How to Add Category Filters and Customize Search in Docy

If you’re using the Docy WordPress theme with EazyDocs, you may want to fine-tune the Hero Search feature so it filters results by specific categories. That way, visitors can find the right documentation faster instead of wading through unrelated content. In this post, I’ll walk through the requirements, technical considerations, and practical steps for making that happen.

Objective: Enhancing Hero Search

The main goal here is to customize the Docy Hero Search dropdown so it shows specific documentation categories, such as product modules or specialized guides, instead of the default post types or forum options. On top of that, the search should return only EazyDocs documentation titles from the selected categories, not regular blog posts or forum entries.

Functional Requirements

• Dropdown Category Filter: Replace the default post type selectors in the search bar with a custom list of specific categories.
• Targeted Search Source: Keep search results limited to EazyDocs items tied to the selected categories.
• Versatile Placement: Make the filter usable in the main Hero section, sidebars, or tabbed components.
• Scalability: Support hierarchical subcategories so the setup can grow with your content.
• Consistent UI: Make sure any related tabs follow the same category logic as the search dropdown.

Implementation Considerations

• Platform Limitations: Since this isn’t a built-in feature in Docy or EazyDocs, it needs custom development.
• Customization Methods: The cleanest approach is usually through a child theme, template overrides, or a dedicated custom plugin.
• Taxonomy Mapping: Be clear about whether the categories come from standard WordPress post categories or from EazyDocs custom taxonomies so the query logic pulls the right content.

Development Steps

1. Identify Data Sources: Confirm how your EazyDocs content is structured and which taxonomy it uses.
2. Customize the Dropdown: Add a custom select field in the Hero search form and populate it with your chosen categories.
3. Refine Query Logic: Use WordPress hooks to filter search results based on the category selected by the user.
4. Ensure UI Consistency: Update supporting elements, like sidebar tabs, so they match the same category filters.
5. Enable Subcategory Support: Build the query logic so it can handle hierarchical taxonomy terms without breaking the search flow.

Sample Code Snippet

Developers can use the following approach in a child theme’s functions.php file or in a custom plugin to adjust the search query:

add_filter('pre_get_posts', 'filter_docs_by_category');
function filter_docs_by_category($query) {
    if (is_search() && !is_admin() && isset($_GET['doc_category'])) {
        $query->set('post_type', 'eazydocs');
        $query->set('tax_query', array([
            'taxonomy' => 'doc_category',
            'field' => 'slug',
            'terms' => sanitize_text_field($_GET['doc_category'])
        ]));
    }
    return $query;
}

Note: You’ll still need additional custom code to populate the dropdown options and handle any frontend template overrides.

Project Management

• Scope and Budget: Customization costs usually depend on the complexity of your setup and the exact behavior you want.
• Timeline: Implementation often takes 2–3 business days, depending on the developer’s workload and project details.
• Communication: Share your taxonomy structure and content organization clearly with your developer so the solution is built the right way from the start.

Conclusion

Docy and EazyDocs give you a solid base for documentation, but advanced search filtering usually needs a custom build. Once you map out your taxonomy structure and search behavior, you can work with a developer to create a smoother, category-aware search experience for your users.