**⚠️ This task is work in progress.** It consolidates new specifications for an improved search experience in the Wikipedia app.
### Introduction / the antidote to Google search## What are the problems we are trying to solve?
- Global and intelligent search in Wikipedia is always just one tap away.
- The improved search behavior should encourage users to perform searches in the app,1. **Inconsistency:** The current search experience in the app is not inconsistent and misleading for users.
- Search in `Explore` via search bar or magnifier glass leads users to the global search. rather than performing a Google search via browserSearch in `Article` works the same way.
- With this update, the Wikipedia app becomes a ”search machine”.Search in `My lists` searches list names and articles in lists (T188333).
- Search in `History` searches the users history.
Even though the search scope and functionality is different, The user’s search experience becomes more intelligent and unifiedthe iconography that is used remains the same.
### Search in main tab navigation2. **Reachability:** Search is the most used feature in the app, but it’s physically one of the hardest/furthest to reach on a touch device. The search bar on Explore is positioned in the top area of the device and the icon/button is positioned in the app bar.
- Change label from `History` to `Search` and change the icon to a magnifying glass.
- Incorporate ”global” search from Explore / the article page.
- Search in the main nav item opens the search box with.
- Remove magnifying glass / search feature in `My lists` app bar3. **Intelligence:** The current search experience is limited in its capability to suggest relevant results for the user. It does not include results from `My lists`, `History`, `Open tabs` and `Other languages` that are set in the app.
## Hypothesis
The **hypothesis** for the efforts in this task is that users **do not find what they’re looking for in the app and therefore choose to search via another origin** (e.g. performing a Google search). Details about the users origin can be [seen here ](https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/F31951319) ([image courtesy of @Dbrant on Slack](https://wikimedia.enterprise.slack.com/files/W013B49LHS9/FHC17MESX/image.png)).
## What are the goals?
- **The antidote to Google:** The improved search behavior should encourage more users to search via app, it’s now accessible via centralrather than performing a search inwith the appir browser.
- “Recent search” results won’t be displayed anymore,**Wikipedia as a search machine:** With this update, the Wikipedia app becomes a ”search machine”, the right result is presented at the right time. The user’s search experience becomes more consistent, intelligent and easier to reach.
## What this task is not
This task is not about trying to alternate the existing server side search algorithm used in the app. “History” will now take up this spaceIt is about finding ways to improve the search experience on the client side.
### A revised global search## To explore / consider
- Include searchorporate results from `Saved` and `History``My lists`, `History`, `Open tabs` in search, similar to a web browser. Two directions to explore:
- New search - Mixed results lists, most relevant results logic:are shown first
1.- Separate list results, e.g. results from `Wikipedia` and results from `My lists, `Saved` in all app languagesHistory and Open tabs`
- What is the search results logic?
1. `Saved` in all app languages
2. `History` in all app languages
3. `Open tabs` in all app languages
3. `Wikipedia` in main app language
4. `Wikipedia` in other app languages
- If e.g. Saved and History results overlap, it’s only shown once in search results
- What about icons? Nope, we’re not using icons to indicate the source of a result. Results are prioritized per definition above. The magic happens in the background. Users will get
### Other
- A tooltip willA tooltip that introduce the new search functionality in the main navigation. Copy:
- `New search includes results from your history, open tabs, saved articles and Wikipedia.`
- Search field at the top of ”Explore” will stay, but the magnifying glass icon / search button won’t be displayed in the app bar on scroll anymore since search is accessible via main nav at any time.
### Article search experience
[to be defined]
### Visuals
| {F31947024} | {F31947026} | {F31947028} | {F31947030}
### Todos
- [x] Combine search and historyKeeping the search field on `Explore` as it’s used often.
- [x] Move search to article toolbar (bottom)- Icons vs. Consider switching the TOC to the other side.no icons to indicate source of a result
- [ ] Define article search experience- What happens when results overlap e.g. `My lists` and `History` ? Is it only shown once?
- [ ] Incorporate feedback from Android team in week 31.Consider that `My lists, History and Open tabs` are language independent, whereas the current search in the app is language agnostic (limited to the current language)
- [ ] Sync with Carolyn re: intra-wiki links (T256820) / results in other languageIncorporate results from `other app languages`, e.g. suggest results from other app language that users have set when there are no results.
- [ ] Create slide deck that summarizes the work in this task.Offer more opportunities to search in `other app languages`, e.g. by not making it exclusive
- Move `Search` in `Explore`, `My lists` and `History` from app to tab bar (similar to iOS), as it’s physically easier to reach.
- Use `Search` as the label and magnifying glass as the icon.
- Should tapping the search icon in the main tab bar trigger the keyboard right away to offer a direct and easy to reach search experience?
- Should search icons in the app bar be removed completely
- [ ] Incorporate analytics questions.Move `Search` in the `Article` from app bar to tool bar (bottom), as it’s physically easier to reach
- Use `History` as empty state of `Search`, remove recent searches.
## First visuals
| {F31947024} | {F31947026} | {F31947028} | {F31947030}