Inserts exact matches of username, email and name to the top of the user search list

app/models/user.rb

@@ -299,11 +299,20 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
       table   = arel_table
       pattern = "%#{query}%"
 
+      order = <<~SQL
+        CASE
+          WHEN users.name = %{query} THEN 0
+          WHEN users.username = %{query} THEN 1
+          WHEN users.email = %{query} THEN 2
+          ELSE 3
+        END
+      SQL
+
       where(
         table[:name].matches(pattern)
           .or(table[:email].matches(pattern))
           .or(table[:username].matches(pattern))
-      )
+      ).reorder(order % { query: ActiveRecord::Base.connection.quote(query) }, id: :desc)
     end
 
     # searches user by given pattern

changelogs/unreleased/26125-match-username-on-search.yml

+---
+title: Inserts exact matches of name, username and email to the top of the search
+  list
+merge_request: 12525
+author:

spec/models/user_spec.rb

@@ -754,42 +754,49 @@ describe User, models: true do
   end
 
   describe '.search' do
-    let(:user) { create(:user) }
+    let!(:user) { create(:user, name: 'user', username: 'usern', email: 'email@gmail.com') }
+    let!(:user2) { create(:user, name: 'user name', username: 'username', email: 'someemail@gmail.com') }
 
-    it 'returns users with a matching name' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.name)).to eq([user])
-    end
+    describe 'name matching' do
+      it 'returns users with a matching name with exact match first' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user.name)).to eq([user, user2])
+      end
 
-    it 'returns users with a partially matching name' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.name[0..2])).to eq([user])
-    end
+      it 'returns users with a partially matching name' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user.name[0..2])).to eq([user2, user])
+      end
 
-    it 'returns users with a matching name regardless of the casing' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.name.upcase)).to eq([user])
+      it 'returns users with a matching name regardless of the casing' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user2.name.upcase)).to eq([user2])
+      end
     end
 
-    it 'returns users with a matching Email' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.email)).to eq([user])
-    end
+    describe 'email matching' do
+      it 'returns users with a matching Email' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user.email)).to eq([user, user2])
+      end
 
-    it 'returns users with a partially matching Email' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.email[0..2])).to eq([user])
-    end
+      it 'returns users with a partially matching Email' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user.email[0..2])).to eq([user2, user])
+      end
 
-    it 'returns users with a matching Email regardless of the casing' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.email.upcase)).to eq([user])
+      it 'returns users with a matching Email regardless of the casing' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user2.email.upcase)).to eq([user2])
+      end
     end
 
-    it 'returns users with a matching username' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.username)).to eq([user])
-    end
+    describe 'username matching' do
+      it 'returns users with a matching username' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user.username)).to eq([user, user2])
+      end
 
-    it 'returns users with a partially matching username' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.username[0..2])).to eq([user])
-    end
+      it 'returns users with a partially matching username' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user.username[0..2])).to eq([user2, user])
+      end
 
-    it 'returns users with a matching username regardless of the casing' do
-      expect(described_class.search(user.username.upcase)).to eq([user])
+      it 'returns users with a matching username regardless of the casing' do
+        expect(described_class.search(user2.username.upcase)).to eq([user2])
+      end
     end
   end