Add autofocus attribute to search template

[dariusk]

I think it would increase the usability of any of the jQuery websites with a search widget to have the search input autofocus the keyboard input. I did a cursory review of a bunch of the jQuery sites that use the search template, and in every case I looked at, adding autofocus would make it easier to search (and there didn't seem to be any existing functionality it would clobber).

[eddiemonge]

I disagree with this. If every person that came to the site searched as the first thing they did, then yes this would be a good idea. However, that is not the case here. Search is something that is done secondary. Viewing the content is primary. If I land on http://api.jquery.com/add/ for example, I want to scroll down the page to see more info. I can't use arrows or the space bar if the search box takes autofocus.

[scottgonzalez]

I agree with @eddiemonge.

[kswedberg]

Thoughts on having autofocus on category pages only? Or would the inconsistency be problematic?

[scottgonzalez]

It'd be a bit strange if you were on the home page, click on a category from the sidebar, then end up in a search field.

[rdworth]

I agree. I don't think autofocus should be used for the search field on any of our sites/pages. An exception would be an advanced search page where a search field is the only content on the page, but we don't have one today.

[pudly]

There is an accessibility consideration to this. Relatively well captured in http://www.sitepoint.com/dont-hijack-my-browser/

That said, there are ways around it as well:

http://www.impressivewebs.com/backspace-back-button-autofocus/

That's my 2c