UX Patterns Guide
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Basic search vs Command palette

Prefer basic search when the result is content the user will read, open, compare, filter, or browse.

Basic search live exampleCommand palette live example

Decision dimensions

Dimension Basic searchCommand palette
UI or UX UI + UX - Search input and result listUI + UX - Modal command surface
UI guidance Render a labeled search field, result count, matching rows, and clear action.Render a compact dialog-like command surface with a search input, current scope, typed command mode, active result, command metadata, and empty state.
UX guidance Help users find known content without browsing every category.Accelerate expert navigation and repeated actions across a large product while preserving ordinary navigation for novice and low-frequency users.
Good UI A clearly labeled search field with result count and results placed directly below.Centered command surface with input, shortcut hint, scope chip, grouped commands, command type labels, and a visible active row.
Bad UI Search input hidden behind only an icon with no label.Huge branded modal that buries the input below decorative content.
Good UX Users can type, revise, clear, and keep context while inspecting results.Keyboard shortcut or visible trigger opens the palette, focus lands in the command input, arrows move the active row, and Enter activates the highlighted safe command.
Bad UX Search silently changes unrelated filters.Palette is the only way to reach important navigation.
Best fit Users know a word, name, or identifier.Users need to traverse a broad product surface quickly.
Avoid when The task is choosing a command with side effects.The app has only a few obvious actions.
Required state Empty query state.Closed state with discoverable trigger.
Accessibility burden The input has a stable accessible name.Use dialog semantics with a clear name and modal behavior when the rest of the page is inert.
Common misuse Using placeholder text as the only label.Hiding basic navigation behind a keyboard-only palette.

Basic search

UI or UX
UI + UX - Search input and result list
UI guidance
Render a labeled search field, result count, matching rows, and clear action.
UX guidance
Help users find known content without browsing every category.
Good UI
A clearly labeled search field with result count and results placed directly below.
Bad UI
Search input hidden behind only an icon with no label.
Good UX
Users can type, revise, clear, and keep context while inspecting results.
Bad UX
Search silently changes unrelated filters.
Best fit
Users know a word, name, or identifier.
Avoid when
The task is choosing a command with side effects.
Required state
Empty query state.
Accessibility burden
The input has a stable accessible name.
Common misuse
Using placeholder text as the only label.

Command palette

UI or UX
UI + UX - Modal command surface
UI guidance
Render a compact dialog-like command surface with a search input, current scope, typed command mode, active result, command metadata, and empty state.
UX guidance
Accelerate expert navigation and repeated actions across a large product while preserving ordinary navigation for novice and low-frequency users.
Good UI
Centered command surface with input, shortcut hint, scope chip, grouped commands, command type labels, and a visible active row.
Bad UI
Huge branded modal that buries the input below decorative content.
Good UX
Keyboard shortcut or visible trigger opens the palette, focus lands in the command input, arrows move the active row, and Enter activates the highlighted safe command.
Bad UX
Palette is the only way to reach important navigation.
Best fit
Users need to traverse a broad product surface quickly.
Avoid when
The app has only a few obvious actions.
Required state
Closed state with discoverable trigger.
Accessibility burden
Use dialog semantics with a clear name and modal behavior when the rest of the page is inert.
Common misuse
Hiding basic navigation behind a keyboard-only palette.
Decision rules
  • Prefer basic search when the result is content the user will read, open, compare, filter, or browse.
  • Prefer a command palette when the result is an action, destination, setting, mode switch, or object-specific command that can be named and executed.
  • If a row has side effects, expose consequence and scope in the palette and require confirmation for destructive or permission-changing commands.
  • If users are mostly new, infrequent, or on touch-first devices, keep visible navigation and buttons as the primary path and treat the palette as an accelerator.
  • If the task needs result ranking, snippets, facets, or query correction, use search; if it needs command type, shortcut, scope, and Enter activation, use a command palette.
Inspect live examples
Basic searchCommand palette
Failure modes
  • Treating a command palette as the only navigation path.
  • Using basic search for commands that have side effects without confirmation or preview.
  • Returning mixed content and commands without indicating which rows navigate and which rows mutate data.
  • Letting fuzzy matching run a destructive command directly from Enter.