jQuery Ajax Autocomplete Plugin For Input Fields - Autocomplete

jQuery.Autocomplete is a jQuery based autocomplete plugin that attaches autocomplete/autosuggest drop down list with ajax lookup to text input fields when your users input.

See Also:

• jQuery Autocomplete Plugin By Twitter - typeahead.js
• 10 Best Autocomplete & Typeahead JavaScript Plugins

How to use it:

1. Create an input field where the autocomplete plugin should attach to.

<input type="text" name="country" id="autocomplete" />

2. Include the jQuery Autocomplete plugin on the page.

<script src="/path/to/cdn/jquery.slim.min.js"></script>
<script src="/path/to/jquery.autocomplete.min.js"></script>

3. Call the function on the input field and specify the path to the Server side URL. Note that the response from the server must be JSON formatted as follows:

$('#autocomplete').autocomplete({
  serviceUrl: '/path/to/countries/',
  onSelect: function (suggestion) {
    alert('You selected: ' + suggestion.value + ', ' + suggestion.data);
  }
});

{
  "query": "Unit",
  "suggestions": [
    { "value": "United Arab Emirates", "data": "AE" },
    { "value": "United Kingdom",       "data": "UK" },
    { "value": "United States",        "data": "US" }
  ]
}

4. The plugin also allows you to load suggestions from local:

var countries = [
    { "value": "United Arab Emirates", "data": "AE" },
    { "value": "United Kingdom",       "data": "UK" },
    { "value": "United States",        "data": "US" }
];
$('#autocomplete').autocomplete({
  lookup: countries,
  onSelect: function (suggestion) {
    alert('You selected: ' + suggestion.value + ', ' + suggestion.data);
  }
});

5. The example CSS.

.autocomplete-suggestions {
  border: 1px solid #999;
  background: #FFF;
  cursor: default;
  overflow: auto;
}

.autocomplete-suggestion {
  padding: 2px 5px;
  white-space: nowrap;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.autocomplete-selected {
  background: #F0F0F0;
}

.autocomplete-suggestions strong {
  font-weight: normal;
  color: #3399FF;
}

6. Options and defaults.

$('#autocomplete').autocomplete({

  // ajax settings
  // refer to https://api.jquery.com/jquery.ajax/#jQuery-ajax-settings
  ajaxSettings: {},

  // type of data returned from server. Either 'text' (default) or 'jsonp'
  dataType: 'text',

  // additional parameters to pass with the request
  params: {},

  // ajax request type
  type: 'GET',

  // whether to cache suggestions
  noCache: false,

  // name of the request parameter that contains the query
  paramName: 'query',

  // server side URL or callback function that returns serviceUrl string
  serviceUrl: null,

  // lookup array for the suggestions. It may be array of strings or suggestion object literals
  lookup: null,

  // a custom filterfunction local lookups
  lookupFilter: function (suggestion, query, queryLowerCase) {},

  // number of maximum results to display for local lookup
  lookupLimit: 10,

  // Called after the result of the query is ready. 
  // Convert the result into response.suggestions format
  transformResult: function(response, originalQuery) {},

  // auto select the first item
  autoSelectFirst: false,

  // where suggestions will be appended
  appendTo: 'body',

  // width
  width: 'auto',

  // minimum number of characters required to trigger autosuggest
  minChars: 1,

  // max height
  maxHeight: 300,

  // number of miliseconds to defer ajax request
  deferRequestBy: 0,

  // a custom function to format results
  formatResult: function (suggestion, currentValue) {},

  // a custom function to format group 
  formatGroup: function (suggestion, category) {},

  // string or regExp
  delimiter: null,

  // z-inde property
  zIndex: 9999,

  // during onBlur event, browser will trigger "change" event,
  // because value has changed, to avoid side effect ignore,
  // that event, so that correct suggestion can be selected
  // when clicking on suggestion with a mouse
  preserveInput: false,

  // container CSS class
  containerClass: 'autocomplete-suggestions',

  // enable/disable Tab
  tabDisabled: false,

  // current request
  currentRequest: null,

  // if select should be triggered if it matches suggestion
  triggerSelectOnValidInput: true,

  // prevent bad queries
  preventBadQueries: true,

  // show no suggestion notice
  showNoSuggestionNotice: false,
  noSuggestionNotice: 'No results',

  // auto, top, bottom
  orientation: 'bottom',

  // whether to force fix position
  forceFixPosition: false,

  // callbacks
  onSelect: function (suggestion) {},
  onHint: function () {},
  onSearchStart: function (query) {},
  onSearchComplete: function (query, suggestions) {},
  onSearchError: function (query, jqXHR, textStatus, errorThrown) {},
  onInvalidateSelection: function () {},
  beforeRender: function (container) {},

});

7. API methods.

// update options
$('#autocomplete').autocomplete('setOptions', {
  // options
});

// clear 
$('#autocomplete').autocomplete('clear');

// clear cache
$('#autocomplete').autocomplete('clearCache');

// disable/enable
$('#autocomplete').autocomplete('enable');
$('#autocomplete').autocomplete('disable');

// hide
$('#autocomplete').autocomplete('hide');

// dispose
$('#autocomplete').autocomplete('dispose');

Changelog:

v1.5.0 (2025-07-10)

• update dependencies, format code

v1.4.11 (2023-10-11)

• Cleanup dependencies and remove unnecesary files

v1.4.11 (2021-01-25)

• Updated onHint

v1.4.11 (2020-05-02)

• Rev for 1.4.11 release

v1.4.10 (2019-02-13)

• Rev for 1.4.10 release

v1.4.9 (2018-08-22)

• Rev for 1.4.9 release

v1.4.8 (2018-06-28)

• Use deep copy when cloning settings.

v1.4.7 (2018-06-04)

• Update.

v1.4.6 (2017-12-06)

• Update.

v1.4.5 (2017-11-21)

• Update.

v1.4.4 (2017-10-31)

• Update.

v1.4.3 (2017-09-22)

• Update.

v1.4.0 (2017-04-04)

• Update.

v1.2.14 (2014-09-22)

• Update.

v1.2.12 (2014-08-18)

• Update.

v1.2.10 (2014-08-18)

• Update.

v1.2.9 (2013-12-09)

• Add ability to limit results for local lookup. 
• Add ability to select suggestion if it matches typed value.

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This awesome jQuery plugin is developed by devbridge. For more Advanced Usages, please check the demo page or visit the official website.