Extract the React Search Function to its Own Component - DAV-1000/react-material GitHub Wiki

Created: 8/5/2025 15:19
Updated: 8/5/2025 17:04
Exported: 8/14/2025 12:05
Link: https://chatgpt.com/c/68921285-a8f4-8327-ab7f-686c505f6d9d

Prompt:

My Typescipt Material UI React app has a search box on the home page which is implemented with an inline function. How to extract this functionality to a separate reusable component which will fire an event that can be captured in the hosting page when the search term changes? This is the current function: export function Search() { return ( <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' } }} variant="outlined"> <OutlinedInput size="small" id="search" placeholder="Search…" sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }} startAdornment={ <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}> } inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search', }} /> ); }

Response:

Thought for 4 seconds

To build a reusable search component with debouncing in TypeScript, React, and Material UI:

  1. Provide SearchProps interface with optional fields for value, onChange, placeholder, size, and debounceMs.
  2. Use controlled/uncontrolled component techniques with useState, useRef, and useEffect for the debounce logic.
  3. Alternate with TextField or OutlinedInput for search input.
  4. Show example usage on host page: `

Done

Nice — you’ve already got the UI bits in place. Below I’ll show a clean, reusable, TypeScript Search component (Material-UI) that:

  • accepts props (value, onChange, placeholder, debounceMs, sx, etc.),
  • supports controlled and uncontrolled usage,
  • optionally debounces the onChange callback,
  • keeps the same appearance you had (uses OutlinedInput + InputAdornment).

After the component I’ll show how to use it from your page and how to capture the search term changes.

Search.tsx (reusable component)

import React, { useEffect, useState, useRef } from 'react';
import { FormControl, OutlinedInput, InputAdornment, SxProps } from '@mui/material';
import SearchRoundedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SearchRounded';

export interface SearchProps {
  /** Controlled value. If not provided the component is uncontrolled. */
  value?: string;
  /** Called when the search term changes (debounced if debounceMs > 0). */
  onChange?: (value: string) => void;
  /** Placeholder text. */
  placeholder?: string;
  /** debounce time in ms for calling onChange. Set 0 for immediate. Default 300. */
  debounceMs?: number;
  /** size prop forwarded to OutlinedInput */
  size?: 'small' | 'medium';
  /** MUI sx for the FormControl wrapper */
  sx?: SxProps;
  /** id for the input */
  id?: string;
}

export function Search({
  value,
  onChange,
  placeholder = 'Search…',
  debounceMs = 300,
  size = 'small',
  sx,
  id = 'search',
}: SearchProps) {
  // Internal state used when component is uncontrolled OR to handle immediate typing
  const [internal, setInternal] = useState<string>(value ?? '');
  const mountedRef = useRef(true);
  const timeoutRef = useRef<number | null>(null);

  // Keep internal state in sync when controlled value changes from parent
  useEffect(() => {
    if (typeof value === 'string') {
      setInternal(value);
    }
  }, [value]);

  useEffect(() => {
    return () => {
      mountedRef.current = false;
      if (timeoutRef.current) {
        window.clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current);
      }
    };
  }, []);

  const callOnChange = (next: string) => {
    if (!onChange) return;
    if (!debounceMs) {
      onChange(next);
      return;
    }

    if (timeoutRef.current) {
      window.clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current);
    }
    // schedule debounced callback
    timeoutRef.current = window.setTimeout(() => {
      // guard against calling after unmount
      if (!mountedRef.current) return;
      onChange(next);
    }, debounceMs);
  };

  const handleInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
    const next = e.target.value;
    // Update local internal state always so input stays responsive
    setInternal(next);

    // If component is controlled (value prop provided) we still call onChange
    callOnChange(next);
  };

  return (
    <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' }, ...(sx as any) }} variant="outlined">
      <OutlinedInput
        size={size}
        id={id}
        placeholder={placeholder}
        sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }}
        startAdornment={
          <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}>
            <SearchRoundedIcon fontSize="small" />
          </InputAdornment>
        }
        inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search' }}
        // controlled when value prop is provided, otherwise use internal state
        value={typeof value === 'string' ? value : internal}
        onChange={handleInput}
      />
    </FormControl>
  );
}

How to use it in the hosting page

Controlled usage (page keeps the single source of truth and receives debounced updates):

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Search } from './Search';

export default function HomePage() {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('');

  // This will be called after the debounce time (default 300ms)
  const handleSearchChange = (next: string) => {
    setQuery(next);
    // trigger search / API call / filter logic here
    console.log('Search term changed:', next);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <Search value={query} onChange={handleSearchChange} placeholder="Search items..." />
      <div>Searching for: {query}</div>
      {/* ...rest of page */}
    </div>
  );
}

Uncontrolled usage (component owns the internal state; you still get updates via onChange):

<Search onChange={(s) => console.log('uncontrolled search changed:', s)} />

Notes & tips

  • Debounce: debounceMs defaults to 300. Set it to 0 to call onChange immediately on every keystroke.
  • Controlled vs Uncontrolled: If you pass value, the component behaves as controlled (the parent must update value to change the input). If you don't pass value, it's uncontrolled and maintains its own local state but still calls onChange.
  • Accessibility: inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search' }} is preserved. You may add a visible label or aria-label customization via props.
  • Cancel pending debounce on unmount: component clears the timeout on unmount to avoid calling onChange after unmount.
  • Extra features you might add later: an onSubmit prop (submit on Enter), a clear (x) button, or keyboard shortcuts.

