How to create a custom search bar in Bubble.io: Step-by-Step Guide

 

Open your Bubble.io editor and go to the Design tab.

 

In the editor, decide where you want the search bar to be located. A common practice is to place a search bar in the header or navigation bar so that it's accessible from anywhere in your application.

 

Use the "Visual Elements" panel to drag an "Input" element onto the desired location on the page. This input field will serve as the search bar where users can type their queries.

 

Customize the input element's properties. You can set the Placeholder to something like "Search here..." to guide users. Adjust the styles to match the look and feel of your app.

 

Add a "Button" element next to the Input element if you want a clickable search icon or text (e.g., "Search"). Style the button as needed.

 

Now you need to configure what happens when a user searches. Go to the Workflow tab and create a new workflow that starts when the search button is clicked or the input field's value is changed (depends on your design).

 

In the workflow, use the action "Display data in a Group" or "Display list in a Repeating Group" if you're showing search results on the same page. If the results are to be shown on a different page, use the action "Go to page" and send the input's value as a parameter.

 

Where you want your search results to be displayed, drag a "Repeating Group" element onto the canvas. This will be the container for your search results.

 

Set the "Type of content" for the Repeating Group to the type of data you want to search through, and set the "Data source" to a dynamic expression that searches the database using the input's value. For example, it could be "Do a search for" with constraints based on what the user types in the search bar.

 

Inside the Repeating Group, add text or image elements that represent the search results, and bind them to the corresponding fields of the repeating group's current cell's content.

 

Test the search bar. Preview your app and type a query into the search bar, then click the search button or press enter to trigger the workflow. Check if the Repeating Group displays the expected search results.

 

Remember to consider performance optimization tips when creating searches to avoid slow database queries.

That's it! You have created a custom search bar for your Bubble.io application. Customize it further to fit your app’s design, and ensure it provides the best experience for your users.