CookCook

Manual · Add a book

Add a book to your library

You can add cookbooks to your library two ways: scan the barcode on the back of the book, or search the catalogue by title or author. Both start from the green + next to Books.

1Open the add menu

On the Recipes tab, tap the green + next to the Books heading. A menu lists everything you can add — choose Search collection or Scan barcode for books. (The same menu also captures loose recipes and opens ePubs.)

The Recipes tab with the add menu open under the green plus button next to the Books heading.

2Choose how you want to add

Both options open the same screen: a search panel over the camera. In search mode the camera stays off until you slide the panel down or tap the scan area; in scan mode the viewfinder is live with the search field within reach. Use whichever is faster for the book in your hand.

The add-book screen with the search panel raised over the barcode scanner.

3Search by title or author

Tap the search field and start typing. Results update as you type and match against title, author, and publisher. Each result shows the cover, title, and year of publication.

The search field with a query typed in and matching books appearing in the results list.

4Add the book to your library

Tap the green + on the right of the row. The button turns into a checkmark, and the book is now in your library. You can keep adding more from the same screen.

A book row in the results with the green Add button replaced by a checkmark, indicating it was added.

5Or — scan the barcode

In scan mode, point your phone at the barcode on the back of the book. CookCook recognises EAN-13, EAN-8, and UPC-E codes — the same bars you'd see at a checkout. When the code is matched, the book's cover appears at the bottom of the screen; tap it to add.

Tip: if a scanned book isn't in our catalogue yet, you'll see a Create book option — title, author, and a cover colour are enough to add it yourself.

The barcode scanner viewport pointed at the back of a cookbook, with the EAN-13 barcode highlighted.

6Done — you land on the book

After adding, the screen closes and CookCook takes you straight to the book's page. Your new books also appear on the Recipes tab.

The newly added book's own page, opened right after adding.
Notes for the team — first-time UX
  • The green + lives in the Books section header now — the nav-bar corner is Settings — worth verifying with new users that they spot it there.
  • Barcode scanning needs a real device — the simulator can't open the camera, so step 5 is captured on hardware (or with a placeholder wireframe until then).
  • Search mode keeps the camera off behind the panel. Consider whether first-time users understand they can slide down to scan mid-flow, or whether a brief inline hint would help.
  • A text search that finds nothing still dead-ends with a scan hint; the barcode path's Create book flow could be offered from there too.