diff --git a/src/groups/search.js b/src/groups/search.js
index 3e0dfd2def..c77525e7c1 100644
--- a/src/groups/search.js
+++ b/src/groups/search.js
@@ -1,86 +1,79 @@
-'use strict';
-
-const user = require('../user');
-const db = require('../database');
-
-module.exports = function (Groups) {
-	Groups.search = async function (query, options) {
-		if (!query) {
-			return [];
-		}
-		query = String(query).toLowerCase();
-		let groupNames = Object.values(await db.getObject('groupslug:groupname'));
-		if (!options.hideEphemeralGroups) {
-			groupNames = Groups.ephemeralGroups.concat(groupNames);
-		}
-		groupNames = groupNames.filter(
-			name => name.toLowerCase().includes(query) && name !== Groups.BANNED_USERS // hide banned-users in searches
-		);
-		groupNames = groupNames.slice(0, 100);
-
-		let groupsData;
-		if (options.showMembers) {
-			groupsData = await Groups.getGroupsAndMembers(groupNames);
-		} else {
-			groupsData = await Groups.getGroupsData(groupNames);
-		}
-		groupsData = groupsData.filter(Boolean);
-		if (options.filterHidden) {
-			groupsData = groupsData.filter(group => !group.hidden);
-		}
-		return Groups.sort(options.sort, groupsData);
-	};
-
-	Groups.sort = function (strategy, groups) {
-		switch (strategy) {
-			case 'count':
-				groups.sort((a, b) => a.slug > b.slug)
-					.sort((a, b) => b.memberCount - a.memberCount);
-				break;
-
-			case 'date':
-				groups.sort((a, b) => b.createtime - a.createtime);
-				break;
-
-			case 'alpha': // intentional fall-through
-			default:
-				groups.sort((a, b) => (a.slug > b.slug ? 1 : -1));
-		}
-
-		return groups;
-	};
-
-	Groups.searchMembers = async function (data) {
-		if (!data.query) {
-			const users = await Groups.getOwnersAndMembers(data.groupName, data.uid, 0, 19);
-			const matchCount = users.length;
-			const timing = '0.00';
-			return { users, matchCount, timing };
-		}
-
-		const results = await user.search({
-			...data,
-			paginate: false,
-			hardCap: -1,
-		});
-
-		const uids = results.users.map(user => user && user.uid);
-		const isOwners = await Groups.ownership.isOwners(uids, data.groupName);
-
-		results.users.forEach((user, index) => {
-			if (user) {
-				user.isOwner = isOwners[index];
-			}
-		});
-
-		results.users.sort((a, b) => {
-			if (a.isOwner && !b.isOwner) {
-				return -1;
-			} else if (!a.isOwner && b.isOwner) {
-				return 1;
-			}
-			return 0;
-		});
-		return results;
-	};
+"use strict";
+var __importDefault = (this && this.__importDefault) || function (mod) {
+    return (mod && mod.__esModule) ? mod : { "default": mod };
 };
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+const user_1 = __importDefault(require("../user"));
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+const database_1 = __importDefault(require("../database"));
+function attachSearchFunctions(Groups) {
+    Groups.search = async function (query, options = {}) {
+        if (!query) {
+            return [];
+        }
+        query = query.toLowerCase();
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+        let groupNames = Object.values(await database_1.default.getObject('groupslug:groupname'));
+        if (!options.hideEphemeralGroups) {
+            groupNames = Groups.ephemeralGroups.concat(groupNames);
+        }
+        groupNames = groupNames.filter((name) => name.toLowerCase().includes(query) && name !== Groups.BANNED_USERS);
+        groupNames = groupNames.slice(0, 100);
+        let groupsData;
+        if (options.showMembers) {
+            groupsData = await Groups.getGroupsAndMembers(groupNames);
+        }
+        else {
+            groupsData = await Groups.getGroupsData(groupNames);
+        }
+        groupsData = groupsData.filter(Boolean);
+        if (options.filterHidden) {
+            groupsData = groupsData.filter(group => !group.hidden);
+        }
+        return Groups.sort(options.sort, groupsData) || []; // Ensure non-empty array return
+    };
+    Groups.sort = function (strategy, groups) {
+        switch (strategy) {
+            case 'count':
+                groups.sort((a, b) => a.slug.localeCompare(b.slug))
+                    .sort((a, b) => b.memberCount - a.memberCount);
+                break;
+            case 'date':
+                groups.sort((a, b) => b.createtime - a.createtime);
+                break;
+            case 'alpha': // intentional fall-through
+            default:
+                groups.sort((a, b) => (a.slug > b.slug ? 1 : -1));
+        }
+        return groups;
+    };
+    Groups.searchMembers = async function (data) {
+        if (!data.query) {
+            const users = await Groups.getOwnersAndMembers(data.groupName, data.uid, 0, 19);
+            const matchCount = users.length;
+            const timing = '0.00';
+            return { users, matchCount, timing };
+        }
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+        const results = await user_1.default.search(Object.assign(Object.assign({}, data), { paginate: false, hardCap: -1 }));
+        const uids = results.users.map(user => user === null || user === void 0 ? void 0 : user.uid);
+        const isOwners = await Groups.ownership.isOwners(uids, data.groupName);
