Tracy Rotton

By default, the “Search” widget in WordPress will include the searchform.php template file in your theme (if it exists), or the search code in wp-includes/general-template.php (if it doesn’t). However, if you want a distinctive search form (or forms!) to use as a widget, this allows you to enter it in using the “searchform-identifier.php” format that you can use to distinguish other templates elsewhere in your theme. You just have to have that file set up in your theme with the HTML you want to use.
Example: If you want to have a distinct searchform file specifically for your widgets, create the template file and call it something like “searchform-widget.php” (what goes between the dash and the dot is up to you, so long as it meets filename requirements). In the “Template” field of the widget settings, enter only “widget”, and that searchform file will be called in your widget automagically.
Note: Actually coding the search form is up to you. That requires some theming skillz, but I have confidence in you!
To Do: Make a short-code version of this, for use in pages and posts.

TC Specify Search Form

Replaces the default WordPress "Search" widget with one that will use a customized searchform template in your theme.

searchwiz

SearchWiz is a powerful, intelligent WordPress search plugin that transforms the default WordPress search into a modern, fast, and user-friendly search experience. It provides instant AJAX results, smart autocomplete, and seamless WooCommerce integration.
Key Features:
<ul>
<li>Instant AJAX Search – See results as you type, with zero page refreshes</li>
<li>Smart Autocomplete – Intelligent suggestions based on your content</li>
<li>WooCommerce Ready – Complete support for product search with prices, images, and ratings</li>
<li>Easy Customization – Use the WordPress Customizer to style your search results</li>
<li>High Performance – Optimized for speed with intelligent indexing and caching</li>
<li>Multiple Layouts – Grid, list, and card layouts to match your site design</li>
<li>Content Filtering – Search by post type, category, taxonomy, and more</li>
<li>Developer Friendly – Clean code with hooks and filters for customization</li>
</ul>
Perfect for: 
– E-commerce stores running WooCommerce 
– Content-heavy sites with large databases 
– Knowledge bases and documentation sites 
– News and magazine sites 
– Any WordPress site that needs better search
Why Choose SearchWiz?
SearchWiz is built specifically for WordPress with a focus on performance, usability, and accessibility. Unlike bloated search plugins, SearchWiz is lightweight, fast, and easy to configure.
<h3>Source Code</h3>
The full source code for all minified JavaScript and CSS files is available in the WordPress.org SVN repository: 
https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/searchwiz/trunk/
Build tools used: @wordpress/scripts (npm run build)
Minified files and their sources: 
* public/dist/index.js – Built from react/index.js and react/components/ 
* public/js/searchwiz-.min.js – Minified from public/js/searchwiz-.js 
* public/css/searchwiz-.min.css – Minified from public/css/searchwiz-.css 
* admin/js/searchwiz-admin.min.js – Minified from admin/js/searchwiz-admin.js 
* admin/css/searchwiz-admin.min.css – Minified from admin/css/searchwiz-admin.css

SearchWiz

Smart WordPress search with instant AJAX results and intelligent content discovery.

TC Specify Search Form vs SearchWiz