Description
VecPost AI Search for Posts replaces WordPress’s default SQL LIKE search with vector-based semantic search. Instead of matching exact words, it understands the meaning of a search query.
Example: A user searching “heart workouts” will find your post titled “Best cardiovascular exercises” – even though no words overlap – because the meanings are similar.
How It Works
- When you publish a post, the plugin sends its content to your chosen AI provider (OpenAI or Google Gemini) to generate a vector embedding – a list of numbers that represents the meaning of the text.
- These numbers are stored in your database.
- When a user searches, their query is also converted to numbers, and the plugin finds posts whose numbers are closest – meaning most semantically similar.
Features
- Semantic search powered by OpenAI (
text-embedding-3-smallortext-embedding-3-large) or Google Gemini (gemini-embedding-001) - Hybrid re-ranking: combines semantic similarity with keyword matching for best results
- Gutenberg block and shortcode
[vecpost_semantic_search]for easy placement - Bulk indexer with progress bar for existing posts
- WP-CLI support:
wp vecpost-semantic-search index,wp vecpost-semantic-search status,wp vecpost-semantic-search search "query" - Configurable scoring thresholds via Settings -> VecPost – AI Semantic Search for Posts
- Automatic re-indexing when you switch embedding models
- Results cached via WordPress object cache (Redis/Memcached compatible)
Third-Party Services
This plugin sends post content to external AI APIs to generate embeddings. By using this plugin, you agree to the terms of service and privacy policies of your chosen provider:
- OpenAI: https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy | https://openai.com/policies/terms-of-use
- Google Gemini: https://policies.google.com/privacy | https://ai.google.dev/terms
No data is sent without your API key being configured. Data is only transmitted when posts are published or during bulk indexing.
Performance Note
Semantic search requires loading all embeddings into PHP memory for comparison. This works well for sites with up to approximately 1,500 posts. For larger sites, a dedicated vector database (pgvector, Qdrant, or Pinecone) is recommended.
Blocks
This plugin provides 1 block.
- VecPost AI Search for Posts A basic search block for VecPost AI Search for Posts.
Installation
- Upload the plugin folder to
/wp-content/plugins/ - Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress
- Go to Settings -> VecPost – AI Semantic Search for Posts
- Enter your OpenAI or Google Gemini API key
- Click Test Connection to verify the key works
- Click Start Bulk Index to index your existing posts
- Add the search block to any page via the Gutenberg editor, or use the shortcode
[vecpost_semantic_search]
FAQ
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Do I need an OpenAI account?
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Yes. You need either an OpenAI API key (https://platform.openai.com) or a Google Gemini API key (https://aistudio.google.com). Both have free tiers that are sufficient for small sites.
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Does this replace the default WordPress search?
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No. This plugin adds a separate search widget/block. Your default WordPress search continues to work unchanged. You can place the semantic search widget on any page alongside or instead of the default search.
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Is my content sent to OpenAI/Google?
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Yes – post content is sent to the embedding API when you publish a post or run bulk indexing. The API returns numbers (the embedding vector) and does not store or use your content for training. See their privacy policies for full details.
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How much does it cost?
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Using
text-embedding-3-small(the default), indexing costs approximately $0.002 per 1,000 posts. Each search query costs a fraction of a cent. For most sites, monthly costs are under $1. -
What happens if I change the embedding model?
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The plugin detects the model change and automatically re-indexes all posts using the new model. During re-indexing, searches will return no results until indexing is complete.
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Can I use this on a multisite installation?
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The plugin has not been tested on WordPress Multisite and is not officially supported in that environment.
Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“VecPost AI Search for Posts” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “VecPost AI Search for Posts” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.0.0
- Initial public release
- OpenAI and Google Gemini embedding support
- Hybrid semantic + keyword re-ranking (BM25)
- Gutenberg block and shortcode
- WP-CLI commands
- Bulk indexer with progress UI
- Configurable scoring thresholds
- Redis/Memcached compatible caching
- API connection test in admin
- Automatic re-index on model change