Creating an Ajax search function

If we want to search for information in our application, it might be useful to perform the search asynchronously. That way, the user won't have to be taken to a new page and have all the assets refreshed. Using Laravel and JavaScript, we can perform this search in a very simple manner.

Getting ready

For this recipe, we'll need a working installation of Laravel.

How to do it...

To complete this recipe, follow these steps:

1. In the controllers directory, create a file named SearchController.php:

   <?php
   
   class SearchController extends BaseController {
   
     public function getIndex()
   {
     return View::make('search.index');
   }
   
     public function postSearch()
   {
     $return = array();
     $term = Input::get('term');
   
     $books = array(array('name' => 'Alice in Wonderland', 'author' => 'Lewis Carroll'),array('name' => 'Tom Sawyer', 'author' => 'Mark Twain'),array('name' => 'Gulliver\'s Travels', 'author' =>'Jonathan Swift'),array('name' => 'The Art of War'...