If you want, I can also:

  • add an onSubmit handler that fires when the user presses Enter,
  • add a "clear" icon button to reset the search,
  • show how to hook this into a server-side search (e.g., cancel in-flight requests using AbortController), or
  • convert the debounce to use useDebouncedCallback from use-debounce if you prefer a library.

Which of those would you like next?

Prompt:

In this line of Typescript, what will the value of matchesSearch be when searchTerm is null

Response:

If you mean something like this:

const matchesSearch = someString.includes(searchTerm);

and searchTerm is null, then TypeScript will actually not compile unless searchTerm is typed as any (or you explicitly cast it), because .includes expects a string or RegExp — not null.

But in JavaScript at runtime (if you somehow get null past the type system), what happens is:

"abc".includes(null); // true or false?
  • String.prototype.includes internally coerces its argument to a string.
  • String(null) becomes "null".
  • So "abc".includes(null) → "abc".includes("null") → false.
  • If the string contained "null", it would return true.

Example:

"this is null text".includes(null); // true
"hello".includes(null);             // false

So:

  • If you’re in strict TypeScript → compile-time error unless you cast.
  • If you bypass types → it behaves as if searching for the literal string "null".

If you show me your exact line of code, I can explain the exact compile-time and runtime behavior. Are you using .includes() or something else for matchesSearch?

Prompt:

I forgot to paste the line of typescript. Here it is: const matchesSearch = !searchTerm || data.title.toLowerCase().includes(searchTerm.toLowerCase()) || data.description.toLowerCase().includes(searchTerm.toLowerCase());

Response:

Got it — now we can break down exactly what happens when searchTerm is null.

Here’s the line again:

const matchesSearch =
  !searchTerm ||
  data.title.toLowerCase().includes(searchTerm.toLowerCase()) ||
  data.description.toLowerCase().includes(searchTerm.toLowerCase());

Step-by-step evaluation if searchTerm is null

  1. !searchTerm check
    • In JavaScript, null is falsy.
    • !null → true.
    • Since this is the first part of the || chain, the moment it evaluates to true, JavaScript short-circuits — it does not evaluate the rest.
  2. Short-circuit effect
    • That means searchTerm.toLowerCase() is never called when searchTerm is null, so you avoid a runtime error.
    • The whole expression becomes true.

Conclusion

If searchTerm is null:

matchesSearch === true

💡 Why this pattern works:
This is a common “match everything if no search term is provided” idiom. !searchTerm will be true for null, undefined, '' (empty string), 0, and false.

If you only want to treat '' (empty string) or null as “no search term” but not 0 or false, you’d need a stricter check, e.g.:

searchTerm == null || searchTerm.trim() === ''

If you want, I can rewrite this in a safer TypeScript-friendly way so that searchTerm can be string | null without compiler complaints.

Prompt:

In this codeblock, mountedRef.current seems to be always false and the onChange event is never fired: timeoutRef.current = window.setTimeout(() => { // guard against calling after unmount if (!mountedRef.current) return; onChange(next); }, debounceMs);

Response:

Ah, I see what’s happening — it’s a subtle lifecycle timing issue in your debounce code.

In the version I gave earlier, I had:

const mountedRef = useRef(true);

useEffect(() => {
  return () => {
    mountedRef.current = false;
    if (timeoutRef.current) {
      window.clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current);
    }
  };
}, []);

That means:

  • mountedRef.current starts as true.
  • On unmount, it’s set to false.
  • Inside the setTimeout callback, we check if (!mountedRef.current) return;.

Why it might always be false for you

If you accidentally initialized mountedRef with false:

const mountedRef = useRef(false);

then it will never get set to true unless you explicitly do so on mount.

Or, if you have:

useEffect(() => {
  return () => {
    mountedRef.current = false;
  };
}, []);

but you never set it to true on mount, it’ll stay at its initial value (false).

Correct pattern

To ensure it’s set correctly on mount and cleared on unmount:

const mountedRef = useRef(false);

useEffect(() => {
  mountedRef.current = true; // now it's true after mount

  return () => {
    mountedRef.current = false; // set to false on unmount
    if (timeoutRef.current) {
      window.clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current);
    }
  };
}, []);

Do you even need mountedRef here?

In your debounce case, you only need to guard against calling onChange after unmount. Clearing the timeout in the cleanup already achieves that:

useEffect(() => {
  return () => {
    if (timeoutRef.current) {
      clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current);
    }
  };
}, []);

If you do that, the callback will never run after unmount, so mountedRef is redundant.

Recommendation:
For this onChange debounce, I’d drop mountedRef entirely and just cancel the timer in the cleanup — less state, less chance of confusion.

