How TO - Filter/Search List

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Learn how to create a filter list with JavaScript.

Filter List

How to use JavaScript to search for items in a list.

Try it Yourself »

Create A Search List

Step 1) Add HTML:

Example

<input type="text" id="myInput" onkeyup="myFunction()" placeholder="Search for names..">

<ul id="myUL">
  <li><a href="#">Adele</a></li>
  <li><a href="#">Agnes</a></li>

  <li><a href="#">Billy</a></li>
  <li><a href="#">Bob</a></li>

  <li><a href="#">Calvin</a></li>
  <li><a href="#">Christina</a></li>
  <li><a href="#">Cindy</a></li>
</ul>

Note: We use href="#" in this demo since we do not have a page to link it to. In real life this should be a real URL to a specific page.

Step 2) Add CSS:

Style the input element and the list:

Example

#myInput {
  background-image: url('/css/searchicon.png'); /* Add a search icon to input */
  background-position: 10px 12px; /* Position the search icon */
  background-repeat: no-repeat; /* Do not repeat the icon image */
  width: 100%; /* Full-width */
  font-size: 16px; /* Increase font-size */
  padding: 12px 20px 12px 40px; /* Add some padding */
  border: 1px solid #ddd; /* Add a grey border */
  margin-bottom: 12px; /* Add some space below the input */
}

#myUL {
  /* Remove default list styling */
  list-style-type: none;
  padding: 0;
  margin: 0;
}

#myUL li a {
  border: 1px solid #ddd; /* Add a border to all links */
  margin-top: -1px; /* Prevent double borders */
  background-color: #f6f6f6; /* Grey background color */
  padding: 12px; /* Add some padding */
  text-decoration: none; /* Remove default text underline */
  font-size: 18px; /* Increase the font-size */
  color: black; /* Add a black text color */
  display: block; /* Make it into a block element to fill the whole list */
}

#myUL li a:hover:not(.header) {
  background-color: #eee; /* Add a hover effect to all links, except for headers */
}
Step 3) Add JavaScript:

Example

<script>
function myFunction() {
  // Declare variables
  var input, filter, ul, li, a, i, txtValue;
  input = document.getElementById('myInput');
  filter = input.value.toUpperCase();
  ul = document.getElementById("myUL");
  li = ul.getElementsByTagName('li');

  // Loop through all list items, and hide those who don't match the search query
  for (i = 0; i < li.length; i++) {
    a = li[i].getElementsByTagName("a")[0];
    txtValue = a.textContent || a.innerText;
    if (txtValue.toUpperCase().indexOf(filter) > -1) {
      li[i].style.display = "";
    } else {
      li[i].style.display = "none";
    }
  }
}
</script>
Try it Yourself »

Tip: Remove toUpperCase() if you want to perform a case-sensitive search.

Tip: Also check out Filter Table.


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