diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 31c490a..a9bf4a4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 1.0.0-alpha.9
+
+### Patch Changes
+
+- fix: search index fields and size
+
 ## 1.0.0-alpha.8
 
 ### Patch Changes
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index faa0bb2..af55a14 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@jadeja/docs",
   "description": "an opinionated documentation framework",
-  "version": "1.0.0-alpha.8",
+  "version": "1.0.0-alpha.9",
   "type": "module",
   "exports": {
     "./styles/*": {
diff --git a/src/components/layout/search.tsx b/src/components/layout/search.tsx
index 240815a..19adff1 100644
--- a/src/components/layout/search.tsx
+++ b/src/components/layout/search.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import type { ComponentProps, ReactElement, ReactNode } from "react";
 
 import type { DialogCloseProps } from "@/components/dialog";
 import type { SearchError, SearchQueryResult, UseSearchOptions } from "@/hooks/use-search";
+import type { List as ContentList } from "@/types/content";
 
 /* ============================================================================================= */
 
@@ -48,10 +49,12 @@ export interface SearchRootChildParams {
   handleSearch: (text: string) => void;
   error: SearchError;
   result: SearchQueryResult | undefined;
+  contentList: ContentList;
 }
 
 export type SearchRootProps = {
   children: ReactNode;
+  contentList: ContentList;
 } & UseSearchOptions &
   ComponentProps<"div">;
 
@@ -61,7 +64,8 @@ export const SearchRoot = ({
   DEV,
   SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS,
   SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME,
-  SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS,
+  SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS,
+  contentList,
   ...rest
 }: SearchRootProps): ReactElement<HTMLDivElement> => {
   //
@@ -69,7 +73,7 @@ export const SearchRoot = ({
     DEV,
     SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS,
     SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME,
-    SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS,
+    SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS,
   });
 
   const [search, setSearch] = useState("");
@@ -89,19 +93,18 @@ export const SearchRoot = ({
     startTransition(() => {
       //
       debounce(() => {
-        const fn = async () => {
+        // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-floating-promises
+        (async () => {
           const queryResult = await query(text);
           setResult(queryResult);
-        };
-        // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-floating-promises
-        fn();
+        })();
       });
     });
   };
 
   return (
     // oxlint-disable-next-line react/jsx-no-constructed-context-values
-    <SearchContext.Provider value={{ search, ready, handleSearch, error, result }}>
+    <SearchContext.Provider value={{ search, ready, handleSearch, error, result, contentList }}>
       <div className={cls("search", className)} {...rest}>
         {children}
       </div>
@@ -111,7 +114,7 @@ export const SearchRoot = ({
 
 /* ============================================================================================= */
 
-export type SearchProps = UseSearchOptions;
+export type SearchProps = UseSearchOptions & { contentList: ContentList };
 
 export const Search = (props: SearchProps): ReturnType<typeof SearchRoot> => {
   return (
@@ -279,8 +282,12 @@ export const SearchResultContainer = ({
   children,
   className,
 }: SearchResultContainerProps): ReactElement<HTMLDivElement> => {
+  const { result } = useSearchContext();
   return (
-    <div className={cls("search-result__container", { "scroll-fade": scrollFade }, className)}>
+    <div
+      className={cls("search-result__container", { "scroll-fade": scrollFade }, className)}
+      data-search-empty={(result?.count ?? 0) === 0 ? true : undefined}
+    >
       {children}
     </div>
   );
@@ -341,21 +348,31 @@ export type SearchResultListProps = ComponentProps<"li">;
 
 export const SearchResultList = (props: SearchResultListProps): ReactElement | null => {
   //
-  const { result } = useSearchContext();
+  const { result, contentList } = useSearchContext();
 
   return (
     // oxlint-disable-next-line react/jsx-no-useless-fragment
     <>
       {result?.data?.map((data) => {
+        //
+        const searchData = contentList.get(Number(data.id));
+
+        if (!searchData?.url) {
+          // oxlint-disable-next-line react/jsx-no-useless-fragment
+          return <></>;
+        }
+
         return (
-          // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-unsafe-assignment
-          <li key={data.id} {...props}>
+          <li key={Number(data.id)} {...props}>
             <DialogClose isWrapper hideFocus>
-              {/* oxlint-disable typescript/no-unsafe-assignment */}
-              <Link href={data.url} title={data.title}>
-                <span className="link__label">{data.metaTitle ?? data.label}</span>
-                <span className="link__url">{data.url}</span>
-                <span className="link__confidence">Confidence: {data.score.toFixed(2)}%</span>
+              <Link href={searchData.url} title={searchData.title}>
+                <span className="link__label">
+                  {searchData.frontMatter.title ?? searchData.label}
+                </span>
+                <span className="link__url">{searchData.url}</span>
+                <span className="link__confidence">
+                  Confidence: {((data.score / result.maxScore) * 100).toFixed(2)}%
+                </span>
               </Link>
             </DialogClose>
           </li>
diff --git a/src/config/constants.ts b/src/config/constants.ts
index 48b3cda..8037470 100644
--- a/src/config/constants.ts
+++ b/src/config/constants.ts
@@ -54,14 +54,27 @@ export const constants: Constants = {
     "title",
     "label",
     "url",
+    "frontMatter.title",
+    "frontMatter.description",
+    "frontMatter.keywords",
     "content",
-    "metaTitle",
-    "metaDescription",
-    "metaKeywords",
   ],
 
