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🗂️ Build a Desktop File Search Engine in Python (Tkinter + ttkbootstrap)

#tutorial #beginners #filesearchengine #python

Ever wanted a lightweight desktop search tool like Spotlight or Everything — but written in pure Python?

In this tutorial, we’ll build a local desktop file search engine that:

✅ Indexes folders
✅ Searches filenames instantly
✅ Opens files on double-click
✅ Works fully offline
✅ Uses a modern UI with ttkbootstrap

By the end, you’ll have your own desktop search app.

📦 Requirements

Install the only external dependency:

pip install ttkbootstrap
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Everything else is included with Python.

📁 Project Reference

Full source code:

👉 https://github.com/rogers-cyber/python-tiny-tools/tree/main/116_Desktop_Search_Engine

🧱 Step 1 — Imports

Start by importing the libraries we need.

import sys
import os
from pathlib import Path
import tkinter as tk
from tkinter import filedialog, messagebox
import ttkbootstrap as tb
import subprocess
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What each one does

tkinter → GUI framework

ttkbootstrap → modern themes for Tkinter

os → file walking

subprocess → open files cross-platform

filedialog → folder picker

messagebox → popup dialogs

⚙️ Step 2 — App Configuration

Define some metadata for your application.

APP_NAME = "Mate Desktop Search"
APP_VERSION = "1.0.0"
APP_AUTHOR = "Mate Technologies"
APP_WEBSITE = "https://matetools.gumroad.com"
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These values are later shown in the UI.

Optional: Resource Helper

If you ever package your app (PyInstaller), this helps locate files like icons:

def resource_path(name):
    base = getattr(sys, "_MEIPASS", Path(__file__).parent)
    return Path(base) / name
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🪟 Step 3 — Create the Main Window

Initialize Tkinter and apply a ttkbootstrap theme.

app = tk.Tk()
style_obj = tb.Style(theme="superhero")

app.title(f"{APP_NAME} {APP_VERSION}")
app.geometry("1000x600")
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Try loading an icon (fails silently if missing):

try:
    app.iconbitmap(str(resource_path("logo.ico")))
except:
    pass
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📊 Step 4 — Application State Variables

These hold shared app data.

indexed_files = []

current_folder = tk.StringVar(master=app, value="")
search_query = tk.StringVar(master=app, value="")
status_text = tk.StringVar(master=app, value="Idle")
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Purpose

indexed_files → every discovered file

current_folder → selected directory

search_query → live search text

status_text → bottom status label

📂 Step 5 — Folder Selection

Let users choose a folder:

def select_folder():
    folder = filedialog.askdirectory()
    if folder:
        current_folder.set(folder)
        index_folder(folder)
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Once selected, we immediately index it.

🗃️ Step 6 — Indexing Files

Walk through every subfolder and collect file paths.

def index_folder(folder):
    indexed_files.clear()

    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(folder):
        for f in files:
            indexed_files.append(os.path.join(root, f))

    status_text.set(f"Indexed {len(indexed_files)} files")
    update_results()
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This uses os.walk() to recursively scan everything.

🔍 Step 7 — Searching

Every key press triggers this function.

def update_results(*args):
    query = search_query.get().lower()

    results_list.delete(0, tk.END)

    if not query:
        return
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Now filter filenames:


    matches = [
        f for f in indexed_files
        if query in os.path.basename(f).lower()
    ]
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Display up to 500 results:

    for m in matches[:500]:
        results_list.insert(tk.END, m)

    status_text.set(f"{len(matches)} result(s)")
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📂 Step 8 — Opening Files

Double-clicking or pressing “Open Selected” runs this:

def open_selected(event=None):
    sel = results_list.curselection()
    if not sel:
        return

    path = results_list.get(sel[0])
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Platform-specific file opening:

    try:
        if sys.platform.startswith("win"):
            os.startfile(path)
        elif sys.platform.startswith("darwin"):
            subprocess.call(["open", path])
        else:
            subprocess.call(["xdg-open", path])
    except Exception as e:
        messagebox.showerror("Error", str(e))
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This works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

ℹ️ Step 9 — About Dialog

A simple info popup:

def show_about():
    messagebox.showinfo(
        f"About {APP_NAME}",
        f"{APP_NAME} v{APP_VERSION}\n\n"
        "A fast lightweight desktop file search engine.\n\n"
        "Features:\n"
        "• Folder indexing\n"
        "• Instant filename search\n"
        "• Double-click to open files\n"
        "• Works fully offline\n"
        "• Modern ttkbootstrap UI\n\n"
        "Use Cases:\n"
        "• Find documents quickly\n"
        "• Locate media files\n"
        "• Search project folders\n\n"
        f"{APP_AUTHOR}\n{APP_WEBSITE}"
    )
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🧩 Step 10 — Build the UI Layout
Title

tb.Label(app, text=APP_NAME, font=("Segoe UI", 18, "bold")).pack(pady=(10,2))
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Subtitle:

tb.Label(
    app,
    text="Instant local file search",
    font=("Segoe UI",10,"italic"),
    foreground="#9ca3af"
).pack(pady=(0,10))
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Main Container

main_frame = tb.Frame(app)
main_frame.pack(fill="both", expand=True, padx=10, pady=10)
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Split into left and right panels:

left = tb.Frame(main_frame)
left.pack(side="left", fill="both", expand=True)

right = tb.Frame(main_frame, width=260)
right.pack(side="right", fill="y", padx=5)
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Results List

results_list = tk.Listbox(left, bg="#222", fg="white")
results_list.pack(fill="both", expand=True)

results_list.bind("<Double-Button-1>", open_selected)
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Control Panel

Folder display:

tb.Label(right, text="Indexed Folder:").pack(anchor="w")
tb.Entry(right, textvariable=current_folder).pack(fill="x", pady=3)
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Buttons:

tb.Button(right, text="Select Folder", bootstyle="primary",
          command=select_folder).pack(fill="x", pady=5)
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Search field:

tb.Label(right, text="Search:").pack(anchor="w")

search_entry = tb.Entry(right, textvariable=search_query)
search_entry.pack(fill="x", pady=3)
search_entry.bind("<KeyRelease>", update_results)
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More actions:

tb.Button(right, text="Open Selected", bootstyle="success",
          command=open_selected).pack(fill="x", pady=5)

tb.Button(right, text="About", bootstyle="secondary",
          command=show_about).pack(fill="x", pady=5)
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Status bar:

tb.Label(right, textvariable=status_text).pack(pady=10)
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▶️ Step 11 — Run the App

Finally:

app.mainloop()
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Your desktop search engine is alive.

🚀 Ideas for Extensions

Try adding:

Content search (not just filenames)

File type filters

Recent searches

SQLite indexing

Tray icon

Keyboard shortcuts

Packaging with PyInstaller

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