Key insights
- Use fuzzy matching, not exact substring search — typing "stg" should still surface "Settings", "Storage", and "Staging". Exact matching returns nothing and feels broken.
- Group results into labeled sections (Recent, Actions, Pages) so a long flat list becomes scannable structure instead of an undifferentiated wall.
- Make it fully keyboard-driven: arrows move the highlight, Enter runs the selected command, Esc closes — never force the user back to the mouse.
- Never open to a blank void. Prefill recent or suggested commands so people have a starting point before they type a single character.
- For async commands, show an inline spinner and keep the palette open — load results in place rather than freezing the whole screen.
- Support nested commands: one command can drill into a sub-menu with a breadcrumb, and Esc walks back exactly one level.
Do / Don't
- Do: Match queries as fuzzy subsequences so "stg" still finds "Settings"
- Do: Prefill recent and suggested commands so the palette opens with something to act on
- Do: Drive everything from the keyboard — arrows to move, Enter to run, Esc to go back
- Don't: Require exact substring matches — "stg" ≠ "Settings" leaves users staring at "No results"
- Don't: Open to a blank "No results" void with nothing to select
- Don't: Freeze the whole screen while an async command loads instead of spinning inline
