Search functionality depends heavily on the specifics of your project—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. This guide is meant to inspire designers and front-end developers, especially those just getting started. The focus here is on desktop UI, as mobile search has its own dynamics.

Before jumping into implementation, ask yourself:

  • Can the app be simplified enough to not need a search bar?
  • Is there enough content to justify it? A search that returns nothing often is worse than none at all.
  • Is the text-based content already well-structured with categories or navigation?

Sometimes a well-planned information architecture makes a search bar unnecessary.

Search field basics

A search form can be as simple as a single input or a dedicated page. Regardless, keep these in mind:

  • Place it where users expect it—typically the top-right corner.
  • If searching a specific dataset, include a selector (like category choice).
  • Add a magnifying glass icon near the field for faster recognition.
  • Trigger search on both button click and Enter key.
  • Show autosuggestions.
  • Use readable font and input size.
  • Consider typo correction.

Displaying results

  • Use a list when showing text or user-generated content.
  • Use a grid when visual selection is key—like product images.
  • Allow toggling between views if needed.
  • Show a clear “no results” message with search term, filters, and suggestions.
  • Avoid making entire result blocks clickable if it interferes with copying text.
  • Enable zoom on hover for detailed images.
  • Show total result count.
  • Highlight matching terms in results.
  • Let users choose how many items to show per page.
  • With infinite scroll, indicate loading state clearly.

Filtering

  • Filters are the backbone of search—make sure they work well.
  • Show only the most used ones upfront; tuck advanced filters behind a dropdown.
  • Make filters sticky or fixed when scrolling long lists.
  • Visually mark active filters.
  • If possible, show result count per filter before applying.
  • Allow users to reset all filters.
  • For numeric ranges (e.g., price), support “from–to” inputs.

Modern filtering often works dynamically—results reload automatically as filters are selected. This feels fast, but make sure performance is optimized to avoid slowdowns or frustration.

Sorting

  • Indicate sorting direction (ascending/descending).
  • Highlight most-used sort options, then group the rest in a dropdown.