Do you want me to rewrite your Search component’s debounce logic so it works without mountedRef and still avoids any memory leaks? That would fix this permanently.

Prompt:

Yes

Response:

Great — here’s a cleaned-up TypeScript Search component that uses a debounced onChange without mountedRef. Instead it cancels the pending timer in a useEffect cleanup so the callback never runs after unmount. That removes the weird lifecycle bug and is simpler and safer.

Search.tsx (no mountedRef, safe debounce)

import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
import { FormControl, OutlinedInput, InputAdornment, SxProps } from '@mui/material';
import SearchRoundedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SearchRounded';

export interface SearchProps {
  value?: string;
  onChange?: (value: string) => void;
  placeholder?: string;
  debounceMs?: number; // 0 => immediate
  size?: 'small' | 'medium';
  sx?: SxProps;
  id?: string;
}

export function Search({
  value,
  onChange,
  placeholder = 'Search…',
  debounceMs = 300,
  size = 'small',
  sx,
  id = 'search',
}: SearchProps) {
  // internal state used when uncontrolled
  const [internal, setInternal] = useState<string>(value ?? '');
  const timeoutRef = useRef<number | null>(null);

  // keep internal in sync if parent controls the value
  useEffect(() => {
    if (typeof value === 'string') {
      setInternal(value);
    }
  }, [value]);

  // clear timeout on unmount (and when debounceMs changes)
  useEffect(() => {
    return () => {
      if (timeoutRef.current !== null) {
        window.clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current);
        timeoutRef.current = null;
      }
    };
  }, [/* no deps needed for unmount cleanup only */]);

  const scheduleOnChange = (next: string) => {
    if (!onChange) return;

    // immediate call
    if (!debounceMs) {
      onChange(next);
      return;
    }

    // clear any previous pending timer
    if (timeoutRef.current !== null) {
      window.clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current);
    }

    // schedule the debounced callback
    timeoutRef.current = window.setTimeout(() => {
      timeoutRef.current = null;
      onChange(next);
    }, debounceMs);
  };

  const handleInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
    const next = e.target.value;
    setInternal(next);
    scheduleOnChange(next);
  };

  return (
    <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' }, ...(sx as any) }} variant="outlined">
      <OutlinedInput
        size={size}
        id={id}
        placeholder={placeholder}
        sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }}
        startAdornment={
          <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}>
            <SearchRoundedIcon fontSize="small" />
          </InputAdornment>
        }
        inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search' }}
        value={typeof value === 'string' ? value : internal}
        onChange={handleInput}
      />
    </FormControl>
  );
}

Why this fixes the problem

  • No mountedRef — we don't track mount state ourselves.
  • Timeout cleanup — the useEffect cleanup clears any scheduled setTimeout, so the callback never runs after unmount. That prevents calling onChange on an unmounted component and avoids the race that made mountedRef.current appear false.
  • Simple logic — immediate calls when debounceMs is 0, otherwise a single debounced timer is used and always cleared before scheduling a new one.

Usage example (host page captures changes)

Controlled (recommended if parent needs the canonical value):

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Search } from './Search';

export default function Home() {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('');

  const handleSearch = (term: string) => {
    setQuery(term);
    // run API call / filter logic here
    console.log('Debounced search term:', term);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <Search value={query} onChange={handleSearch} debounceMs={300} />
      <div>Searching for: {query}</div>
    </div>
  );
}

Uncontrolled (component manages input, but parent still receives onChange events):

<Search onChange={(s) => console.log('uncontrolled search:', s)} debounceMs={250} />

If you want, I can:

  • add an Enter-to-submit onSubmit prop,
  • add a clear (×) button that resets the input and notifies the parent,
  • or switch the debounce implementation to use-debounce / lodash.debounce (library-based).

Which (if any) would you like next?

Prompt:

That's now running slowly. Remove all the debounce code, add a button to the right of the input box and fire onChange when it is clicked

Response:

Thought for a couple of seconds

I need to simplify

Done

Nice — here’s a minimal, debounce-free Search component that adds a Search button to the right of the input. Clicking the button will call the onChange callback with the current input value. It also keeps the controlled/uncontrolled behavior you had before.

Search.tsx (no debounce; button triggers onChange)

import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
import { Box, Button, FormControl, OutlinedInput, InputAdornment, SxProps } from '@mui/material';
import SearchRoundedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SearchRounded';

export interface SearchProps {
  /** Controlled value. If not provided the component is uncontrolled. */
  value?: string;
  /** Called when the user clicks the search button (or presses Enter). */
  onChange?: (value: string) => void;
  placeholder?: string;
  size?: 'small' | 'medium';
  sx?: SxProps;
  id?: string;
  /* Button label (optional) */
  buttonLabel?: string;
}

export function Search({
  value,
  onChange,
  placeholder = 'Search…',
  size = 'small',
  sx,
  id = 'search',
  buttonLabel = 'Search',
}: SearchProps) {
  const [internal, setInternal] = useState<string>(value ?? '');
  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);

