Better Search v4.1.0 – Improvements and Enhancements

I am excited to announce the release of Better Search v4.1.0! This update focuses on improvements to the free and pro versions, including accessibility changes to the live search and improved multisite and fuzzy search functionality.

Accessibility Improvements for Live Search

I introduced Live Search for all Better Search plugin users in Better Search v4.

In this release, I have improved the accessibility of live search results, with particular attention to keyboard navigation, making your site more inclusive and user-friendly. You can now use the keyboard to navigate any search form (not just the one with Better Search), hitting the up/down button to browse the live search results. Additionally, hitting the tab key in the search field will first jump to the search button instead of the results, respecting the focus order.

I’m keen to improve the accessibility of Better Search (or my other plugins) further. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment on this post!

Global Access: Enhanced Developer Experience

An important feature in v4.1.0 is the introduction of a global better_search(). It is ideal for developers as it makes accessing all the classes and features of Better Search using the global function easier.

Pro Version Enhancements

Refined Multisite Search

The multisite search functionality has received substantial improvements:

• Each site’s settings are now respected correctly.
• Better compatibility with fuzzy search in multisite environments.
• Enhanced PolyLang support for multilingual sites (Note: PolyLang must be configured identically across all sites in your multisite network).
• Fixed issues with incorrect links and titles when loading results across sites.
• Resolved compatibility issues when Seamless Mode is disabled.

Most of the issues above were compatibility problems with a few themes and PolyLang. Some edge case problems appear if you use Seamless mode and need site-specific edits. Please do flag any issues you face.

Fuzzy Search Improvements

We’ve addressed several bugs in the fuzzy search query system, making it more reliable and accurate across different use cases.

Get the Update

Update to v4.1.0 today to take advantage of these improvements.

As always, I welcome your feedback and suggestions. Let me know what you think of these improvements in the comments below.

Happy searching!