Dana Ross

Dave’s WordPress Live Search adds “live search” functionality to your WordPress site. As visitors type words into your WordPress site’s search box, the plugin continually queries WordPress, looking for search results that match what the user has typed so far.
The <a href="http://ajaxpatterns.org/Live_Search" rel="nofollow ugc">live search</a> technique means that most people will find the results they are looking for before they finish typing their query, and it saves them the step of having to click a submit button to get their search results.
This functionality requires Javascript, but the search box still works normally if Javascript is not available.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CGR2bJ1mLM 
<a href="https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/daves-wordpress-live-search/assets/intro_video_transcript.txt" rel="nofollow ugc">transcript</a>
This plugin is compatible with the <a href="https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/xlanguage/" rel="ugc">xLanguage</a> and <a href="http://wpml.org/" rel="nofollow ugc">WPML</a> plugins for internationalization (i18n) of search results.
<h3>Filters</h3>
See <a href="https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/daves-wordpress-live-search/trunk/filter_examples.php" rel="nofollow ugc">filter_examples.php</a> in 
the plugin files for examples of how to use these filters. Remember, these filters only affect the 
Dave’s WordPress Live Search display, not the normal WordPress search results or the posts themselves.
<ol>
<li>dwls_alter_results</li>
<li>dwls_attachment_thumbnail</li>
<li>dwls_post_title</li>
<li>dwls_the_excerpt</li>
<li>dwls_post_date</li>
<li>dwls_author_name</li>
<li>dwls_alter_result_template</li>
<li>dwls_post_custom</li>
<li>dwls_query_fields</li>
</ol>
<h3>Wish List</h3>
Features I want to implement in future releases:
<ol>
<li>“No results found” message (optional)</li>
</ol>

Dave's WordPress Live Search

At first, this seems like a good plugin and it is. I tried to report a bug a couple of months ago and, despite the fact the plugin says it's compatible with the latest version of WordPress, there seems to be bugs that are not addressed. At this point, I had to hack the plugin and edit source code to make it work.

Unmaintained plugin

You do a great job

Adds "live search" functionality to your WordPress site. Uses the built-in search and jQuery.

