autoComplete.js Roadmap: v10.3.0 through v11.1.0

[TarekRaafat]

Hello everyone!

The autoComplete.js roadmap is now live. It covers the path from v10.3.0 through v11.1.0, shaped by your feedback, open issues, and contributor PRs.

Full roadmap: ROADMAP.md

Core Principles

Every decision is anchored to these principles. They always come first.

1. Pure vanilla JavaScript, zero dependencies
2. Smallest footprint in its category, every byte is measured
3. Simple, lightweight, and fast
4. Highly customizable, flexible enough to adapt to any project, use case, or design system
5. Great developer experience, clean API, clear defaults, predictable behavior
6. Solid WAI-ARIA accessibility, full combobox pattern compliance
7. Thorough documentation, every config option, method, and event is covered with types, defaults, and real examples

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Release Timeline

v10.3.0  ->  Bug fixes, hardening & ARIA compliance (no API changes)
v10.4.0  ->  Build modernization + Vitest + ESLint + docs overhaul (no runtime changes)
v10.5.0  ->  Headless mode, standalone search, scoring hook, empty state (non-breaking)
v11.0.0  ->  Breaking: ES class, ESM output, XSS fix, private state, a11y
v11.1.0  ->  Plugin system, multi-source search, recent searches, paste-split (non-breaking)

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v10.3.0: Robustness & Internal Improvements

• [v10.3.0] Input element validation #454 Input element validation
• [v10.3.0] Data source return validation #455 Data source return validation
• [v10.3.0] Unhandled promise rejection in init #456 Unhandled promise rejection in init
• [v10.3.0] Stale async response race condition #457 Stale async response race condition
• [v10.3.0] Instance counter naming cleanup #458 Instance counter naming cleanup
• [v10.3.0] Prototype extension per-instance overhead #459 Prototype extension per-instance overhead
• [v10.3.0] Early termination in search #460 Early termination in search
• [v10.3.0] List clearing performance #461 List clearing performance
• [v10.3.0] Invalid CSS rgba() fix #462 Invalid CSS rgba() fix
• [v10.3.0] aria-label support on listbox and wrapper #463 aria-label support on listbox and wrapper
• [v10.3.0] WAI-ARIA 1.2 combobox compliance #464 WAI-ARIA 1.2 combobox compliance

v10.4.0: Build Modernization, Test Infrastructure & Docs Overhaul

• [v10.4.0] Remove nodent transpiler and modernize build #465 Remove nodent transpiler and modernize build
• [v10.4.0] Enable source maps #466 Enable source maps
• [v10.4.0] Clean up build outputs #467 Clean up build outputs
• [v10.4.0] Add exports field to package.json #468 Add exports field to package.json
• [v10.4.0] Test infrastructure with Vitest #469 Test infrastructure with Vitest
• [v10.4.0] Linting and formatting setup #470 Linting and formatting setup
• [v10.4.0] Documentation overhaul #471 Documentation overhaul

v10.5.0: Headless Mode & Standalone Search Export

• [v10.5.0] Headless / renderless mode #472 Headless / renderless mode
• [v10.5.0] Standalone search engine export #473 Standalone search engine export
• [v10.5.0] Scoring and ranking control #474 Scoring and ranking control
• [v10.5.0] Empty state / no-results template #475 Empty state / no-results template
• [v10.5.0] Case-sensitive search option #476 Case-sensitive search option

v11.0.0: Major Release (Breaking Changes)

• [v11.0.0] ES class conversion #477 ES class conversion
• [v11.0.0] Config merge rewrite #478 Config merge rewrite
• [v11.0.0] Dual CJS + ESM output #479 Dual CJS + ESM output
• [v11.0.0] Private internal state via WeakMap #480 Private internal state via WeakMap
• [v11.0.0] unInit() cleanup: remove results list #481 unInit() cleanup: remove results list
• [v11.0.0] Re-init teardown and select(index) fix #482 Re-init teardown and select(index) fix
• [v11.0.0] XSS fix: DOM-based highlighting #483 XSS fix: DOM-based highlighting
• [v11.0.0] Keyboard modernization: event.key #484 Keyboard modernization: event.key
• [v11.0.0] Escape behavior: close list only #485 Escape behavior: close list only

v11.1.0: Feature Expansion

• [v11.1.0] Plugin / extensibility system #486 Plugin / extensibility system
• [v11.1.0] Multi-source / federated search #487 Multi-source / federated search
• [v11.1.0] Section templates: headers and footers #488 Section templates: headers and footers
• [v11.1.0] Recent searches plugin #489 Recent searches plugin
• [v11.1.0] Paste-split for multi-value inputs #490 Paste-split for multi-value inputs

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How to participate

• 👍 Vote on individual issues that matter to you
• 💬 Comment on issues to share feedback or suggestions
• 💡 Open a new Discussion to propose items not on the roadmap

Your input shapes what gets prioritized. Looking forward to your feedback!

Cheers! :)