=== Aetos Arabic Search Normalizer ===
Contributors: aetosseo
Tags: arabic, search, rtl, woocommerce
Requires at least: 6.5
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Improve Arabic title and excerpt matching across common letter and diacritic variations without indexing, tracking, or external services.

== Description ==

Aetos Arabic Search Normalizer improves normal front-end WordPress searches for Arabic visitors.

It keeps WordPress's existing title, excerpt, and content matching, then adds a bounded normalized fallback for post titles and excerpts. For example, a search for `احمد` can find a title containing `أَحْمَد`, and `مدرسه` can find `مدرسة`.

The normalizer handles these common differences:

* Alef forms: ا, أ, إ, آ, and ٱ.
* Ta marbuta and ha: ة and ه.
* Ya and alef maqsura: ي and ى.
* Waw/ya with hamza: ؤ and ئ.
* Common Arabic diacritics and tatweel.
* Common Persian keyboard forms for kaf and ya.

The plugin works automatically with posts, pages, WooCommerce products, and other post types when their front-end search uses WordPress's normal `WP_Query` search.

=== Performance boundaries ===

The plugin deliberately normalizes only the relatively short `post_title` and `post_excerpt` database columns. WordPress's original `post_content` search remains active, but the plugin does not wrap full content in repeated SQL transformations.

Enhancement is skipped and the exact core search is preserved for admin, REST, Ajax, attachment, excluded-term, unusually long, or more than six-term searches. These are performance and compatibility boundaries, not paid limits.

The plugin creates no index, custom table, option, cookie, analytics record, scheduled task, REST route, or external request.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin files to `/wp-content/plugins/aetos-arabic-search-normalizer/`, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen.
2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen.
3. Use the normal front-end WordPress search. No setup or indexing is required.
4. Test representative Arabic searches from your own content before relying on the results.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does it change my posts or create a search index? =

No. It changes only eligible search SQL while the query runs. It does not alter stored content, create tables, or build an index.

= Does it replace WordPress search? =

No. The original title, excerpt, and content conditions remain. The plugin adds normalized title and excerpt matching for eligible Arabic searches.

= Why is full post content not normalized? =

Applying many text transformations to every full-content value can make database searches substantially slower. Exact WordPress content matching remains available, while normalized matching is limited to titles and excerpts.

= Does it work with WooCommerce? =

Yes, when the product search uses the normal front-end WordPress query. It does not integrate with separate Ajax/live-search engines supplied by themes, services, or other plugins.

= Does it affect searches in wp-admin or the REST API? =

No. Version 1.0.0 intentionally limits enhancement to non-admin, non-REST, non-Ajax WordPress searches.

= Does it collect search analytics? =

No. It stores no search terms, visitor data, cookies, or analytics.

== Privacy ==

The plugin sends no data outside the site and stores no search terms, settings, cookies, analytics, or personal data.

== Screenshots ==

1. A search without hamza finds a post title containing hamza and common diacritics.
2. A WooCommerce product search tolerates a common ta marbuta and ha variation.

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release.
