Responsive website design is mandatory for website builders and designers these days. Not only does it helps make cross-platform functionalities readily available to the user, but also makes it easier to navigate the website. The need of the hour is to ensure that users do not feel that they are ‘wasting time’ for even a second and get information at their beck and call. Thus, for top web design companies, the focus has dramatically shifted to making responsive layouts with easy access to information on the website. Stylish and accessible search forms are an example of intuitive web design trends around this time.

Dropdown Search Forms

Dropdown search forms have become immensely popular. They offer three vital functionalities which are in demand. For one, they stay out of sight unless required, thus removing clutter. Secondly, they are easy to access and are functional. And lastly, they add some sleek panache to the website design. Depending on the usage pattern of the users, designers can choose to keep the search field visible across all the pages or make it appear only on the requirement. And then you can opt for the drop-down feature if you need to interact. Even with static nav-bars, the drop-down feature comes very much handy. This ensures the central content never gets compromised on smaller screens, as well.

The Full-screen Modal Search function

A popular alternative to the dropdown form of the search function is the Full-screen modal window format. The essential similarity is the compartmentalization of the search function within a single identical button. When you click the button the search function executes, and this is where the critical difference lies. As opposed to the dropdown search form style, this one sees the search form occupy the whole screen like a new window. This is immensely useful for users with smaller screens where the responsiveness is compromised by space/dimension factor. The Full-screen form draws the users’ attention to the form itself, leaving little scope for mistyping. However, for regular users, this might prove to be a bland option. Unless the search window or form is customized, it can look monotonous and visually cumbersome.

Inline responsive forms are the default option for various websites out there. However, they offer very little regarding responsiveness and accessibility on small screens. Not to mention they are easily overlooked on sites with a high content amount. Top web design companies that have been so far banking on stretchable, form designs are veering towards dropdown and Full-screen modal designs too.