  // keep internal in sync if parent controls the value
  useEffect(() => {
    if (typeof value === 'string') {
      setInternal(value);
    }
  }, [value]);

  const handleInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
    setInternal(e.target.value);
  };

  const triggerChange = () => {
    if (onChange) {
      onChange(value !== undefined ? value : internal);
    }
  };

  const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
      // prevent form submission if inside a form; still notify parent
      e.preventDefault();
      triggerChange();
    }
  };

  return (
    <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' }, ...(sx as any) }} variant="outlined">
      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center' }}>
        <OutlinedInput
          inputRef={inputRef}
          size={size}
          id={id}
          placeholder={placeholder}
          sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }}
          startAdornment={
            <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}>
              <SearchRoundedIcon fontSize="small" />
            </InputAdornment>
          }
          inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search' }}
          value={typeof value === 'string' ? value : internal}
          onChange={handleInput}
          onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
        />

        <Button
          variant="contained"
          size={size === 'small' ? 'small' : 'medium'}
          onClick={triggerChange}
          sx={{ ml: 1 }}
          aria-label="perform search"
        >
          {buttonLabel}
        </Button>
      </Box>
    </FormControl>
  );
}

How to use it

Controlled usage (parent keeps canonical value):

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Search } from './Search';

export default function Home() {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('');

  const handleSearch = (term: string) => {
    setQuery(term);
    // run API call / filter logic now
    console.log('Search clicked with term:', term);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <Search value={query} onChange={handleSearch} buttonLabel="Find" />
    </div>
  );
}

Uncontrolled usage (component manages input; parent still receives the search value on click):

<Search onChange={(val) => console.log('Search clicked:', val)} />

Notes

  • No debounce: the onChange is only fired when the button is clicked (or Enter is pressed). This avoids the slow behaviour you saw with debouncing.
  • Enter support: pressing Enter also triggers onChange (prevents default form submit).
  • Controlled vs uncontrolled: If you pass value, the component is controlled; otherwise it’s uncontrolled but still reports the current text on button click.

If you want the button to be an IconButton inside the input (smaller, inline), or want the button to be disabled when the input is empty, I can show those variants. Which would you prefer?

Prompt:

value should be string | null

Response:

Got it — we’ll explicitly type value as string | null in the props, and adjust the internal logic so that:

  • null means “no value” (treated as empty string in the input box)
  • The onChange callback will always receive string | null
  • Controlled/uncontrolled still works

Here’s the updated no-debounce Search component with a Search button:

import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
import { Box, Button, FormControl, OutlinedInput, InputAdornment, SxProps } from '@mui/material';
import SearchRoundedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SearchRounded';

export interface SearchProps {
  /** Controlled value. If not provided, the component is uncontrolled. */
  value?: string | null;
  /** Called when the user clicks the search button (or presses Enter). */
  onChange?: (value: string | null) => void;
  placeholder?: string;
  size?: 'small' | 'medium';
  sx?: SxProps;
  id?: string;
  /** Optional button label */
  buttonLabel?: string;
}

export function Search({
  value,
  onChange,
  placeholder = 'Search…',
  size = 'small',
  sx,
  id = 'search',
  buttonLabel = 'Search',
}: SearchProps) {
  const [internal, setInternal] = useState<string>(value ?? '');
  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);

  // keep internal in sync if parent controls the value
  useEffect(() => {
    if (value !== undefined) {
      setInternal(value ?? ''); // null → ''
    }
  }, [value]);

  const handleInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
    setInternal(e.target.value);
  };

  const triggerChange = () => {
    if (onChange) {
      const currentValue = value !== undefined ? value : internal;
      const normalized = currentValue === '' ? null : currentValue;
      onChange(normalized);
    }
  };

  const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
      e.preventDefault();
      triggerChange();
    }
  };

  return (
    <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' }, ...(sx as any) }} variant="outlined">
      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center' }}>
        <OutlinedInput
          inputRef={inputRef}
          size={size}
          id={id}
          placeholder={placeholder}
          sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }}
          startAdornment={
            <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}>
              <SearchRoundedIcon fontSize="small" />
            </InputAdornment>
          }
          inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search' }}
          value={value !== undefined ? value ?? '' : internal}
          onChange={handleInput}
          onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
        />

        <Button
          variant="contained"
          size={size === 'small' ? 'small' : 'medium'}
          onClick={triggerChange}
          sx={{ ml: 1 }}
          aria-label="perform search"
        >
          {buttonLabel}
        </Button>
      </Box>
    </FormControl>
  );
}

Key changes for string | null support

  1. Prop typing 
    value?: string | null;
onChange?: (value: string | null) => void;
    • If value is null, input shows ''.
    • If value is undefined, component is uncontrolled.
  2. Normalization on trigger 
    const normalized = currentValue === '' ? null : currentValue;
onChange(normalized);
    • Empty string becomes null before sending to parent.
  3. State sync 
    setInternal(value ?? '');
    • Keeps internal state consistent if parent updates to null or string.

