Platform 2 Guide — This article applies to the new platform. Looking for classic platform docs? Browse the Platform 1 collection.
Why: Enhance your members' experience by providing powerful search, sorting, and filtering options. This feature allows them to quickly find the content they love, making your app more engaging and user-friendly.
Navigate: App Station > Page Builder > Add Block > Search | App Station > App Settings > Recipe Filters
Quick Start
Go to Page Builder in App Station.
Click Add Block and select Search to add the Search Block to your desired page.
Configure the Search Block's visual style (default, hero, or minimal).
Set up Content Grid blocks on the same page to respond to search queries.
Manage filter presets in App Settings > Recipe Filters.
The Search Block
The Search Block is a standalone search bar that you can add to your app pages using the Page Builder. It allows members to enter search queries, which update the page URL with search parameters.
Visual Variants
The Search Block comes in three visual styles:
Default: Standard search bar.
Hero: Large and prominent, ideal for landing pages.
Minimal: Compact design that takes up less vertical space.
How Search Connects to Content Grids
It's important to note that the Search Block does not display results itself. Instead, it interacts with Content Grid blocks on the same page. Each Content Grid can be configured with a searchBehavior setting:
Respond: Filters its content to match the search (default behavior).
Hide: Disappears when a search is active, useful for promotional blocks.
Ignore: Always shows its content, regardless of search.
Search-only: Hidden by default and only appears when a search is active, perfect for a dedicated search results grid.
For example, you can set collection showcases to hide and a single Content Grid to search-only, creating a clean search results view when members search.
When a page has multiple Content Grids for different content types (e.g., recipes and meal plans), the Search Block displays a content type dropdown. This allows members to choose which type to search, and only the matching Content Grid will respond.
What Members Can Search
Members can search for content across various types, including recipes, meal plans, resources, journeys, and blog posts. Here are some key points about the search functionality:
Text search requires at least three characters.
For recipes, the search examines:
Title
Summary
Ingredient names
Tag names
Results are ranked by relevance, with exact matches scoring highest, followed by word boundary matches, prefix matches, and partial matches. Members can also use advanced search syntax for more precise queries, such as:
Commas or
ORfor alternativesANDor+for required terms-for exclusionsQuotes for exact phrases
Sorting
Members can sort search results using the following options:
Recently Added
Recently Updated
Most Popular
Most Loved
Highest Rated
Alphabetical
Start Date (for meal plans)
By default, search results are ranked by relevance, but members can override this with any sort option. The sort dropdown appears in both the Search Block and Content Grid blocks, and selections sync to the URL for easy sharing.
Recipe-Specific Filters
When searching for recipes, the Search Block provides advanced filter options, including:
Ingredient Include/Exclude: Members can type ingredient names, and the system will find matches even with slight spelling differences.
Tag Filters: Choose match mode (match ANY or ALL selected tags).
Difficulty Filter: Options for Easy, Medium, and Hard.
Cook Time and Prep Time Ranges: Set minimum and maximum times.
Servings Range: Specify the number of servings.
Nutrition Filters: Filter by calories, protein, carbs, fat, fiber, sugar, and sodium, each with min/max options.
Filter Presets (Quick Filters)
Admins can create filter preset chips that appear above the search results for quick filtering. Default presets include:
Low Calorie
High Protein
Low Carb
Low Fat
Time-based presets (15 min, 30 min, 1 hour)
Servings presets
You can manage these presets in App Station > App Settings > Recipe Filters. They are organized by type: nutrition, time, and servings.
Base Tags and Filtered Sections
Content Grid blocks can have base tags configured, which are always applied. When a member searches within a base-tagged grid (e.g., a Vegetarian Recipes section), the search operates within that subset. This allows you to create focused content sections where search respects the section boundaries.
Collection Pages
On collection pages, the Search Block automatically scopes search to that collection. Members will see the collection name in the search placeholder, and results will be filtered to that collection.
URL Sharing
All search parameters sync to the URL, enabling members to share search links. When shared, others will see the same results. Additionally, the browser back button works with search history, making navigation seamless.