Hao Nguyen

Deliver an ultra-responsive search experience to your visitors — no page reloads, no jQuery, no lag. Init Live Search is a modern, lightweight, and fully accessible live search solution for WordPress — now with tag-aware matching, SEO metadata support, ACF integration, WooCommerce product filters, and customizable UI presets.
It replaces the default <code><input name="s"></code> with a clean, intuitive search modal powered entirely by the WordPress REST API. Everything loads in real-time — with zero disruption to browsing flow.
Perfect for content-heavy blogs, WooCommerce stores, or even headless sites. Every interaction is fast, fluid, and designed to work across devices.
It also brings AI-powered related posts and an advanced keyword generator — giving your visitors smarter ways to discover content.
This plugin is part of the <a href="https://en.inithtml.com/init-plugin-suite-minimalist-powerful-and-free-wordpress-plugins/" rel="nofollow ugc">Init Plugin Suite</a> — a collection of minimalist, fast, and developer-focused tools for WordPress.
GitHub repository: <a href="https://github.com/brokensmile2103/init-live-search" rel="nofollow ugc">https://github.com/brokensmile2103/init-live-search</a>
<h3>What’s New in Version 1.8.x</h3>
<ul>
<li>
AI-Powered Related Posts: brand new <code>[init_live_search_related_ai]</code> shortcode
<ul>
<li>Uses multi-signal scoring (tags, series, title bigrams, same_keyword via ACF, category, views, comments, freshness) </li>
<li>Shares templates with <code>[init_live_search_related_posts]</code> (no extra styling needed) </li>
<li>Fully filterable via new developer hooks: <code>ai_candidates</code>, <code>ai_signals</code>, <code>ai_weights</code>, <code>ai_score</code></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Advanced Keyword Generator: upgraded algorithm for admin keyword suggestions
<ul>
<li>Replaced TF-IDF with BM25 term weighting </li>
<li>Added NPMI and Log-Likelihood Ratio (Dunning) for collocation strength </li>
<li>Focused on bigram-only for higher-quality keywords </li>
<li>Unicode-safe, locale-aware stop words, and soft fallback mode</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Developer Filters Expansion
<ul>
<li>New filters added for AI related posts and keyword signals </li>
<li>Complete list now includes over 20 filters (<code>*_fallback</code>, <code>*_post_ids</code>, <code>*_results</code>, <code>*_weights</code>, <code>*_commands</code>, etc.) </li>
<li>Developers can hook into candidate pools, signal scores, and schema output with fine-grained control</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Performance Optimizations
<ul>
<li>Smarter candidate pooling for related posts (recent + context-based) </li>
<li>Pre-cached scoring loop for AI signals to minimize queries </li>
<li>Safer regex handling in keyword processing to avoid PCRE errors </li>
<li>Reduced memory footprint in bigram statistics without sacrificing accuracy</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Backward Compatible Enhancements
<ul>
<li><code>[init_live_search_related_posts]</code> and <code>[init_live_search_related_ai]</code> now share the same rendering pipeline </li>
<li>Existing templates, schema, and CSS continue to work without modification </li>
<li>Auto insert related posts still works and can be switched to AI mode via shortcode override</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Features</h3>
Packed with everything a modern live search needs — and more:
<ul>
<li>Live search via REST API (no admin-ajax, no jQuery)</li>
<li>Smart tag-aware search mode (title + tag match)</li>
<li>SEO metadata support: Yoast, Rank Math, AIOSEO, SEOPress, TSF</li>
<li>ACF field matching and customizable filters</li>
<li>Synonym expansion with fallback scoring logic</li>
<li>Slash commands: <code>/recent</code>, <code>/popular</code>, <code>/tag</code>, <code>/id</code>, <code>/sku</code>, <code>/price</code>, <code>/coupon</code>, etc.</li>
<li>WooCommerce support: search by product, SKU, brand, attribute, variation, coupon</li>
<li>Clean modal UI with keyboard navigation (<code>↑ ↓ Enter Esc</code>)</li>
<li>Optional voice input (SpeechRecognition)</li>
<li>Tooltip Quick Search (select text to trigger)</li>
<li>Favorites system via heart icon or <code>/fav</code> commands</li>
<li>Infinite scroll and smart category filter (no extra API)</li>
<li>Deep linking: <code>?modal=search&term=...</code></li>
<li>New <code>[init_live_search]</code> shortcode: insert input or icon anywhere</li>
<li>UI presets: default, fullscreen, topbar — with full CSS override</li>
<li>Local caching + analytics (CSV export, no personal data)</li>
<li>Developer-ready: custom slash commands, REST filters, JS hooks</li>
</ul>
<h3>Dark Mode Support</h3>
Enable dark mode for the modal by either:
<ol>
<li>
Adding the dark class:
document.querySelector(‘#ils-modal’)?.classList.add(‘dark’);
</li>
<li>
Or using a global config:
window.InitPluginSuiteLiveSearchConfig = { theme: ‘dark’ };
</li>
</ol>
Options: <code>dark</code>, <code>light</code>, <code>auto</code>
<h3>Admin Settings</h3>
<ul>
<li>Choose post types to include in search </li>
<li>Configure modal triggers (input focus, triple click, Ctrl+/) </li>
<li>Enable slash commands (e.g. /recent, /tag, /id) </li>
<li>Enable support for <code>+</code> and <code>-</code> keyword operators (must-have, must-not-have) </li>
<li>Set default slash command to run on modal open (only if slash is enabled) </li>
<li>Set debounce time and max results </li>
<li>Choose search mode (title-only, tag-aware, full content) </li>
<li>Define custom ACF fields to include in search (optional) </li>
<li>Enable Search in SEO Metadata (Yoast, Rank Math, etc.) </li>
<li>Toggle excerpt display below each result (1-line contextual snippet) </li>
<li>Toggle fallback logic (bigram/trim) </li>
<li>Enable synonym expansion and manage synonym mappings (JSON editor) </li>
<li>Enable Search Analytics to log queries (no personal data stored) </li>
<li>Set max words for tooltip search </li>
<li>Enable voice input (SpeechRecognition API) </li>