Example usage

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Search } from './Search';

export default function Home() {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState<string | null>(null);

  const handleSearch = (term: string | null) => {
    setQuery(term);
    console.log('Search clicked with:', term);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <Search value={query} onChange={handleSearch} buttonLabel="Find" />
      <div>Searching for: {query ?? '(none)'}</div>
    </div>
  );
}

Do you want me to also make the button disabled when the input is empty so it only fires when there’s a search term? That works well with string | null semantics.

Prompt:

Does the material UI not have a search icon button similar to the rss feed button here:

Response:

Yep — Material UI absolutely has IconButton, and you can use it with SearchRoundedIcon (or any other search icon) in exactly the same way you used RssFeedRoundedIcon.

For example:

import IconButton from '@mui/material/IconButton';
import SearchRoundedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SearchRounded';

<IconButton size="small" aria-label="Search">
  <SearchRoundedIcon />
</IconButton>

If you want that as the search trigger in your Search component (instead of a full Button with text), you can change the right-side button to an IconButton. Here’s the relevant part of the component updated:

<IconButton
  size={size === 'small' ? 'small' : 'medium'}
  onClick={triggerChange}
  aria-label="Search"
  sx={{ ml: 1 }}
>
  <SearchRoundedIcon />
</IconButton>

This will give you exactly the same look-and-feel as your RSS feed example — just with the search icon.

Do you want me to rewrite the full Search component so it uses IconButton with a search icon on the right, instead of the text button? That would match the RSS feed example perfectly.

Prompt:

Yes

Response:

Nice — below is a complete, TypeScript Search component updated to use an IconButton (with SearchRoundedIcon) on the right side as the trigger. It preserves the value?: string | null typing, supports controlled/uncontrolled usage, fires onChange(value: string | null) when the icon button is clicked or the user presses Enter, and treats '' as null when sending to the host.

// Search.tsx
import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
import {
  Box,
  FormControl,
  OutlinedInput,
  InputAdornment,
  IconButton,
  SxProps,
} from '@mui/material';
import SearchRoundedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SearchRounded';

export interface SearchProps {
  /** Controlled value. If omitted, component is uncontrolled. null means "no value". */
  value?: string | null;
  /** Called when the user clicks the search icon or presses Enter. Receives string | null. */
  onChange?: (value: string | null) => void;
  placeholder?: string;
  size?: 'small' | 'medium';
  sx?: SxProps;
  id?: string;
  /** aria-label for the icon button (defaults to "perform search") */
  iconAriaLabel?: string;
  /** optionally disable the icon button when input is empty (default false) */
  disableWhenEmpty?: boolean;
}

export function Search({
  value,
  onChange,
  placeholder = 'Search…',
  size = 'small',
  sx,
  id = 'search',
  iconAriaLabel = 'perform search',
  disableWhenEmpty = false,
}: SearchProps) {
  // Internal state used when uncontrolled
  const [internal, setInternal] = useState<string>(value ?? '');
  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);

  // Keep internal state in sync when controlled
  useEffect(() => {
    if (value !== undefined) {
      setInternal(value ?? '');
    }
  }, [value]);

  const handleInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
    setInternal(e.target.value);
  };

  const triggerChange = () => {
    if (!onChange) return;
    const currentValue = value !== undefined ? value : internal;
    const normalized = currentValue === '' ? null : currentValue;
    onChange(normalized);
  };

  const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
      e.preventDefault();
      triggerChange();
    }
  };

  const currentDisplayed = value !== undefined ? value ?? '' : internal;
  const isEmpty = currentDisplayed.trim() === '';

  return (
    <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' }, ...(sx as any) }} variant="outlined">
      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center' }}>
        <OutlinedInput
          inputRef={inputRef}
          size={size}
          id={id}
          placeholder={placeholder}
          sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }}
          startAdornment={
            <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}>
              <SearchRoundedIcon fontSize="small" />
            </InputAdornment>
          }
          inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search' }}
          value={currentDisplayed}
          onChange={handleInput}
          onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
        />

        <IconButton
          size={size === 'small' ? 'small' : 'medium'}
          onClick={triggerChange}
          aria-label={iconAriaLabel}
          sx={{ ml: 1 }}
          disabled={disableWhenEmpty && isEmpty}
        >
          <SearchRoundedIcon />
        </IconButton>
      </Box>
    </FormControl>
  );
}
export default Search;

Quick usage examples

Controlled (recommended when parent tracks the canonical value):

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import Search from './Search';

export default function Home() {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState<string | null>(null);

  const handleSearch = (term: string | null) => {
    setQuery(term);
    // run API call / filter logic now
    console.log('Search triggered with:', term);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <Search value={query} onChange={handleSearch} disableWhenEmpty />
      <div>Searching for: {query ?? '(none)'}</div>
    </div>
  );
}

Uncontrolled (component manages input; parent just receives search when triggered):

<Search onChange={(val) => console.log('Search clicked:', val)} />

Notes & tips

  • value?: string | null — undefined = uncontrolled, null = explicit "no value".
  • onChange always receives string | null. Empty string becomes null.
  • disableWhenEmpty will disable the icon button when the input is empty; useful to prevent empty searches.
  • The icon button visually matches your RSS IconButton example and is accessible via aria-label.

