9 Search

Section 9.2 describes search as it is deployed today. The sections after it are the target, search as it is meant to be, and section 9.7 lists every difference between the two as a numbered change. Only a change the owner has approved is built, one change at a time; anything no change names stays as it is deployed.

This chapter specifies search: the one search of the library, in the frame, and what it finds. The frame that holds it is specified in chapter 2.

9.1 Purpose

Search finds a title or a person by name, from anywhere in the app. There is one search, always in the same place: the field in the top bar on a computer, an icon in the top bar on a phone, and the search view at the top of the rail on a TV. The results show as people type, with no key to press, and lead to a title's page (chapter 6) or a person's (chapter 7).

9.2 As deployed

This section says what the four apps' search does as of 6 November 2026: the web as the public demo showed it that day, on the same build as production, and the apps as their code had them that day. The phone app, Android TV and the Samsung TV are described from their code until screenshots of them are taken. The Samsung TV app isn't released yet. No app searches for episodes yet: each asks the server for movies and shows only.

9.2.1 The web

On the web, search starts in the field at the top of every view (chapter 2) and works in two steps: as the person types, a short list of titles opens under the field, and Enter opens a page of results. Figures 9.1 to 9.4 are screenshots of both. Figure 9.1 shows the list under the field on a computer, after the viewer typed “si”.

Figure 9.1: The list under the search field on the web as deployed on 6 November 2026, on a computer, at 1280 × 800.

1. The field, with “si” typed, framed in blue while it has the focus, and the browser's own × at its right, which empties it.
2. The list under the field: up to eight movies and shows that match, each with a small poster, the name and “2010 · Movie”. It has no people. It opens from the second letter, 0.2 seconds after the last key.
3. The page under the list, home here, stays as it was; the list covers part of it.

↑ and ↓ choose an entry in the list and Enter opens its page; Enter with none chosen opens the results page, and Esc closes the list and keeps the words. Figure 9.2 shows the results page for “s” on a computer. Its address holds the words, so a reload, or back from a result, brings it again.

Figure 9.2: The search's results on the web as deployed on 6 November 2026, on a computer, at 1280 × 800.

1. The field, holding the page's words, and on the left the side navigation of chapter 2, with no view current.
2. The heading, “9 results for "s"”, in the monospace face. It counts the people and the titles together.
3. CAST & CREW, in capitals, and the people as cards, three to a line: a photo, or the initials in blue, the name, and “· 3 titles”.
4. The titles, without a heading, as posters, the server's best match first: the name in the monospace face, the year and the rating in blue, “2019 • 7.7”, and ⋮, which opens the card's menu. The watched check on green marks a title the viewer has seen.

Figure 9.3 shows the same results on a phone held upright.

Figure 9.3: The search's results on the web as deployed on 6 November 2026, on a phone held upright, at 360 × 780.

1. The field, always open in the top bar, with the bell and the avatar beside it (chapter 2).
2. The heading, as on a computer.
3. CAST & CREW: below 640 px wide, the people stand one under the other.
4. The titles, two to a line, under the people.
5. The tabs of chapter 2, none of them current.

Figure 9.4 shows them on a phone held sideways.

Figure 9.4: The search's results on the web as deployed on 6 November 2026, on a phone held sideways, at 780 × 360.

1. The side navigation, as on a computer, from 768 px wide (chapter 2).
2. The heading, as on a computer.
3. CAST & CREW, two to a line from 640 px wide; the titles follow under the people.

While the results load, the heading says “Searching for "s"…”. A search that found nothing says “No results for "s"”, with any buttons an addon on the server adds under it; one that couldn't be made is headed “couldn't search for "s"”, with the reason, try again and details. The results page without words says “Search the library” and “Type a movie or show title in the search bar to look it up.” Choosing a view leaves the results, and a screen reader isn't told how many there are.

9.2.2 The phone app

The phone app's field is always open in the top bar, on every tab and at every width (chapter 2). From the first letter, a quarter of a second after the last key, the results take the page's place under the bar, and the tabs stay. “Cast & crew” comes first, the people one under the other, each with a photo or the initials, the name, and “· 1 title” under it. Then comes the heading, “4 results for "s"”, which counts the titles only, and up to 40 titles in a grid of posters at least 168 dp wide: two to a line on a phone 360 dp wide, three on one held sideways. While it searches, “Searching for "s"…” stands with a spinner, and for a quarter of a second after each key the heading keeps the old count with the new words. Where only people match, the people are followed by “No results for "s"”. A search that couldn't be made says “Results for "s"”, then “couldn't load the results”, the reason, try again and details. × empties the field and gives the tab back; choosing a tab keeps the results until the field is empty. Back from a result runs the search again, with its spinner.