<li>Enable result caching (localStorage) </li>
<li>Choose frontend UI style (default, fullscreen, or topbar) </li>
<li>Allow theme override via <code>init-live-search/style.css</code> </li>
<li>Automatically insert related posts after content or comments (optional)</li>
<li>Option to disable all built-in CSS completely </li>
<li>Add default UTM parameter to result links </li>
<li>Define or auto-generate keyword suggestions</li>
</ul>
<h3>Keyboard Shortcuts</h3>
<ul>
<li>Arrow Up / Down — navigate between results</li>
<li>Arrow Right — add selected result to favorites (if not already added)</li>
<li>Arrow Left — remove selected result from favorites</li>
<li>Enter — open selected result or submit</li>
<li>Escape — close modal and reset state</li>
<li>Slash (/) — start a command instantly (e.g., <code>/recent</code>, <code>/id 123</code>)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Developer Reference: Shortcodes, Filters, and Hooks</h3>
<h3>Shortcodes</h3>
<code>[init_live_search]</code> 
Display a search icon or input anywhere that opens the Init Live Search modal.
Attributes: 
– <code>type</code>: <code>icon</code> (default) or <code>input</code> – choose between a clickable icon or a search box 
– <code>placeholder</code>: (optional) text inside the input if <code>type="input"</code> 
– <code>label</code>: (optional) adds a label next to the icon if <code>type="icon"</code> 
– <code>class</code>: (optional) add custom classes like <code>dark</code>, <code>my-style</code>, etc. 
– <code>stroke_width</code>: (optional) set the stroke width for the search icon (default: <code>1</code>) 
– <code>radius</code>: (optional) override the border radius of the input form (default: <code>9999px</code> from CSS; only applied if value differs)
<code>[init_live_search_related_posts]</code> 
Display a list of related posts (static HTML) based on post title or keyword, optimized for SEO and fully themable.
Attributes: 
– <code>id</code>: (optional) the post ID to find related posts for (defaults to current post) 
– <code>count</code>: (optional) number of posts to display (default: <code>5</code>) 
– <code>keyword</code>: (optional) override the keyword used for finding related posts 
– <code>template</code>: (optional) layout template to use — <code>default</code>, <code>grid</code>, <code>classic</code>, <code>compact</code>, <code>thumbright</code> 
– <code>css</code>: <code>1</code> (default) or <code>0</code> – disable default CSS if you want to fully style it yourself 
– <code>schema</code>: <code>1</code> (default) or <code>0</code> – disable JSON-LD <code>ItemList</code> output for SEO schema
<code>[init_live_search_related_ai]</code> 
Display a list of AI-powered related posts using multi-signal scoring (tags, series, title bigrams, same_keyword via ACF, category, views, comments, freshness). 
Uses the same templates as <code>[init_live_search_related_posts]</code>, so no extra styling is required.
Attributes: 
– <code>id</code>: (optional) the post ID to find related posts for (defaults to current post) 
– <code>count</code>: (optional) number of posts to display (default: <code>5</code>) 
– <code>post_type</code>: (optional) restrict results to one or more post types (default: <code>post</code>) 
– <code>template</code>: (optional) layout template to use — <code>default</code>, <code>grid</code>, <code>classic</code>, <code>compact</code>, <code>thumbright</code> 
– <code>css</code>: <code>1</code> (default) or <code>0</code> – disable default CSS if you want to fully style it yourself 
– <code>schema</code>: <code>1</code> (default) or <code>0</code> – disable JSON-LD <code>ItemList</code> output for SEO schema
<h3>Filters for Developers</h3>
Init Live Search includes many filters to help developers customize behavior and output at various stages of the search flow.
Full documentation (with code samples & advanced usage): <a href="https://en.inithtml.com/wordpress/using-filters-in-init-live-search/" rel="nofollow ugc">Using Filters in Init Live Search</a>
Popular filters
<code>init_plugin_suite_live_search_enable_fallback</code> 
Enable or disable fallback logic when few results are found.
<code>init_plugin_suite_live_search_post_ids</code> 
Customize the array of post IDs returned from the query.
<code>init_plugin_suite_live_search_result_item</code> 
Modify each result item before it’s sent in the response.
<code>init_plugin_suite_live_search_results</code> 
Filter the final array of results before being returned.
<code>init_plugin_suite_live_search_query_args</code> 
Modify WP_Query arguments for different commands.
<code>init_plugin_suite_live_search_ai_weights</code> 
Adjust AI scoring weights for related posts.
(…and more in the full docs)
<h3>REST API Endpoints</h3>
Fully documented, lightweight, and API-first endpoints. Ideal for headless or decoupled builds. 
All endpoints are under namespace: <code>initlise/v1</code>
Full documentation (with examples & parameters): <a href="https://en.inithtml.com/wordpress/list-of-rest-api-endpoints-in-init-live-search/" rel="nofollow ugc">REST API Endpoints in Init Live Search</a>
Popular endpoints
<code>/search?term=example</code> 
Standard search query (uses plugin settings like post types, search mode, fallback…).
<code>/id/{id}</code> 
Fetch a post by ID (returns permalink).
<code>/recent</code> 
Fetch the most recent posts.
<code>/tax?taxonomy=category&term=slug-or-id</code> 
Fetch posts by taxonomy (category, tag, or custom).
<code>/related?title=page-title&exclude=ID</code> 
Fetch posts related to the current page title.
<code>/product?...</code> 
Fetch WooCommerce products with flexible query parameters.
(…and more in the full docs)
<h3>License</h3>
This plugin is licensed under the GPLv2 or later. 
You are free to use, modify, and distribute it under the same license.

Init Live Search – AI-Powered, Related Posts, Slash Commands

Fast, modern live search powered by REST API — with AI-powered Related Posts Engine, slash commands, SEO-aware, ACF, Woo, and custom UI presets.

Dave's WordPress Live Search vs Init Live Search – AI-Powered, Related Posts, Slash Commands