Want the icon button inside the input (right adornment) instead of beside it? I can show that variant too — it’s a slightly different layout but looks more compact.

Prompt:

I can put the cursor in the search input box but when I type, no text is entered

Response:

Ah — that happens when the component is controlled (i.e., value prop is defined) but the parent isn’t updating it on onChange.

In your current setup:

  • The OutlinedInput’s value comes from:
value={currentDisplayed}
  • If you pass value={query} from the parent but don’t update query when typing, the input shows the old value forever (and appears “frozen”).

Why typing is frozen

When you pass value to a Material UI input:

  1. It becomes controlled → React ignores user keystrokes unless value changes in the parent state.
  2. onChange in the child is only called when you click the search icon (per our new code), so typing does not update the parent.
  3. Since the parent’s value never changes during typing, the UI stays stuck.

Two ways to fix it

Option 1 – Let the component manage its own input while typing

If you only want to notify the parent when the search icon is clicked (not on every keystroke), don’t pass the value prop from the parent.
This will make it “uncontrolled” and the internal state will handle typing:

// Home.tsx
<Search onChange={(term) => console.log(term)} />

Option 2 – Controlled but update value on every keystroke

If you must keep the parent as the single source of truth, pass both value and an onChange handler that updates it while typing.

Example:

const [query, setQuery] = useState<string | null>(null);

return (
  <Search
    value={query}
    onChange={(val) => {
      setQuery(val); // updates parent state so typing works
      // Optional: trigger search logic here if you want it live
    }}
  />
);

If your intent is “only fire search when the icon is clicked, but allow typing in between”, then Option 1 is the simplest — just don’t pass value at all.

Do you want me to tweak the Search component so that even in controlled mode it only calls onChange when the icon is clicked, but still allows typing without freezing? That’s possible by adding a separate onInputChange prop for keystrokes.

Prompt:

Just implement Option 1

Response:

Thought for a couple of seconds

The user wants to implement Option 1, which suggests updating the Search component to use it without passing the value prop from the parent. I’ll provide an updated usage example for the parent/Home component, showing how to handle `on

Done

Perfect — Option 1 means don’t pass value from the parent. Let the Search component manage the input text internally and only notify the parent when the icon button is clicked (or Enter is pressed). That will make typing work normally.

What to change

  • Remove value={...} from the <Search /> usage in the parent.
  • Keep onChange if you want to receive the query when the user triggers search.

Parent (uncontrolled) example

// Home.tsx
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import Search from './Search'; // the Search component you already have

export default function Home() {
  // Optional: store the last submitted search
  const [submitted, setSubmitted] = useState<string | null>(null);

  const handleSearch = (term: string | null) => {
    setSubmitted(term);
    console.log('Search submitted:', term);
    // call API / filter logic here
  };

  return (
    <div>
      {/* NOTE: no `value` prop passed — component is uncontrolled */}
      <Search onChange={handleSearch} disableWhenEmpty />
      <div>Last submitted: {submitted ?? '(none)'}</div>
    </div>
  );
}

Why this fixes the frozen input

  • When you pass value to the Search component it becomes controlled. The parent must update that value on every keystroke for the input to change.
  • By not passing value, the Search component uses its internal state (internal) for the input, so typing works normally. The parent only receives the value when the user clicks the icon or presses Enter.

Extra (optional) — clear the input after submit

If you want the Search component to clear itself after a submit and then notify the parent, either:

  1. Modify the Search component to clear internal state inside triggerChange() after calling onChange, or
  2. Expose a ref API from Search so the parent can call reset().

If you want, I can add the auto-clear behavior to triggerChange() now — shall I?

Prompt:

Give me the full code for the option 1 search component

Response:

Thought for a few seconds

The user seems clear about Option 1—an uncontrolled search component. I’ll strip out the value prop entirely to avoid confusion, even though the original request mentioned string | null. Since this is about keeping things uncontrolled, the value won’t be explicitly passed, but internal state will manage it. I’ll ensure the onChange is triggered by clicking the IconButton or pressing Enter, and remember to include the disableWhenEmpty feature

Done

Nice — below is a complete, uncontrolled Search component (Option 1). It manages its own input state, shows an OutlinedInput with a left search icon and a right IconButton (search icon). Typing works normally because the parent does not pass a value prop; the parent is only notified when the icon is clicked or Enter is pressed via onChange(value: string | null).