9.2.3 Android TV

Android TV's search is a view of its own, with the rail and the top bar; on the other views a field like it in the top bar opens it, and the rail has no search (chapter 2). The field takes the focus, and the system's keyboard types into it. With nothing typed, the view says “Search the library” and “Type a movie or show title to look it up.” It searches as the person types, a quarter of a second after the last key: “Searching for “s”…”, then “cast & crew”, a row of people, and the titles under “4 results for “s””, which counts the titles, six to a line and up to 60. Where only people match, “0 results for “s”” and “No matching titles.” follow them; where nothing does, “No results for “s””, with any buttons an addon adds. A search that failed says “Search failed” in red with the error's text, and offers no try again. Back closes the view; back from a result keeps the results, with the focus on the field.

9.2.4 Samsung TV

The Samsung TV's top bar has a field that opens the search page; there, the field is a button that opens the app's own keyboard over the whole screen, which hides the results while people type. Its keys are rows from 1 to 0, q to p, a to l with @, z to m with . - /, a row of signs, then wide keys for space, delete and done, drawn as icons, and the focus starts on 1. With nothing typed, the page says “Search the library” and “Open the keyboard to look up a movie or show title.” It searches as people type, as on Android TV, with “Searching for “s”…”, “Cast & crew” as a row of up to 12 people, and the titles under “4 results for “s””, six to a line, with only the watched check. Where only people match, “0 results for “s”” and “No matching titles.” follow them; a failed search says “Search failed” in red with the error's text, and offers no try again. Back closes the keyboard, then leaves the page; back from a result finds the words gone.

9.2.5 Feature by feature

The table compares the four apps' search feature by feature. “—” is a feature the app doesn't have, and “not found” one its code was searched for and doesn't have.

Feature	Web	Phone app	Android TV	Samsung TV
Where it starts	the field in the top bar (chapter 2)	the field, always open in the top bar	its own view, opened from a field in the top bar	its own page, opened from a field in the top bar; there a button opens the keyboard
The placeholder	“Search movies, shows…”	the same	the same	the same
When it searches	from the second letter, 0.2 s after the last key, the list under the field; the results page only on Enter	from the first letter, 0.25 s after the last key, the results in the page	the same	the same
The list under the field	up to eight movies and shows: a small poster, the name, “2010 · Movie”; no people	—	—	—
The results' heading	“9 results for "s"”: the people and the titles	“4 results for "s"”: the titles only, under the people	“4 results for “s””, the titles only	the same
The people's heading	“CAST & CREW”, in capitals	“Cast & crew”	“cast & crew”	“Cast & crew”
A person's card	a photo or the initials, the name, “· 3 titles”	the same	the same	the same
The people's layout	three to a line from 1024 px wide, two from 640 px, else one	one under the other	one line	one line
The titles	no heading; posters, two to a line below 640 px, then as many of at least 190 px as fit	no heading; posters of at least 168 dp, two at 360 dp	under the count; six to a line	under the count; six to a line, with only the watched check
At most	60 titles, 12 people	40 titles, 12 people	60 titles, 12 people	60 titles, 12 people
Episodes	not asked for	not asked for	not asked for	not asked for
The order	the server's: one search, the titles ranked together	the same	the same	the same
Nothing typed	“Search the library”, “Type a movie or show title in the search bar to look it up.”	the page under the field, as it was	“Search the library”, “Type a movie or show title to look it up.”	“Search the library”, “Open the keyboard to look up a movie or show title.”
Loading	“Searching for "s"…”	the same, with a spinner; after each key, the old count with the new words	“Searching for “s”…”	the same
Only people match	the people, under “5 results for "s"”	the people, then “No results for "s"”	the people, “0 results for “s””, “No matching titles.”	the same
No match	“No results for "s"”, then an addon's buttons	the same	the same	the same
Couldn't search	headed “couldn't search for "s"”: the reason, try again, details	“Results for "s"”, then “couldn't load the results”, the reason, try again, details	“Search failed” in red and the error's text; no try again	the same
Clearing and leaving	the browser's × empties the field; Esc closes only the list; a view leaves the results	× empties the field and gives the tab back; a tab keeps the results until the field is empty	back closes the view	back closes the keyboard, then the page
The / key	not found	—	—	—
Back from a result	the results again, from the address	the search again, with its spinner	the results as they were, the focus on the field	the words gone, “Search the library”
The keyboard	the computer's, or the phone's own	the phone's own	the system's	the app's own, over the whole screen: 1–0, q–p, a–l and @, z–m and . - /, signs, space, delete, done
A screen reader	not told the count	not told	not told	not told

9.3 Search on a computer

Figure 9.5 shows search on a computer, after the person typed one letter.

