How to Search content in Joomla

Step 1: Enable the Search Plugin

1. Log in to your Joomla administrator panel.
2. Go to Extensions > Plugins.
3. In the search box, type “search” to find the relevant plugins.
4. Ensure that the Content – Search plugin is enabled. If it is not, click the red “X” to enable it.

Step 2: Create a Search Module

1. Go to Extensions > Modules.
2. Click on the New button.
3. Select the Search module from the list of available modules.
4. Configure the module settings, including the title, position, and visibility options.
5. Save and close the module.

Step 3: Display the Search Module on Your Site

1. Ensure the search module is assigned to the desired template position.
2. Check that the module is published and visible on the pages you want to include the search functionality.

Step 4: Use the loadposition Plugin to Embed the Search Module

To embed the search module directly into your Joomla article or custom HTML module, use the following syntax:

{loadposition search}

Here’s an example of how you can place it in an HTML article:


<div>
<h2>Search Our Site</h2>
{loadposition search}
</div>


Step 5: Customize the Search Module Appearance (Optional)

1. Find Your Template’s CSS File:
   1. Go to Extensions > Templates > Templates.
   2. Click on your active template name.
   3. Go to the CSS folder and open the appropriate CSS file.
2. Add Custom Styles:

/* Custom search module styles */
.search-module {
    margin: 20px 0;
}

.search-module input[type="text"] {
    width: 100%;
    padding: 10px;
    margin-bottom: 10px;
}

.search-module input[type="submit"] {
    padding: 10px 20px;
    background-color: #007BFF;
    color: #FFF;
    border: none;
    cursor: pointer;
}

.search-module input[type="submit"]:hover {
    background-color: #0056b3;
}