   /**
-   * search index result fields
+   * search result query options
    */
-  SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS: ["title", "label", "url", "metaTitle", "metaDescription"],
+  SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS: {
+    prefix: true,
+    fuzzy: 0.2,
+    combineWith: "and",
+    boost: {
+      "frontMatter.title": 4,
+      "frontMatter.description": 4,
+      "frontMatter.keywords": 4,
+      title: 3,
+      url: 3,
+      label: 2,
+      content: 2,
+    },
+  },
 };
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-search.ts b/src/hooks/use-search.ts
index 1d65071..0dcac5e 100644
--- a/src/hooks/use-search.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/use-search.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { throwError } from "@jadeja/ts/lib/logger";
 import { sleep } from "@jadeja/ts/lib/utils";
 import MiniSearch from "minisearch";
 import { useRef, useEffect, useState } from "react";
@@ -17,11 +18,12 @@ export interface SearchQueryResult {
   count: number;
   time: number;
   data: SearchResult[];
+  maxScore: number;
 }
 
 export type UseSearchOptions = Pick<
   DocsConfig["constants"],
-  "DEV" | "SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME" | "SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS" | "SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS"
+  "DEV" | "SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME" | "SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS" | "SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS"
 >;
 
 export type SearchError = {
@@ -36,13 +38,13 @@ export type SearchError = {
  * @param options.DEV - is current environment is "development"
  * @param options.SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS - fields for search indexing
  * @param options.SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME - file path of indexed search data
- * @param options.SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS - result fields from search index data
+ * @param options.SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS - search index query options
  */
 export const useSearch = ({
   DEV,
   SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS,
   SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME,
-  SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS,
+  SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS,
 }: UseSearchOptions) => {
   //
   const instance = useRef<MiniSearch>(null);
@@ -55,14 +57,14 @@ export const useSearch = ({
   // for production, it will be force cached
   // cache will be auto refreshed when new version is deployed
   // api path: `/${SEARCH_INDEX_KEY}-v-${DEV ? "dev" : packageJSON.version}.json`
-  const initialize = async () => {
+  const initialize = async (): Promise<void> => {
     //
     setSearchError(null);
 
     // abort the previous request if any
     abortController.current?.abort();
 
-    if (instance.current || ready) {
+    if (instance.current || ready || searchError) {
       return;
     }
 
@@ -75,31 +77,31 @@ export const useSearch = ({
         cache: DEV ? "no-store" : "force-cache",
       });
 
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        return throwError("Failed to initialize the search!");
+      }
+
       // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-unsafe-assignment
       const data = await res.json();
 
-      // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-unsafe-member-access
-      instance.current = MiniSearch.loadJS(data.index as AsPlainObject, {
-        fields: SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS,
-        storeFields: SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS,
-      });
+      instance.current = MiniSearch.loadJS(data as AsPlainObject, { fields: SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS });
 
       // adding artificial delay
       await sleep(1000);
 
       setReady(true);
-
-      // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-explicit-any
-    } catch (error: any) {
-      // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-unsafe-member-access
-      if (error.name === "AbortError") {
-        return;
-      }
       //
-      setSearchError({
-        message: "Failed to initialize the search!",
-        reason: error,
-      });
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (error instanceof Error) {
+        if (error.name === "AbortError") {
+          return;
+        }
+        //
+        setSearchError({
+          message: "Failed to initialize the search!",
+          reason: error,
+        });
+      }
     }
   };
 
@@ -110,26 +112,13 @@ export const useSearch = ({
       //
       const start = performance.now();
 
-      let data: SearchQueryResult["data"] = [];
+      let data: Omit<SearchQueryResult, "maxScore">["data"] = [];
 
       try {
         // adding artificial delay
         await sleep(QUERY_ARTIFICIAL_DELAY);
 