Figure 9.5: Search on a computer, at 1280 × 800.

1. The field in the top bar. Its placeholder says what it finds, “Search movies, shows and people”, and the / key puts the focus in it from anywhere, except while the person is typing in another field. As soon as it holds a letter, the results take the page's place, and no view in the bar is current.
2. cast & crew: the people whose names match, in one line of cards. A card shows the photo, or the initials where the catalog has no photo, the name, and how many of their titles the library has: “1 title”. It opens the person's page (chapter 7).
3. titles: the movies, shows and episodes that match, in one grid, the best match first, whatever its kind. The cards are those of movies and shows (chapter 5), with their status marks.

Esc in the field empties it and brings back the page the person was on, and so does choosing a view in the bar. The address holds the words, so a reload, or back from a result, brings the same results back.

9.4 Search on a phone

The phone searches upright and sideways. Figures 9.6 and 9.7 show it upright and figures 9.8 and 9.9 sideways; section 9.4.3 says what happens when the phone is turned.

9.4.1 Held upright

Figure 9.6 shows what the search icon in the top bar opens (chapter 2), before the person types.

Figure 9.6: The search opened on a phone held upright, at 360 × 780 dp.

1. The back arrow closes the search and gives the bar back, with the page as it was.
2. The field takes the whole width of the bar, and the focus. Its placeholder is “Search”: at 320 dp, the narrowest phone, the computer's “Search movies, shows and people” would be cut off.
3. The phone's own keyboard comes up with the field. Until the first letter, the page under the field stays as it was.

Figure 9.7 shows the results. The keyboard's search key has closed the keyboard, and the results stay.

Figure 9.7: Search on a phone held upright, at 360 × 780 dp.

1. × empties the field and brings the page back. The field stays open, with the keyboard, for other words.
2. cast & crew is one line that scrolls sideways, with a card and a part of the next in view, so the people never push the titles far down.
3. titles, three to a line, as in movies and shows.

The tabs stay under the results, with none of them current, and a tab closes the search and opens its view. The web on a phone works as figures 9.6 and 9.7 show, with its own tabs.

9.4.2 Held sideways

Figure 9.8 shows the search opened on a phone held sideways, before the person types. The numbers mark where it differs from figure 9.6.

Figure 9.8: The search opened on a phone held sideways, at 780 × 360 dp.

1. The back arrow, as upright, in the slimmer bar.
2. The field runs across the screen's width: while the keyboard is up, the rail goes, as the tabs do upright.
3. The keyboard takes the lower half of the screen. In the band above it, the page under the field stays as it was.

Figure 9.9 shows the results, with the keyboard closed.

Figure 9.9: Search on a phone held sideways, at 780 × 360 dp.

1. The field, in the slimmer bar, with × to empty it.
2. cast & crew, one line of cards, with more of them in view.
3. titles: the posters keep the size they have upright, so six stand on a line; here all four that match.
4. The tabs stand as a rail down the left edge while the keyboard is closed (chapter 2).

9.4.3 Turning the phone

The search turns with the phone and keeps everything: the words in the field, the results, where the person had scrolled to, and the keyboard, up or closed, as it was.

• Turned sideways, the bar gets slimmer, and while the keyboard is closed the tabs become the rail. The people's line shows more cards, and six posters stand on a line. With the keyboard up, it takes the lower half of the screen, and the field keeps the focus.
• Turned back upright, the tabs come back at the foot, and three posters stand on a line.

9.5 Search on a TV

Figure 9.10 shows the search view, opened from the rail, after the person typed “llam”.

Figure 9.10: Search on a TV, at 960 × 540 dp.

1. The field shows what is typed. It takes no focus of its own: the keyboard types into it.
2. The keyboard: the letters a to z and the digits 0 to 9 in six columns, then space and delete. The view opens with an empty field and the focus on a; OK on a key types it. Right from the keyboard's last column goes into the results, left from their first column back to the keyboard, and left from the keyboard's first column opens the rail.
3. An episode that matches shows as its show's card, with the episode under the name: “S01E03 · Llamigos”. OK opens the show's page on that episode (chapter 6). Two episodes of one show make two cards, as here.

