fix(search): implement cache invalidation for failed search index builds

Author: jondricek

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ### Bug Fixes
 
 * Settle the search index write when an IndexedDB write fails, instead of leaving the promise pending and the search spinner up.
-* Disable the search controls and explain why when the search index cannot be built, instead of leaving the spinner running for as long as the page is open. A failed restore from the cached index is no longer reported as a successful load.
+* Disable the search controls and explain why when the search index cannot be built, instead of leaving the spinner running for as long as the page is open. A failed restore from the cached index is discarded instead of being reported as a successful load or retried after every reload.
 
 ## v5.0.0 (2026-08-06)
 

attack-search/__tests__/search-events.test.js

@@ -129,12 +129,14 @@ describe('search event bindings', () => {
   });
 
   test('a failed restore from the cache is not reported as a successful load', async () => {
-    await loadIndexWithAFailingWarmRestore();
+    const { cacheKey, deleteCachedDatabase } = await loadIndexWithAFailingWarmRestore();
 
     // The catch used to set the loaded flag false and the finally set it straight back to
     // true, so `search` went on to query an index that was never populated.
     expect(mockJqueryApis['#search-input'].prop).toHaveBeenCalledWith('disabled', true);
     expect(mockJqueryApis['#search-icon'].addClass).toHaveBeenCalledWith('error-icon');
+    expect(global.localStorage.removeItem).toHaveBeenCalledWith(cacheKey);
+    expect(deleteCachedDatabase).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
   });
 
   test('a failed index build puts the search controls into their unavailable state', async () => {
@@ -172,18 +174,26 @@ async function loadIndexWithAFailingColdStart() {
 async function loadIndexWithAFailingWarmRestore() {
   const { searchCacheCompatibilityVersion, searchCacheSchemaVersion } = require('../src/settings');
   const version = `${searchCacheSchemaVersion}-${searchCacheCompatibilityVersion}`;
+  const cacheKey = `saved_uuid_search_schema_${version}`;
+  const deleteCachedDatabase = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
 
   global.window = { indexedDB: {} };
   global.localStorage.getItem.mockReturnValue(`${global.build_uuid}-search-${version}`);
 
   jest.doMock('../src/search-service.js', () => class {
+    constructor() {
+      this.db = { indexeddb: { delete: deleteCachedDatabase } };
+    }
+
     initializeAsync() {
       return Promise.reject(new Error('cached index is unreadable'));
     }
   });
 
   require('../src/index');
   await new Promise(resolve => setImmediate(resolve));
+
+  return { cacheKey, deleteCachedDatabase };
 }
 
 function eventsForSelector(selector) {

attack-search/src/index.js

@@ -104,6 +104,23 @@ function markSearchUnavailable(reason) {
   searchButton.prop('title', reason);
 }
 
+// Remove a failed cached index so the next page load rebuilds it instead of retrying
+// the same restore path. Cache cleanup is best-effort and must not mask the original
+// initialization failure or prevent the unavailable UI state from being shown.
+async function invalidateSearchCache() {
+  try {
+    localStorage.removeItem(searchCacheKey);
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Failed to remove the search cache marker:', error);
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await searchService.db.indexeddb.delete();
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Failed to delete the cached search index:', error);
+  }
+}
+
 const SEARCH_INDEX_FAILED_MESSAGE = 'The search index could not be built. Reload the page to try again.';
 
 // Initialize the search service
@@ -132,6 +149,7 @@ async function initializeSearchService() {
       } catch (error) {
         console.error('Failed to initialize SearchService:', error);
         markSearchUnavailable(SEARCH_INDEX_FAILED_MESSAGE);
+        await invalidateSearchCache();
       } finally {
         searchParsingIcon.hide();
       }