Search and listing blocks reference
Eight blocks handle search and content discovery on the public help center: Hero search, Compact search, and Quick links for search; Category grid, Category list, Recent articles, Featured article, and Article list for listings. Their block-specific settings and when to use each are below. For the full 20-block catalogue, see the Portal blocks reference.
Search blocks
Hero search
A large search bar with a headline and optional subheadline above it. Usually the first block on the homepage.
Settings: headline, subtitle, background, placeholder text, search button label, chips label, chip style.
- Search button label — the text on a button that sits inside the search field.
- Chips label — the label shown before the suggested search chips, for example “Most searched:”.
- Chip style — Default or Soft accent color.
When to use: the standard help-center landing experience. Customers expect a big search bar at the top.
Compact search
A smaller search bar that fits inside a denser layout. Useful when the page already has a navigation strip and a hero would be redundant.
Settings: placeholder text, alignment (left, center, right).
When to use: if the homepage has a strong heading already, or for the article page header.
Quick links
A horizontal row of preset links with icons. Customers click straight through to the article or external URL you’ve pinned.
Settings: list of links (icon, label, target URL or article slug). Up to 8 links render cleanly.
When to use: to feature the 4–6 articles or external resources customers ask about most. “Track an order”, “Update payment”, “Contact support”.
Listing blocks
Category grid
A grid of categories — typically 2-4 columns, depending on layout. Each tile shows the category name, icon, description, and article count.
Settings: column count, whether to show description, whether to show article count, sort order.
When to use: the canonical homepage block. Customers scan categories visually and click into the one that matches their problem.
Category list
A vertical list version of Category Grid. Less visual, more scannable.
Settings: show/hide description, show/hide article count, sort order.
When to use: for low-density layouts where visual tiles would feel ostentatious. Doc-style help centers.
Recent articles
The most recently published articles, capped at a limit. Updates automatically as you ship.
Settings: limit (typically 5 or 10), show/hide summary, show/hide reading time.
When to use: to signal that the help center is actively maintained. Customers notice this — recent dates build trust.
Featured article
A single article rendered as a hero card with title, summary, and a “Read more” CTA.
Settings: article picker (which article to feature), background image, CTA label.
When to use: to surface a specific article — a launch announcement, the most-requested how-to, a flagship guide.
Article list
A hand-picked list of articles, shown in the order you select them. Unlike Recent articles, nothing is added automatically.
Settings: title, articles (pick up to 10; they display in the order selected), show summary, show arrow.
When to use: to curate a short reading list for a topic or audience — “Getting started”, “Popular this month”, or the articles behind a new release.