The results sit beside the keyboard, so they change in view as the person types. Back leaves the search for the view the person came from. The same keyboard types a list's name on a TV (chapter 8).

9.6 What search finds

9.6.1 Matching and order

• Search looks at the names of movies, shows and episodes, and at people's names, from the first letter. A quarter of a second after the last key it searches again, and the results change in place.
• The titles are one list, ranked together by how well they match: a name that is the words typed, then one that begins with them, then one that holds them, then one spelled close to them. A title's description counts only when no name matches. People are ranked apart, the same way.
• Up to 60 titles and 12 people show, the best first.
• An episode shows as its show's card, with its code and name under the show's name, “S01E01 · Llama Drama”. When the show's own name matches as well, its card and the episode's are one.
• As the results change, a screen reader says how many there are: “3 people, 4 titles”, or “no matches”.

9.6.2 Opening a result, and leaving

• A result opens its page: a movie's or a show's page, a show's page on the episode that matched, or a person's page. Back returns to the results as they were, with the words in the field, and on a TV with the focus on the result that was opened.
• Search closes with Esc or a view in the bar on a computer, with the back arrow or a tab on a phone, and with back on a TV.

9.7 Changes

Every difference between section 9.2 and the target is one change in the table. A change names the apps it is built in, what they do today and the target, with the figure or the section that sets it out; it is built as its row says, and nothing else changes with it. Each change starts as proposed; once the owner approves it, it is built, one change at a time. A target that starts with “Recommended” was an open decision. The field's place in the frame, the phone's search icon and the search on the TV's rail belong to chapter 2; the field's placeholder is this chapter's (9.C15).

No.	Change	Apps	Today	Target	Status
9.C1	The results in the page, as people type	Web	from the second letter, 0.2 seconds after the last key, a list of up to eight movies and shows under the field, without people (figure 9.1); Enter opens the results page, which doesn't change as people type	Recommended: no list under the field; from the first letter, a quarter of a second after the last key, the results take the page's place and change in place (figure 9.5, section 9.6.1). The posters and the people need the room, and the phone and the TV have no other place for them	proposed
9.C2	Two groups, cast & crew and titles	Web, Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	Web: “9 results for "s"”, counting the people and the titles, “CAST & CREW” in capitals, the titles without a heading (figure 9.2). Phone app, Samsung TV: “Cast & crew”, then “4 results for "s"”, counting the titles. Android TV: “cast & crew”, then “4 results for “s””	the groups cast & crew and titles, without a line that counts them; a group with nothing found is left out with its heading (figures 9.5, 9.7)	proposed
9.C3	The people in one line	Web, Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	Web: cards three to a line, one below 640 px (figure 9.3). Phone app: one under the other. Every app: “· 1 title”	one line of cards, scrolling sideways on a phone with a card and a part of the next in view; a card says “1 title” (figures 9.5, 9.7)	proposed
9.C4	The titles' size and number	Web, Phone app	Web: two to a line below 640 px. Phone app: two to a line at 360 dp, three held sideways; at most 40 titles	three to a line upright, six held sideways, at the size of a poster in movies and shows; up to 60 titles and 12 people (figures 9.7, 9.9, section 9.6.1)	proposed
9.C5	Episodes in search	Web, Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	only movies and shows are asked for	an episode as its show's card with the episode under the name, “S01E03 · Llamigos”, opening the show's page on it; one card where the show matched too (figure 9.10, section 9.6.1)	proposed
9.C6	Loading	Web, Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	Web: “Searching for "s"…” as the heading. Phone app: the same with a spinner, and after each key the old count with the new words. Android TV, Samsung TV: “Searching for “s”…”	nothing for 0.4 seconds, then grey blocks; typing on, the results stay with a thin blue line along their top (figure 9.11)	proposed
9.C7	No matches, and only one group	Web, Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	“No results for "s"”, with an addon's buttons; Phone app: also under the people where only people match. Android TV, Samsung TV: where only people match, “0 results for “s”” and “No matching titles.”	no matches, “Nothing in the library fits this search.” and clear search, an addon's buttons under them (figure 9.12); where only people or only titles match, that group alone	proposed
9.C8	Couldn't search	Web, Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	Web: headed “couldn't search for "s"”, the reason, try again. Phone app: “Results for "s"”, then “couldn't load the results”, the reason, try again. Android TV, Samsung TV: “Search failed” in red with the error's text; no try again	“couldn't search the library”, the reason by cause and try again in the results' place; the words stay in the field (section 9.8)	proposed
9.C9	Nothing typed	Web, Android TV, Samsung TV	Web, the results page without words: “Search the library”, “Type a movie or show title in the search bar to look it up.” Android TV: “Search the library”, “Type a movie or show title to look it up.” Samsung TV: “Search the library”, “Open the keyboard to look up a movie or show title.”	on a computer and a phone, the page as it was; on a TV, the keyboard with nothing beside it (section 9.8)	proposed
9.C10	Web: Esc and the / key	Web	Esc closes the list under the field and keeps the words; no key puts the focus in the field	Esc in the field empties it and brings back the page; / puts the focus in the field from anywhere, except while typing in another field (section 9.3)	proposed
9.C11	Phone app: a tab closes the search	Phone app	choosing a tab keeps the results until the field is empty	a tab closes the search and opens its view; × empties the field and keeps it open, with the keyboard (section 9.4.1)	proposed
9.C12	Back from a result	Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	Phone app: the search runs again, with its spinner. Android TV: the results stay, the focus on the field. Samsung TV: the words are gone	the results as they were, with the words in the field; on a TV the focus on the result that was opened (section 9.6.2)	proposed
9.C13	The TV's own keyboard beside the results	Android TV, Samsung TV	Android TV: the system's keyboard. Samsung TV: the app's keyboard over the whole screen, hiding the results: 1–0, q–p, a–l and @, z–m and . - /, signs, space, delete and done	Recommended: the app's own keyboard in the page, a to z and 0 to 9 in six columns, then space and delete, with the results beside it (figure 9.10); the same keyboard types a list's name (chapter 8)	proposed
9.C14	A screen reader hears the count	Web, Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	not found	“3 people, 4 titles”, or “no matches”, as the results change (section 9.6.1)	proposed
9.C15	The field's placeholder	Web, Phone app, Android TV, Samsung TV	“Search movies, shows…” in every app; on the web narrower than 768 px it is cut off, “Search movies, sho”	“Search movies, shows and people” on a computer and a TV; “Search” in the phone's field, which opens from the bar's search icon (2.C3, section 9.4.1)	proposed

