Real-time hashtag autocomplete helps users discover existing hashtags as they type, similar to @mentions functionality.
Benefits
- Prevents duplicate hashtags with different spellings (#WordPress vs #wordpress)
- Helps users discover existing popular hashtags
- Reduces typing – just select from suggestions
- Keeps hashtag taxonomy organized
How It Works
- Start typing
#in any supported text field - Begin typing your hashtag word
- Suggestions appear automatically showing existing hashtags
- Use arrow keys to navigate the list
- Press Enter or click to select a suggestion
Suggestion Display
Each suggestion shows:
- Hashtag name
- Usage count (how many times it’s been used)
Suggestions are ordered by popularity (most used first).
Where Suggestions Appear
- BuddyPress activity post form
- BuddyPress activity comments
- BuddyPress group activity
- bbPress topic editor
- bbPress reply editor
- User profile hashtag settings (for following)
Enabling/Disabling Suggestions
- Go to WB Plugins > BuddyPress Hashtag > General
- Find “Enable Hashtag Suggestions” option
- Toggle ON or OFF
- Save changes
Styling the Suggestions Dropdown
The suggestions dropdown uses the CSS class .bpht-suggestions. You can customize its appearance:
/* Suggestions container */
.bpht-suggestions {
border: 1px solid #ccd0d4;
border-radius: 4px;
background: #fff;
box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
}
/* Individual suggestion item */
.bpht-suggestion-item {
padding: 8px 12px;
cursor: pointer;
}
/* Hover and selected state */
.bpht-suggestion-item:hover,
.bpht-suggestion-item.selected {
background: #f0f6fc;
color: #0073aa;
}Troubleshooting
Suggestions Not Appearing
- Check if enabled: Go to Settings > General and ensure “Enable Hashtag Suggestions” is ON
- Browser compatibility: Try a different browser or disable browser extensions
- JavaScript conflicts: Check browser console (F12) for errors. Disable other plugins temporarily to test.
- Cache issues: Clear your browser cache and any site caching plugins