let's just ALF the hell out of it

src/components/forms/SearchInput.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
-import React from 'react'
+import {forwardRef} from 'react'
-import {TextInput, View} from 'react-native'
+import {
+  type NativeSyntheticEvent,
+  type TextInput,
+  type TextInputKeyPressEventData,
+  View,
+} from 'react-native'
 import {msg} from '@lingui/macro'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 
@@ -17,14 +22,26 @@ type SearchInputProps = Omit<TextField.InputProps, 'label'> & {
    * Called when the user presses the (X) button
    */
   onClearText?: () => void
+  /**
+   * Called when the user presses the Escape key
+   */
+  onEscape?: () => void
 }
 
-export const SearchInput = React.forwardRef<TextInput, SearchInputProps>(
+export const SearchInput = forwardRef<TextInput, SearchInputProps>(
-  function SearchInput({value, label, onClearText, ...rest}, ref) {
+  function SearchInput({value, label, onClearText, onEscape, ...rest}, ref) {
     const t = useTheme()
     const {_} = useLingui()
     const showClear = value && value.length > 0
 
+    const onKeyPress = (
+      evt: NativeSyntheticEvent<TextInputKeyPressEventData>,
+    ) => {
+      if (evt.nativeEvent.key === 'Escape') {
+        onEscape?.()
+      }
+    }
+
     return (
       <View style={[a.w_full, a.relative]}>
         <TextField.Root>
@@ -42,6 +59,7 @@ export const SearchInput = React.forwardRef<TextInput, SearchInputProps>(
             autoCorrect={false}
             autoComplete="off"
             autoCapitalize="none"
+            onKeyPress={onKeyPress}
             style={[
               showClear
                 ? {

src/view/shell/desktop/Search.tsx

@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
-import {memo, useCallback, useDeferredValue, useState} from 'react'
+import {memo, useDeferredValue, useRef, useState} from 'react'
-import React from 'react'
 import {
   ActivityIndicator,
   type StyleProp,
+  type TextInput,
   View,
   type ViewStyle,
 } from 'react-native'
-import {msg} from '@lingui/macro'
+import {msg, Trans} from '@lingui/macro'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 import {StackActions, useNavigation} from '@react-navigation/native'
+import type React from 'react'
 
 import {type NavigationProp} from '#/lib/routes/types'
 import {useModerationOpts} from '#/state/preferences/moderation-opts'
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ import {useActorAutocompleteQuery} from '#/state/queries/actor-autocomplete'
 import {SearchProfileCard} from '#/screens/Search/components/SearchProfileCard'
 import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
 import {SearchInput} from '#/components/forms/SearchInput'
+import {MagnifyingGlass2_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as SearchIcon} from '#/components/icons/MagnifyingGlass2'
 import {Link, type LinkProps} from '#/components/Link'
 import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
 
@@ -55,7 +57,9 @@ export function DesktopSearch() {
   const {_} = useLingui()
   const t = useTheme()
   const navigation = useNavigation<NavigationProp>()
-  const [isActive, setIsActive] = useState(false)
+
+  const searchInputRef = useRef<TextInput>(null)
+  const [isFocused, setIsFocused] = useState(false)
   const [query, setQuery] = useState('')
   const deferredQuery = useDeferredValue(query)
   const {data: autocompleteData, isFetching} = useActorAutocompleteQuery(
@@ -65,52 +69,72 @@ export function DesktopSearch() {
 
   const moderationOpts = useModerationOpts()
 
-  const onChangeText = useCallback((text: string) => {
+  const onChangeText = (text: string) => {
     setQuery(text)
-    setIsActive(text.length > 0)
+  }
-  }, [])
 
-  const onPressCancelSearch = useCallback(() => {
+  const onPressCancelSearch = () => {
     setQuery('')
-    setIsActive(false)
+  }
-  }, [setQuery])
 
-  const onSubmit = useCallback(() => {
+  const onEscape = () => {
-    setIsActive(false)
+    setQuery('')
+    searchInputRef.current?.blur()
+  }
+
+  const onSubmit = () => {
     if (!deferredQuery.length) return
     navigation.dispatch(StackActions.push('Search', {q: deferredQuery}))
-  }, [deferredQuery, navigation])
-
-  const onSearchProfileCardPress = React.useCallback(() => {
     setQuery('')
-    setIsActive(false)
+  }
-  }, [])
+
+  const onSearchProfileCardPress = () => {
+    setQuery('')
+  }
 
   return (
-    <View style={[a.w_full]}>
+    <View style={[a.w_full, a.z_10]}>
       <SearchInput
+        ref={searchInputRef}
         value={query}
         onChangeText={onChangeText}
         onClearText={onPressCancelSearch}
+        onEscape={onEscape}
         onSubmitEditing={onSubmit}
+        onFocus={() => setIsFocused(true)}
+        onBlur={() => setIsFocused(false)}
       />
-      {deferredQuery !== '' && isActive && moderationOpts && (
+      {(deferredQuery !== '' || isFocused) && moderationOpts && (
+        <View style={[a.w_full]}>
           <View
             style={[
               t.atoms.bg,
               t.atoms.border_contrast_low,
-            a.mt_sm,
               a.w_full,
               a.border,
+              a.mt_sm,
               a.rounded_sm,
               a.overflow_hidden,
               a.absolute,
+              a.shadow_lg,
+              a.zoom_fade_in,
             ]}>
+            {deferredQuery.length === 0 ? (
+              <View style={[a.py_xl, a.gap_sm, a.align_center]}>
+                <SearchIcon size="2xl" style={[t.atoms.text_contrast_low]} />
+                <Text
+                  style={[a.text_sm, t.atoms.text_contrast_low, a.text_center]}>
+                  <Trans>Start typing to search</Trans>
+                </Text>
+              </View>
+            ) : (
+              <>
                 <SearchLinkCard
                   label={_(msg`Search for "${deferredQuery}"`)}
                   to={{screen: 'Search', params: {q: deferredQuery}}}
                   style={[
-              ((autocompleteData?.length ?? 0) > 0 || isFetching) && a.border_b,
+                    ((autocompleteData?.length ?? 0) > 0 || isFetching) &&
+                      a.border_b,
                   ]}
                 />
                 {isFetching && !autocompleteData?.length ? (
@@ -127,6 +151,9 @@ export function DesktopSearch() {
                     />
                   ))
                 )}
+              </>
+            )}
+          </View>
         </View>
       )}
     </View>