-        data =
-          instance.current?.search(searchQuery, {
-            prefix: true,
-            fuzzy: 0.2,
-            boost: {
-              metaTitle: 4,
-              metaDescription: 4,
-              metaKeywords: 4,
-              title: 3,
-              url: 3,
-              label: 2,
-              content: 2,
-            },
-          }) ?? [];
+        data = instance.current?.search(searchQuery, SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS) ?? [];
         //
       } catch (error) {
         //
@@ -145,6 +134,11 @@ export const useSearch = ({
         // remove artificial delay
         time: performance.now() - start - QUERY_ARTIFICIAL_DELAY,
         data,
+        maxScore: Math.max(
+          ...data.map((x) => {
+            return x.score;
+          }),
+        ),
       };
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/content.ts b/src/lib/content.ts
index 444e08a..db6ccdf 100644
--- a/src/lib/content.ts
+++ b/src/lib/content.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import type {
  * exposed properties:
  *
  * - `instance.paths`
+ * - `instance.list`
  *
  * exposed methods:
  *
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ export class Content<U extends Record<string, unknown> = {}> {
   //
   public paths!: Paths;
   private slugs!: Slugs;
-  private list!: List;
+  public list!: List;
   private tree!: Tree;
   private search!: Search & Singleton;
   private options!: ContentBaseOptions & U;
@@ -433,8 +434,7 @@ export class Content<U extends Record<string, unknown> = {}> {
 	========================= */
 
   private buildSearchIndex() {
-    const documents = [...this.list.values()];
-    this.search.ingestAll(documents);
+    this.search.ingestAll([...this.list.values()]);
   }
 
   /* =========================
diff --git a/src/lib/search.ts b/src/lib/search.ts
index 9e22673..348c744 100644
--- a/src/lib/search.ts
+++ b/src/lib/search.ts
@@ -5,13 +5,15 @@ import { cwd } from "node:process";
 import { Singleton } from "@jadeja/ts/lib/singleton";
 import MiniSearch from "minisearch";
 
+import { getNestedValue } from "@/lib/utils";
+
 import type { DocsConfig } from "@/types/config";
 
 /* ============================================================================================= */
 
 export type CreateSearchInstanceOptions = Pick<
   DocsConfig["constants"],
-  "SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS" | "SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS" | "SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME"
+  "SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS" | "SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME" | "SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS"
 >;
 
 /**
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ export class Search {
   private createSearchInstance() {
     return new MiniSearch({
       fields: this.searchOptions.SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS,
-      storeFields: this.searchOptions.SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS,
+      extractField: getNestedValue,
     });
   }
 
@@ -66,11 +68,7 @@ export class Search {
     this.miniSearchInstance.addAll(documents);
 
     const searchIndexPath = join(cwd(), "public", this.searchOptions.SEARCH_INDEX_FILE_NAME);
-    const serachContent = {
-      index: this.miniSearchInstance.toJSON(),
-      documents,
-    };
 
-    writeFileSync(searchIndexPath, JSON.stringify(serachContent));
+    writeFileSync(searchIndexPath, JSON.stringify(this.miniSearchInstance));
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/utils.ts b/src/lib/utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..341b05e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { isObj } from "@jadeja/ts/lib/types";
+
+import type { NestedObject, Primitive } from "@jadeja/ts/types/data";
+
+/**
+ * get nested value of field from the object with dotted key
+ *
+ * @param document - nested object
+ * @param field - dotted key for nested field
+ */
+export const getNestedValue = (
+  document: NestedObject<Primitive>,
+  field: string,
+): Primitive | NestedObject<Primitive> => {
+  //
+  if (!field.includes(".")) {
+    return document[field];
+  }
+
+  // oxlint-disable-next-line unicorn/no-array-reduce
+  return field.split(".").reduce((doc: Primitive | NestedObject<Primitive>, key: string) => {
+    //
+    if (isObj(doc) && key in doc) {
+      return doc[key];
+    } else if (!isObj(doc)) {
+      return doc;
+    }
+    return null;
+  }, document);
+};
diff --git a/src/types/config.ts b/src/types/config.ts
index 166334b..077b97b 100644
--- a/src/types/config.ts
+++ b/src/types/config.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { NextMDXOptions } from "@next/mdx";
 import type { MDXComponents } from "mdx/types";
+import type { SearchOptions } from "minisearch";
 import type { NextConfig } from "next";
 import type { ShilpConfig } from "shilpcss/types";
 import type { Configuration } from "webpack";
@@ -126,9 +127,9 @@ export interface Constants {
   SEARCH_INDEX_FIELDS: string[];
 
   /**
-   * search index result fields
+   * search index query options
    */
-  SEARCH_INDEX_RETURN_FIELDS: string[];
+  SEARCH_INDEX_QUERY_OPTIONS: SearchOptions;
 }
 
 /* ================================================================================================