9.8 States

Figures 9.5 to 9.10 show search with results, and before the first letter. Figures 9.11 and 9.12 show the states in between.

Figure 9.11: Search loading, on a computer.

The first results for new words show nothing for the first 0.4 seconds, and after that grey blocks in the shape of a line of people and a line of posters, as the design system's loading and progress describes. Typing on, the results that are there stay at full strength, with a thin blue line running along their top until the new ones are in, so the page doesn't flicker with every key.

Figure 9.12: A search that matches nothing, on a TV.

1. no matches: the design system's no-match state, with “Nothing in the library fits this search.” under it, in the results' place. The words stay in the field, so the person can change a letter instead of starting over.
2. clear search empties the field, the state's one way out. On a TV it spares deleting the words key by key, and the focus goes to a; on a computer and a phone the focus goes to the field.

State	What search shows
Nothing typed	On a computer and a phone, the page as it was (figure 9.6); on a TV, the keyboard with nothing beside it
Loading	Figure 9.11
Typing on	The results stay, with a thin blue line running along their top
Only people, or only titles, match	That group alone, without the other's heading
No matches	Figure 9.12. Where an addon on the server adds buttons for a search that found nothing, they follow under it
Couldn't search	“couldn't search the library”, the reason and try again in the results' place; the words stay in the field. Chapter 17 lists every cause and its sentence
The phone app can't reach the server	The banner of chapter 13, and under it “couldn't search the library” with try again, without the sentence, which the banner already says

9.9 Words

Where	Text
The field's placeholder on a computer and a TV	Search movies, shows and people
The field's placeholder on a phone	Search
The phone's buttons, for screen readers	search · close search · clear search
The groups	cast & crew · titles
A person's card	Sergio Hasselbaink · 1 title · 4 titles
A title's card	the name, and the year: 2010
An episode's card	the show's name, and “S01E01 · Llama Drama”
The TV's keyboard	a–z · 0–9 · space · delete
What a screen reader says as the results change	3 people, 4 titles · no matches
No matches	no matches · Nothing in the library fits this search. · clear search
Couldn't search	couldn't search the library · Can't reach the server. · try again