could you advise regarding the way it should work? I'm eager to work on this.

[vachmara]

Hello @zeroliu,

I have introduced a PR #941 related to this topic and would greatly appreciate your feedback. Your insights would be incredibly valuable in refining the proposal further.

Thank you!

[micheleriva]

Hey @zeroliu, if you can confirm that #941 works, I'd be happy to merge and release.

[luffy-orf]

/attempt #866

[vachmara]

Hi @zeroliu, I’ve put together an online sandbox with my implementation here. Does this match what you were looking for? Let me know if you need any changes or have feedback!

[zeroliu]

Thanks for the fix @vachmara . I verified the change in the sandbox, and it resolves my issue. @micheleriva, let me know when you are okay to merge it. Thanks all!

[naaa760]

Hello @zeroliu can I still work on this issue??

[zeroliu]

Hi @naaa760, @vachmara already provides a solution waiting to be merged. I don't think an alternative solution is needed at this point.

[naaa760]

Okay thankyou for letting me know!

[melmathari]

/attempt #866

[logancyang]

Any acceptable solutions to be merged and released? @micheleriva

[melmathari]

@logancyang I have a PR open for this but haven’t received any feedback yet. Totally understand if @micheleriva is busy with other responsibilities.

[keremercin]

/attempt #866

[keremercin]

PR sent #985