updates on catalog search and suggestions in backend

tests/test_api.py

@@ -87,5 +87,23 @@ def test_openapi_schema_lists_all_routers(client) -> None:
     resp = client.get("/openapi.json")
     assert resp.status_code == 200
     paths = resp.json()["paths"]
-    for expected in ("/api/health", "/api/brands", "/api/search", "/api/chat", "/api/catalog/generate"):
+    for expected in ("/api/health", "/api/brands", "/api/search", "/api/suggest",
+                     "/api/chat", "/api/catalog/generate"):
         assert expected in paths, f"missing route: {expected}"
+
+
+def test_suggest_works_without_a_database(client) -> None:
+    """Autocomplete must degrade, not 500, when the catalog is unreachable.
+
+    This suite runs with no reachable database, so this pins that the search
+    box keeps suggesting from the static brand table instead of erroring - a
+    failing suggest call must never block someone from typing and searching.
+    """
+    resp = client.get("/api/suggest", params={"q": "cavin"})
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    labels = [s["label"] for s in resp.json()["suggestions"]]
+    assert "Cavinkare" in labels
+
+
+def test_suggest_requires_a_query(client) -> None:
+    assert client.get("/api/suggest").status_code == 422