+        results.users.forEach((user, index) => {
+            if (user) {
+                // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+                user.isOwner = isOwners[index];
+            }
+        });
+        results.users.sort((a, b) => {
+            if ((a === null || a === void 0 ? void 0 : a.isOwner) && !(b === null || b === void 0 ? void 0 : b.isOwner)) {
+                return -1;
+            }
+            else if (!(a === null || a === void 0 ? void 0 : a.isOwner) && (b === null || b === void 0 ? void 0 : b.isOwner)) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+            return 0;
+        });
+        return results;
+    };
+}
+module.exports = attachSearchFunctions;
diff --git a/src/groups/search.ts b/src/groups/search.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..25af4327b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/groups/search.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+import user from '../user';
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+import db from '../database';
+
+
+interface Groups {
+  slug: string;
+  memberCount: number;
+  hidden: boolean;
+  createtime: number;
+  search: (query: string, options: SearchOptions) => Promise<Groups[]>;
+  ephemeralGroups: string[];
+  BANNED_USERS: string;
+  getGroupsAndMembers: (groupNames: string[]) => Promise<Groups[]>;
+  getGroupsData: (groupNames: string[]) => Promise<Groups[]>;
+  sort: (strategy: string, groups: Groups[]) => Groups[];
+  searchMembers: (data: { query: string; groupName: string; uid?: number }) => Promise<SearchResults>;
+  getOwnersAndMembers: (groupName: string, uid?: number, start?: number, stop?: number) => Promise<User[]>;
+  ownership: {
+	isOwners: (uids: number[], groupName: string) => Promise<boolean[]>;
+  };
+}
+
+interface SearchOptions {
+  hideEphemeralGroups?: boolean;
+  showMembers?: boolean;
+  filterHidden?: boolean;
+  sort?: string;
+}
+
+interface SearchResults {
+  users: User[];
+  matchCount: number;
+  timing: string;
+}
+
+interface User {
+  uid: number;
+  isOwner?: boolean;
+}
+
+
+function attachSearchFunctions(Groups: Groups) {
+	Groups.search = async function (query: string, options: SearchOptions = {}): Promise<Groups[]> {
+		if (!query) {
+			return [];
+		}
+		query = query.toLowerCase();
+		// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+		let groupNames = Object.values(await db.getObject('groupslug:groupname') as Groups);
+		if (!options.hideEphemeralGroups) {
+			groupNames = Groups.ephemeralGroups.concat(groupNames as string[]);
+		}
+		groupNames = groupNames.filter(
+			(name: string) => name.toLowerCase().includes(query) && name !== Groups.BANNED_USERS
+		);
+		groupNames = groupNames.slice(0, 100);
+
+		let groupsData: Groups[] | undefined;
+		if (options.showMembers) {
+			groupsData = await Groups.getGroupsAndMembers(groupNames as string[]);
+		} else {
+			groupsData = await Groups.getGroupsData(groupNames as string[]);
+		}
+		groupsData = groupsData.filter(Boolean);
+		if (options.filterHidden) {
+			groupsData = groupsData.filter(group => !group.hidden);
+		}
+		return Groups.sort(options.sort, groupsData) || []; // Ensure non-empty array return
+	};
+
+	Groups.sort = function (strategy: string, groups: Groups[]): Groups[] {
+		switch (strategy) {
+			case 'count':
+				groups.sort((a, b) => a.slug.localeCompare(b.slug))
+					.sort((a, b) => b.memberCount - a.memberCount);
+				break;
+
+			case 'date':
+				groups.sort((a, b) => b.createtime - a.createtime);
+				break;
+
+			case 'alpha': // intentional fall-through
+			default:
+				groups.sort((a, b) => (a.slug > b.slug ? 1 : -1));
+		}
+
+		return groups;
+	};
+	Groups.searchMembers = async function (data: {
+    query: string;
+    groupName: string;
+    uid?: number;
+  }): Promise<SearchResults> {
+		if (!data.query) {
+			const users = await Groups.getOwnersAndMembers(
+				data.groupName,
+				data.uid,
+				0,
+				19
+			);
+			const matchCount = users.length;
+			const timing = '0.00';
+			return { users, matchCount, timing };
+		}
+		// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+		const results: SearchResults = await user.search({
+			...data,
+			paginate: false,
+			hardCap: -1,
+		}) as SearchResults;
+
+		const uids = results.users.map(user => user?.uid);
+		const isOwners = await Groups.ownership.isOwners(
+			uids,
+			data.groupName
+		);
+
+		results.users.forEach((user, index) => {
+			if (user) {
+				// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+				user.isOwner = isOwners[index];
+			}
+		});
+
+		results.users.sort((a, b) => {
+			if (a?.isOwner && !b?.isOwner) {
+				return -1;
+			} else if (!a?.isOwner && b?.isOwner) {
+				return 1;
+			}
+			return 0;
+		});
+		return results;
+	};
+}
+
+export = attachSearchFunctions
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index 10aeeef7e6..c15cb37711 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "compilerOptions": {
     "allowJs": false,
-    "target": "es6",
+    "target": "es2017",
     "module": "commonjs",
     "moduleResolution": "node",
     "esModuleInterop": true,