readthedocs-sphinx-search
Sphinx extension to enable search as you type for docs hosted on Read the Docs.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are hosting Sphinx documentation on Read the Docs and want search-as-you-type without additional complexity. No, if you need active maintenance or expect to upgrade Sphinx frequently—the project is archived and unmaintained. Verify compatibility with your current Sphinx version before adopting.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Sphinx to be installed and configured; intended for docs hosted on Read the Docs.
- Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies.
- However, the project is archived and abandoned as of mid-2024, with no active maintenance—use only if the current feature set meets your needs.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions, making it safe to integrate into most projects.
last release 2024-01-15 (942 days) · last repo commit 2024-07-15 · 36 stars · archived
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 138,200 downloads/mo, #11,340 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install readthedocs-sphinx-search
Then in your Sphinx conf.py:
extensions = [
'sphinx_search.extension',
]- Whether the search-as-you-type feature remains fully functional with current Read the Docs infrastructure and modern Sphinx versions.
- Compatibility with recent Sphinx releases and whether any breaking changes have occurred since the last release in January 2024.
What it is and what it does
readthedocs-sphinx-search is a Sphinx extension that integrates live search functionality into documentation sites hosted on Read the Docs. It enables users to search documentation content as they type, providing immediate feedback without requiring a full page reload or separate search submission.
The extension is designed specifically for Read the Docs hosting and requires only Sphinx as a dependency. It is configured by adding a single line to your Sphinx conf.py file. However, the project is now archived and abandoned, with the last commit in July 2024 and no active maintenance—it remains in Beta status and should be treated as a stable but unmaintained tool.
Use it for
- Add live search to Sphinx-based documentation already hosted on Read the Docs without additional backend infrastructure.
- Improve documentation discoverability for users by providing instant search results as they type queries.
- Reduce friction in finding relevant documentation sections for projects using Read the Docs as their primary hosting platform.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are hosting Sphinx documentation on Read the Docs and want search-as-you-type without additional complexity.
No, if you need active maintenance or expect to upgrade Sphinx frequently—the project is archived and unmaintained. Verify compatibility with your current Sphinx version before adopting.
Install
readthedocs-sphinx-search on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies. However, the project is archived and abandoned as of mid-2024, with no active maintenance—use only if the current feature set meets your needs.
Requires Sphinx to be installed and configured; intended for docs hosted on Read the Docs.
License in practice
MIT license permits free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions, making it safe to integrate into most projects.
Quickstart
pip install readthedocs-sphinx-search
Then in your Sphinx conf.py:
extensions = [
'sphinx_search.extension',
]Verify before relying
- Whether the search-as-you-type feature remains fully functional with current Read the Docs infrastructure and modern Sphinx versions.
- Compatibility with recent Sphinx releases and whether any breaking changes have occurred since the last release in January 2024.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.6 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 942 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | repository archived |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 138,200 / month, #11,340 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaFramework :: Sphinx :: ExtensionLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 |
Evidence: readthedocs_sphinx_search-0.3.2-py3-none-any.whl
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