WordPress Search Functionality Documentation

WordPress Search Functionality

WordPress includes a built-in search feature that lets visitors find content across the site. By default, the search system looks through posts and pages that are marked as searchable, checking fields such as the post title, the main content, and sometimes the excerpt. Themes and plugins can extend this behavior to include custom post types or additional fields, but the basic idea is that WordPress performs a keyword-based search against the site’s database and then returns a list of matching results using the theme’s search.php template or, if that file does not exist, index.php as a fallback.

When a user submits a search form, WordPress builds a special query behind the scenes using the search term. That query is used to generate the results loop, which can be customized in the theme to show titles, excerpts, dates, and other metadata about each matching post or page.

The Role of the URI in WordPress Search

The search behavior in WordPress is controlled by the URI (Uniform Resource Identifier), specifically the query string. When a user performs a search, WordPress passes the search term in a parameter named s. In a basic configuration, the search URI might look like: ?s=wordpress+theme. With pretty permalinks enabled, the search term may appear in a more readable form, such as /search/wordpress-theme/, but internally WordPress still uses the s parameter.

The value of the s parameter tells WordPress which keyword or phrase to search for. Additional query string parameters (for example post_type=page or paged=2) can further filter or paginate the results. Because the URI defines the current search context, any links, pagination, or filters on the results page must preserve these parameters to keep the search results accurate and consistent.

Showing the Active Search Term in the Search Form

A common usability feature is to keep the current search term visible in the search input field after the user submits the form. In WordPress, this is done using the get_search_query() function, which returns the active search term from the URI. Inside a search form, the value attribute of the input can be populated with this function so that the user sees the term they just searched for.

A typical search input in a theme looks like this:

<input type="search" name="s" value="<?php echo esc_attr( get_search_query() ); ?>" />

When no search has been performed, get_search_query() returns an empty string, so the field appears blank. When a search is active, WordPress reads the s parameter from the URI and the function returns that term, ensuring the search form always reflects the current search context.

Summary of the Documentation

WordPress provides a built-in search system that queries posts, pages, and other searchable content types for a given keyword or phrase. The search behavior is driven by the URI: the s parameter carries the active search term, and additional query parameters can further filter or paginate the results. Themes display those results using the search template and can customize how each match is shown.

By using get_search_query() inside the search form, theme developers can show the current search term directly in the input field, giving users clear feedback about what they are searching for. Understanding how the URI, query parameters, and template files work together makes it easier to build clear, user-friendly search experiences in WordPress.