Federated search
Federated search is a single search experience that queries content living in multiple separate systems and returns one combined set of results.
In a documentation context, federated search means a reader on any one property, such as the main docs site, an API reference, or a knowledge base, can search once and get answers drawn from all of them. The content stays where it is published. The search layer indexes each property and merges the results.
This matters because documentation rarely lives in one place. A typical product has a docs site, a changelog, tutorials, and a support knowledge base on different platforms, and a reader's question does not respect those boundaries. Without federated search, each property only answers from its own content, and questions that cross a boundary dead-end.
An AI layer extends federated search from ranked results to direct answers: the same combined index can power a chatbot that synthesizes an answer across properties and cites the pages it drew from, wherever they live.
Frequently asked questions
Is federated search the same as unified or multi-site search?
In documentation tooling the terms are used interchangeably. Strictly, federated search queries separate indexes at search time, while unified search builds one shared index up front. Most modern docs implementations, including Biel.ai, use the shared-index approach.
Do I have to move my content to get federated search?
No. The sites are indexed in place and stay on their own platforms and domains. Only the search layer is shared.