From a579ca73b91fa94110395c943983ebf5b4cc909c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Gaurav Saini <me@gauravsaini.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:19:30 +1100
Subject: [PATCH] fix: handle autocomplete error gracefully in search field
 (#1950)

When the autocomplete provider throws (e.g., network error or
SnapDataNotFoundException), the search field now returns an empty
options list instead of crashing the application.
---
 .../app_center/lib/search/search_field.dart   |  7 ++++-
 .../app_center/test/search_field_test.dart    | 29 +++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 35 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/packages/app_center/lib/search/search_field.dart b/packages/app_center/lib/search/search_field.dart
index bb6d54f19..f0ac97abc 100644
--- a/packages/app_center/lib/search/search_field.dart
+++ b/packages/app_center/lib/search/search_field.dart
@@ -60,7 +60,12 @@ class _SearchFieldState extends ConsumerState<SearchField> {
     return RawAutocomplete<AutoCompleteOption>(
       optionsBuilder: (query) async {
         ref.read(queryProvider.notifier).state = query.text;
-        final options = await ref.watch(autoCompleteProvider.future);
+        final AutoCompleteOptions options;
+        try {
+          options = await ref.watch(autoCompleteProvider.future);
+        } on Exception {
+          return <AutoCompleteOption>[];
+        }
         if (options.snaps.isEmpty && options.debs.isEmpty) return [];
         _optionsAvailable = true;
         final snapOptions = options.snaps
diff --git a/packages/app_center/test/search_field_test.dart b/packages/app_center/test/search_field_test.dart
index e981c858b..552862d33 100644
--- a/packages/app_center/test/search_field_test.dart
+++ b/packages/app_center/test/search_field_test.dart
@@ -222,4 +222,33 @@ void main() {
       verifyNever(mockSelectedCallback(any));
     });
   });
+
+  group('error handling', () {
+    testWidgets('gracefully handles autocomplete error', (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpApp(
+        (_) => ProviderScope(
+          overrides: [
+            snapSearchProvider.overrideWith(
+              (ref, searchParameters) =>
+                  Stream.error(Exception('Network error')),
+            ),
+            appstreamSearchProvider
+                .overrideWith((ref, query) => Stream.value([])),
+          ],
+          child: SearchField(
+            onSearch: (_) {},
+            onSnapSelected: (_) {},
+            onDebSelected: (_) {},
+            searchFocus: FocusNode(),
+          ),
+        ),
+      );
+
+      final textField = find.byType(TextField);
+      await tester.enterText(textField, 'test');
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+
+      expect(find.byType(TextField), findsOneWidget);
+    });
+  });
 }