Distinguish suggestions and results
A suggestion completes input; a result answers an executed query. Identify which is shown. Do not replace typed text with a suggestion without the reader’s action. A local library filter can retain a result count and reset control.
Preserve keyboard access and readability
Label every control accessibly. Announce filtered-result counts without excessive interruption. Avoid moving focus after each letter or abruptly jumping the page. Short animation should respect reduced-motion preferences.
Handle empty results
An empty state should suggest another phrase or category navigation. Do not hide the entire catalogue without explanation. Avoid sending searches to a server when local filtering is sufficient and collection has no defined purpose.
- Input
- Results
- Control
- Alternative
Worked example
Our library filters titles already present in the page. Searches remain on the device, and an empty input restores the complete list.
Check before moving on
These checkboxes are not saved.
Sources & method
Sources reviewed on 1 October 2026. Worked calculations use explicitly hypothetical inputs.
Topic provenance: Google Instant, ou l’abandon définitif de l’utilisateur…. (2010-09). Search Engine Feng Shui. Byline retained in the publication feed: fhouste.
This guide is newly written in 2026. It does not reproduce the earlier text and is not attributed to its historical author.