Shadcn Search — Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1

What is Shadcn Search?

Accepted Answer

Shadcn Search is a semantic search and discovery engine for community-built shadcn-compatible React component registries. It gathers custom components from across the web into one searchable index.

Question 2

How does the semantic search work?

Accepted Answer

Unlike keyword matching, our semantic search uses vector search powered by powerful vector embeddings. It understands natural language descriptions of UI layouts and visual styles (e.g. 'shiny card hover effect') and returns matching components.

Question 3

Is Shadcn Search free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Shadcn Search is 100% free. You can search, browse, inspect, and copy installation commands without paying any fees or creating an account.

Question 4

Can I inspect the code of indexed components?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we integrate with CodeSandbox Sandpack to let you browse the complete file tree, inspect the source code, and view dependencies of any indexed component directly in the dashboard.

Question 5

How do I install components from Shadcn Search?

Accepted Answer

Every component page displays the direct command to add it to your project. Simply copy the command (e.g. `npx shadcn@latest add ...`) and run it in your terminal.

Question 6

Can I bookmark or save components for later?

Accepted Answer

Yes, by signing up with your account, you can bookmark your favorite registries and custom components, organizing them into personalized design libraries.

Question 7

What is a shadcn registry?

Accepted Answer

A shadcn registry is a JSON schema file that lists a set of UI components, blocks, or pages, along with their source files, Tailwind CSS variables, and npm packages, allowing the shadcn CLI to install them automatically.

Question 8

How do I add my custom registry to Shadcn Search?

Accepted Answer

We periodically sync and crawl community registries. If you want your custom shadcn registry to be indexed, you can submit a request through the official shadcn/ui GitHub repository: https://ui.shadcn.com/docs/registry/registry-index

Question 9

Does installing community components require additional packages?

Accepted Answer

Most components rely on standard libraries like Tailwind CSS, Lucide React, and Radix UI. Our inspector displays all required npm dependencies and registry dependencies before you install, ensuring clean and predictable integration.

Question 10

Do I need to copy CSS variables manually?

Accepted Answer

No. Our component inspector displays any custom CSS variables or Tailwind config changes required. The shadcn CLI automatically appends these to your CSS files when you install.

Question 11

Can I search for entire page layouts or blocks?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In addition to atomic UI components (like buttons and inputs), Shadcn Search indexes complex blocks and full page templates, such as pricing sections, dashboards, landing heroes, and portfolios.

Question 12

How often are community registries updated?

Accepted Answer

Our automated database pipeline runs daily to crawl registries, enrich them with AI tags and descriptions, and index new components to ensure search results are always fresh.

Question 13

Is it secure to install third-party components?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The components are downloaded directly from their respective public registries using the official shadcn CLI. We recommend reviewing the source code in our code explorer before adding any component to your project.