Search & Discovery
Audience: End users and technical evaluators Last Updated: 2026-04-05 Version: 2.0.0
Overview
Llamafin provides powerful search across both your online library and downloaded content, with suggestions, multi-library search, and instant results across 5 content types.
Key Concepts
Dual Search Modes
Online Search:
- Searches your Jellyfin server library
- Real-time results from server
- Multi-library support (search all libraries at once)
- Requires internet connection
Offline Search:
- Searches downloaded content only
- Works without internet
- Instant results (local data)
- Automatically executed alongside online search
Search Categories
Search returns results in 5 organised categories:
| Category | What It Finds | Result Type |
|---|---|---|
| Albums | Matching albums | Online: Album metadata Offline: Download containers |
| Artists | Matching artists | Online: Artist metadata Offline: Download containers |
| Songs | Individual tracks | Online: Song metadata Offline: Download items |
| Playlists | Matching playlists | Online: Playlist metadata Offline: Download containers |
| Genres | Matching genres | Online: Genre metadata Offline: Download containers |
Search Interface
Search Suggestions
Before You Type:
- Displays 20 initial suggestions
- Mix of favorite and random artists/albums
- Helps you discover content
- Sorted by favorite status then randomness
As You Type:
- Executes search immediately
- Shows results in categorized tabs
- Results update in real-time
Multi-Library Search
Search All Libraries:
- Enable in Advanced Settings
- Searches across all your music libraries
- Results merged and deduplicated
- Active library results shown first
How Deduplication Works:
- Items with same ID merged
- Active library takes precedence
- Total count reflects unique items
- No duplicate results
Search Results
Online Results
What You See:
- Album artwork
- Artist names
- Song titles with album context
- Playlist names
- Genre labels
Actions Available:
- Play (all results or individual items)
- Add to queue
- Download for offline
- View details
Offline Results
What You See:
- Downloaded albums
- Downloaded artists
- Downloaded songs
- Downloaded playlists
- Downloaded genres
Actions Available:
- Play offline
- View container details
- Manage downloads
Voice Search
Hands-Free Searching
How It Works:
- Activate voice search (device-dependent)
- Speak your request naturally
- Llamafin searches and plays best match
Priority Order:
- Songs - Direct track match plays immediately
- Albums - Plays album if no song match
- Artists - Plays artist if no album match
- Playlists - Plays playlist as last resort
Best Practices:
- Speak clearly and naturally
- Use artist or song names
- Works offline with downloaded content
- Requires microphone permission
Search Integration
Library Integration
From Search Results:
- Click any result to view details
- Navigate to album/artist/playlist pages
- Play directly from search
- Add to queue without leaving search
Offline Integration
Automatic Behaviour:
- Offline search always executes
- Results shown alongside online
- Works in airplane mode
- No special configuration needed
Search Best Practices
For Best Results
Be Specific:
- Use full artist or album names
- Include album titles
- Try unique song names
- Avoid generic terms
Multi-Library Users:
- Enable "Search All Libraries"
- Find content across collections
- Results deduplicated automatically
- Active library prioritised
Offline Users:
- Search works without internet
- Results from downloaded content
- Instant response times
- No network dependency
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Search Categories | 5 (albums, artists, songs, playlists, genres) |
| Search Suggestions | 20 items |
| Suggestion Sort | IsFavoriteOrLiked, Random |
| Multi-Library Support | Yes (configurable) |
| Offline Search | Yes (automatic) |
| Voice Search | Yes (via Media Session) |
| Result Deduplication | By item ID |