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The createLocalStorageRecentSearchesPlugin plugin connects with the user’s local storage to fetch and save recent searches. To use your own storage, check createRecentSearchesPlugin. See demo

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Installation

First, you need to install the plugin. 
npm install @algolia/autocomplete-plugin-recent-searches
Then import it in your project:
JavaScript
import { createLocalStorageRecentSearchesPlugin } from "@algolia/autocomplete-plugin-recent-searches";
If you don’t use a package manager, you can use the HTML script element:
HTML
<script
  src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@algolia/autocomplete-plugin-recent-searches@1.19.4/dist/umd/index.production.js"
  integrity="JAf5JY7F16U/j5RLELqF/rRSwfocLXIivSQhZeDdugs="
  crossorigin="anonymous"
></script>
<script>
  const { createRecentSearchesPlugin } =
    window["@algolia/autocomplete-plugin-recent-searches"];
</script>

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Example

This example uses the plugin within autocomplete-js.
JavaScript
import { autocomplete } from "@algolia/autocomplete-js";
import { createLocalStorageRecentSearchesPlugin } from "@algolia/autocomplete-plugin-recent-searches";

const recentSearchesPlugin = createLocalStorageRecentSearchesPlugin({
  key: "navbar",
});

autocomplete({
  container: "#autocomplete",
  openOnFocus: true,
  plugins: [recentSearchesPlugin],
});
You can combine this plugin with the Query Suggestions plugin to populate the empty screen with recent and popular queries.
JavaScript
import { liteClient as algoliasearch } from "algoliasearch/lite";
import { autocomplete } from "@algolia/autocomplete-js";
import { createLocalStorageRecentSearchesPlugin } from "@algolia/autocomplete-plugin-recent-searches";
import { createQuerySuggestionsPlugin } from "@algolia/autocomplete-plugin-query-suggestions";

const searchClient = algoliasearch(
  "latency",
  "6be0576ff61c053d5f9a3225e2a90f76",
);
const recentSearchesPlugin = createLocalStorageRecentSearchesPlugin({
  key: "navbar",
});
const querySuggestionsPlugin = createQuerySuggestionsPlugin({
  searchClient,
  indexName: "instant_search_demo_query_suggestions",
  getSearchParams() {
    return recentSearches.data.getAlgoliaSearchParams();
  },
});

autocomplete({
  container: "#autocomplete",
  openOnFocus: true,
  plugins: [recentSearchesPlugin, querySuggestionsPlugin],
});

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Parameters

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key
string
required
A local storage key to identify where to save and retrieve the recent searches.For example:
  • "navbar"
  • "search"
  • "main"
The plugin namespaces all keys to avoid collisions.
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limit
number
The number of recent searches to display.
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search
(params: { query: string; items: TItem[]; limit: number; }) => TItem[]
A search function to retrieve recent searches from. This function is called in storage.getAll to retrieve recent searches and is useful to filter and highlight recent searches when typing a query.
JavaScript
function highlight({ item, query }) {
  return {
    ...item,
    _highlightResult: {
      query: {
        value: query
          ? item.query.replace(
              new RegExp(query, "g"),
              `<span class='underline'>aa-highlight</span>${query}<span class='underline'>/aa-highlight</span>`,
            )
          : item.query,
      },
    },
  };
}

function search({ query, items, limit }) {
  if (!query) {
    return items.slice(0, limit).map((item) => highlight({ item, query }));
  }

  return items
    .filter((item) => item.query.toLowerCase().includes(query.toLowerCase()))
    .slice(0, limit)
    .map((item) => highlight({ item, query }));
}
​
transformSource
function
Type definition
(params: {
  source: AutocompleteSource,
  state: AutocompleteState,
  onRemove: () => void,
  onTapAhead: () => void,
})
This function takes the original source as a parameter and returns a modified version of that source.For example:Change Autocomplete stateUsually, when a link in the Autocomplete menu is selected, the menu closes. However, to keep the menu visible after a selection is made, use transformSource to set the isOpen state:
JavaScript
const recentSearchesPlugin = createLocalStorageRecentSearchesPlugin({
  key: "navbar",
  transformSource({ source, onRemove }) {
    return {
      ...source,
      onSelect({ setIsOpen }) {
        setIsOpen(true);
      },
    };
  },
});
Create linksTurns Query Suggestions into clickable Google search links:
const recentSearchesPlugin = createLocalStorageRecentSearchesPlugin({
  key: "navbar",
  transformSource({ source, onRemove }) {
    return {
      ...source,
      getItemUrl({ item }) {
        return `https://google.com?q=${item.query}`;
      },
      templates: {
        ...source.templates,
        item(params) {
          const { item, html } = params;

          return html`<a
            class="aa-ItemLink"
            href="https://google.com?q=${item.query}"
          >
            ${source.templates.item(params).props.children}
          </a>`;
        },
      },
    };
  },
});
​
translations
AutocompleteRecentSearchesPluginTranslations
Type definition
type AutocompleteRecentSearchesPluginTranslations = {
  removeSearchTitle: string; // defaults to 'Remove this search'
  fillQueryTitle: (text: string) => string; // defaults to 'Fill query with "${text}"'
};
A dictionary of translations to support internationalization.

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Returns

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data

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getAlgoliaSearchParams
SearchParameters => SearchParameters
Optimized Algolia search parameters. This is useful when using the plugin along with the Query Suggestions plugin.This function enhances the provided search parameters by:
  • Excluding Query Suggestions that are already displayed in recent searches.
  • Using a shared hitsPerPage value to get a group limit of Query Suggestions and recent searches.
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addItem
(item: TItem) => void
A function that adds an item to the recent searches local storage.
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removeItem
(id: string) => void
A function that removes an item from the recent searches local storage.
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getAll
() => TItem[]
A function that returns the items from the recent searches local storage.
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