Save this as Search.tsx (or whatever you prefer):

// Search.tsx
import React, { useRef, useState } from 'react';
import {
  Box,
  FormControl,
  OutlinedInput,
  InputAdornment,
  IconButton,
  SxProps,
} from '@mui/material';
import SearchRoundedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SearchRounded';

export interface SearchProps {
  /** Called when the user clicks the search icon or presses Enter. Receives string | null. */
  onChange?: (value: string | null) => void;
  placeholder?: string;
  size?: 'small' | 'medium';
  sx?: SxProps;
  id?: string;
  /** aria-label for the icon button (defaults to "perform search") */
  iconAriaLabel?: string;
  /** optionally disable the icon button when input is empty (default false) */
  disableWhenEmpty?: boolean;
  /** whether to clear the input after submit (default false) */
  clearOnSubmit?: boolean;
}

export default function Search({
  onChange,
  placeholder = 'Search…',
  size = 'small',
  sx,
  id = 'search',
  iconAriaLabel = 'perform search',
  disableWhenEmpty = false,
  clearOnSubmit = false,
}: SearchProps) {
  const [internal, setInternal] = useState<string>('');
  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);

  const handleInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
    setInternal(e.target.value);
  };

  const triggerChange = () => {
    if (!onChange) {
      if (clearOnSubmit) setInternal('');
      return;
    }
    const normalized = internal.trim() === '' ? null : internal;
    onChange(normalized);
    if (clearOnSubmit) setInternal('');
    // optionally refocus input after submit
    inputRef.current?.focus();
  };

  const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
      e.preventDefault();
      triggerChange();
    }
  };

  const isEmpty = internal.trim() === '';

  return (
    <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' }, ...(sx as any) }} variant="outlined">
      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center' }}>
        <OutlinedInput
          inputRef={inputRef}
          size={size}
          id={id}
          placeholder={placeholder}
          sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }}
          startAdornment={
            <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}>
              <SearchRoundedIcon fontSize="small" />
            </InputAdornment>
          }
          inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search' }}
          value={internal}
          onChange={handleInput}
          onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
        />

        <IconButton
          size={size === 'small' ? 'small' : 'medium'}
          onClick={triggerChange}
          aria-label={iconAriaLabel}
          sx={{ ml: 1 }}
          disabled={disableWhenEmpty && isEmpty}
        >
          <SearchRoundedIcon />
        </IconButton>
      </Box>
    </FormControl>
  );
}

Minimal usage example (parent)

// Home.tsx
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import Search from './Search';

export default function Home() {
  const [lastSubmitted, setLastSubmitted] = useState<string | null>(null);

  const handleSearch = (term: string | null) => {
    setLastSubmitted(term);
    // run API / filter / navigation here
    console.log('Search submitted:', term);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      {/* IMPORTANT: do NOT pass `value` here — keep the component uncontrolled */}
      <Search onChange={handleSearch} disableWhenEmpty clearOnSubmit={false} />
      <div>Last submitted: {lastSubmitted ?? '(none)'}</div>
    </div>
  );
}

If you want any of these small tweaks, say the word and I’ll update the component:

  • put the search IconButton inside the input as a right adornment (compact look),
  • auto-disable the icon unless the input changed since last submit,
  • expose a ref API to let the parent reset or focus the input.

Prompt:

How can I make onchange fire automatically when the input is cleared

Response:

Right now in the uncontrolled version, onChange only fires when the search icon is clicked or Enter is pressed.
If you want it to also fire immediately when the input is cleared (set to ''), you can detect that in handleInput and call onChange(null) right there.

Here’s the updated bit inside Search:

const handleInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
  const newValue = e.target.value;
  setInternal(newValue);

  // If the input has been cleared, fire onChange immediately
  if (newValue.trim() === '') {
    onChange?.(null);
  }
};

Full updated Search with auto-fire on clear

import React, { useRef, useState } from 'react';
import {
  Box,
  FormControl,
  OutlinedInput,
  InputAdornment,
  IconButton,
  SxProps,
} from '@mui/material';
import SearchRoundedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SearchRounded';

export interface SearchProps {
  onChange?: (value: string | null) => void;
  placeholder?: string;
  size?: 'small' | 'medium';
  sx?: SxProps;
  id?: string;
  iconAriaLabel?: string;
  disableWhenEmpty?: boolean;
  clearOnSubmit?: boolean;
}

export default function Search({
  onChange,
  placeholder = 'Search…',
  size = 'small',
  sx,
  id = 'search',
  iconAriaLabel = 'perform search',
  disableWhenEmpty = false,
  clearOnSubmit = false,
}: SearchProps) {
  const [internal, setInternal] = useState<string>('');
  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);

  const handleInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
    const newValue = e.target.value;
    setInternal(newValue);

    // Auto-fire onChange when cleared
    if (newValue.trim() === '') {
      onChange?.(null);
    }
  };

  const triggerChange = () => {
    const normalized = internal.trim() === '' ? null : internal;
    onChange?.(normalized);
    if (clearOnSubmit) setInternal('');
    inputRef.current?.focus();
  };

  const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
      e.preventDefault();
      triggerChange();
    }
  };

  const isEmpty = internal.trim() === '';

  return (
    <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' }, ...(sx as any) }} variant="outlined">
      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center' }}>
        <OutlinedInput
          inputRef={inputRef}
          size={size}
          id={id}
          placeholder={placeholder}
          sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }}
          startAdornment={
            <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}>
              <SearchRoundedIcon fontSize="small" />
            </InputAdornment>
          }
          inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search' }}
          value={internal}
          onChange={handleInput}
          onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
        />

        <IconButton
          size={size === 'small' ? 'small' : 'medium'}
          onClick={triggerChange}
          aria-label={iconAriaLabel}
          sx={{ ml: 1 }}
          disabled={disableWhenEmpty && isEmpty}
        >
          <SearchRoundedIcon />
        </IconButton>
      </Box>
    </FormControl>
  );
}

With this change:

  • Click icon → onChange(...) fires with current text.
  • Press Enter → onChange(...) fires with current text.
  • Clear input manually (e.g., backspace until empty) → onChange(null) fires immediately without needing to press the icon.

