Lucene is a powerful API. I try to use it these days.
Since the relative introduction can be found in many place, i just want share some my feelings.
If you just want to get general idea of it, you can visit:
http://www.chedong.com/tech/lucene.html For chinese version introduction
http://lucene.apache.org For Download and get Docs
The Key of lucene it a Index file. When you collect a String using Lucene API, it will help you to store all information in one File, with extension .cfs, often will two aid files. You neddn´t care about how it works, just use the field type Keyword, Unindexed, Unstored, Text for the information you get. No matter the information type. You only get the infor as a String type and pass it to Lucene API, the collect process it over.
The search process is similar. Lucene provides a type called Query help you to pass the query want to search. The Query have many sub types, TermQuery(Used for one word), Boolean Query(used for multi-query), PrefixField(very useful in search based on category), etc.
Lucene can be devaloped. You can inherit its Analayser , which is used to analyze the language. Generally, A StandardAnalyzer is enough for us, but still with some problem remained, for instance in parsing Chinese words. Filter also can be developed.
Another useful feature is Lucene provide a method to help you to get the summary of the content you have got and bold the key words.
Anyway,Lucene is useful for no-scientist developers. Our team is building a in-site search component based on Lucene. Waiting our good news.