Do you want me to make it also fire onChange('something') live as you type (not just when cleared)? That would turn it into a live-search mode.

Prompt:

The site has a dark mode option which uses @mui/system useColorScheme. When dark mode is selected, the search box is almost invisible and the placeholder text a very faint grey. What should an input box look like in dark mode

Response:

In dark mode, you generally want an input box to remain clearly visible and legible while still blending with the darker UI palette.

For a search box specifically, here’s what a good dark mode style should achieve:

Design Goals

  1. Contrast — The input’s background should contrast enough with the page background so users can immediately see it.
  2. Readable text — The text and placeholder should have good contrast (ideally WCAG AA or AAA).
  3. Consistent theming — Colors should come from the Material UI theme (theme.palette) so they match the rest of your dark mode styles.
  4. Focus indication — A clear visual cue (e.g., border color, glow) when the input is focused.
  5. No “pure black” text — In dark mode, black text becomes unreadable against dark backgrounds.

Material UI Recommendations

Material UI’s design tokens for dark mode:

  • Background: theme.palette.background.paper or a slightly lighter tone for input boxes
  • Text (normal): theme.palette.text.primary
  • Text (placeholder): theme.palette.text.secondary
  • Border/Outline: theme.palette.divider or an accent color on focus

In dark mode, MUI typically uses something like:

  • Background: ~#121212 (page) / #1E1E1E (paper)
  • Input background: ~rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.09) or theme.palette.grey[900]
  • Placeholder text: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7)

Example: Dark Mode-friendly Search Input

<OutlinedInput
  placeholder="Search…"
  sx={(theme) => ({
    // Adjust background and text colors for dark mode
    backgroundColor:
      theme.palette.mode === 'dark'
        ? theme.palette.grey[900]
        : theme.palette.background.paper,
    color: theme.palette.text.primary,
    '& .MuiOutlinedInput-notchedOutline': {
      borderColor:
        theme.palette.mode === 'dark'
          ? theme.palette.grey[700]
          : theme.palette.grey[400],
    },
    '&:hover .MuiOutlinedInput-notchedOutline': {
      borderColor:
        theme.palette.mode === 'dark'
          ? theme.palette.grey[500]
          : theme.palette.grey[600],
    },
    '&.Mui-focused .MuiOutlinedInput-notchedOutline': {
      borderColor: theme.palette.primary.main,
    },
    '& input::placeholder': {
      color: theme.palette.text.secondary,
      opacity: 1, // Ensures it's not overly faint
    },
  })}
  startAdornment={
    <InputAdornment position="start" sx={{ color: 'text.primary' }}>
      <SearchRoundedIcon fontSize="small" />
    </InputAdornment>
  }
/>

Visual Example

Mode Background Text Color Placeholder Color Border Color (default)
Light White / Paper text.primary (black-ish) text.secondary (grey-ish) Light grey
Dark Grey 900 (~#121212) text.primary (off-white) text.secondary (light grey) Grey 700

💡 If you use useColorScheme() from @mui/system, you can pass mode directly into your sx styles (as above) so the search input automatically adapts to theme changes.

If you’d like, I can apply this dark-mode styling directly to your uncontrolled Search component so it works seamlessly with useColorScheme.
That would make your search box always readable in dark mode without extra work.

Do you want me to do that?

Prompt:

I am geting an error: Unexpected any. Specify a different type from line: <FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: "100%", md: "25ch" }, ...(sx as any) }}

Response:

That’s because as any is triggering ESLint’s @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any rule.
You don’t actually need to cast to any here — Material UI already provides a SxProps type that works for this.

Why the error happens

Your prop sx?: SxProps is correct, but SxProps is a union type, not directly spreadable without type narrowing.
When you wrote:

...(sx as any)

you bypassed the type check — hence the any.

The cleaner fix

Tell TypeScript that sx is either an object or undefined before spreading. For example:

import { SxProps, Theme } from '@mui/material/styles';

// In your props
sx?: SxProps<Theme>;

// In the component
<FormControl
  sx={{
    width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' },
    ...(sx && typeof sx === 'object' ? sx : {}),
  }}
  variant="outlined"
>

Here:

  • typeof sx === 'object' ? sx : {} ensures we only spread when sx is a plain object.
  • No any is involved — so ESLint is happy.
  • SxProps<Theme> is the recommended typing for Material UI’s sx.

If you know your sx will always be an object (and not a function), you could also do:

<FormControl sx={{ width: { xs: '100%', md: '25ch' }, ...(sx as Record<string, unknown> ?? {}) }}>

but the first approach is safer for all SxProps cases.

Do you want me to update your uncontrolled Search component with this sx fix and the dark mode styling we discussed so it’s fully ready?

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