Notes

Added v2.27.0 for use with the mark.js plugin.
Notable Issues:
- - Some rows won't be highlighted because the filter finds fuzzy matches across rows, while the mark widget is targeting separate cell content.
- - Using a regular expression search will not include diacritics; use an " OR " search instead .
  I may fix this in future updates.
- or - When a regular expression matches everything, the regex is ignored by the mark widget otherwise, mark.js does bad things; but this regex is okay: .
- or - Operators & ranges are not fully supported (these are not supported at all by the filter widget in an "all" columns match - see the documentation on any match limitations).
- - There is nothing to highlight for not matches.
The mark function is used for the following filter queries:
- Plain text
- Logical AND ( and or && ) & logical OR ( or or |) searches.
- Invalid regex (e.g. /(|)/).
- Operator, range, exact and not searches.
The markRegExp function is used when the filter contains:
- A "valid" regular expression
- Fuzzy search (~)
- Wild card ? or * search
Try out the jSFiddle Playground.

Options

Mark widget defaults (added inside of tablesorter `widgetOptions`)

The widgetOptions are essentially Mark.js settings with a `mark_` prefix. All options are dynamically updated.

TIP! Click on the link in the function column to reveal full details (or toggle|show|hide all) or double click to update the browser location.

Option	Default	Description
mark_tsUpdate	"markUpdate"	This option sets the event that can be triggered on the table to update the marks. Use it as follows: $('table').tablesorter({ widgets: ['mark'], widgetOptions: { mark_tsUpdate: 'markFu' } }); $('button.update').click(function(){ // update the marks in the table $('table').trigger('markFu'); });
Mark.js settings - see official documentation
mark_accuracy	"partially"	Use "partially", "complementary", "exactly" or object - see markjs docs for details.
mark_className	""	A class name added to the element.
mark_debug	false	If `true`, messages will be logged.
mark_diacritics	true	If `true`, diacritic characters should be matched.
mark_done	function(totalMatches){}	A callback function after all marks are done.
mark_each	function(element){}	A callback for each marked element.
mark_element	"mark"	HTML element to wrap matches.
mark_exclude	[]	An array with exclusion selectors. Matches inside these elements will be ignored.
mark_filter	function(parameters){ return true; }	A callback to filter or limit matches. When the `mark` function is called, the function parameters are: function(node, keyword, matches, totalMatches) { return true; } When the `markRegExp` function is called, the function parameters are: function(node, match, totalMatches) { return true; } In both cases, a `return true` is needed to highlight the match. Note See the notes section above to know when which function is called.
mark_iframes	false	Whether to search also inside iframes.
mark_log	console	Log message to this object.
mark_noMatch	function(keyword){}	A callback function that will be called when there are no matches. When the `mark` function is called, the keyword parameter is a string. When the `markRegExp` function is called, the keyword parameter is the regular expression. Note See the notes section above to know when which function is called.
mark_separateWordSearch	true	Whether to search for each word separated by a blank.
mark_synonyms	{}	An object with synonyms..

Demo: With the Filter Widget

Search/Highlight all columns:

Rank	First Name	Last Name	Age	Total	Discount	Date

1	Philip Aaron Wong	Johnson Sr Esq	25	$5.95	22%	Jun 26, 2004 7:22 AM
11	Aáron	Hibert	12	$2.99	5%	Aug 21, 2009 12:21 PM
12	Brandon Clark	Henry Jr	51	$42.29	18%	Oct 13, 2000 1:15 PM
111	Peter	Párker	28	$9.99	20%	Jul 6, 2006 8:14 AM
21	John	Hood	33	$19.99	25%	Dec 10, 2002 5:14 AM
013	Clark	Kènt Sr.	18	$15.89	44%	Jan 12, 2003 11:14 AM
005	Bruce	Almighty Esq	45	$153.19	44%	Jan 18, 2021 9:12 AM
10	Alex	Dumāss	13	$5.29	4%	Jan 8, 2012 5:11 PM
16	Jim	Franco	24	$14.19	14%	Jan 14, 2004 11:23 AM
166	Brüce Lee	Evans	22	$13.19	11%	Jan 18, 2007 9:12 AM
100	Brenda Dexter	McMasters	18	$55.20	15%	Feb 12, 2010 7:23 PM
55	Dennís	Bronson	65	$123.00	32%	Jan 20, 2001 1:12 PM
9	Martha	delFuego	25	$22.09	17%	Jun 11, 2011 10:55 AM

Demo: Without the Filter Widget

Search/Highlight all columns:

Rank	First Name	Last Name	Age	Total	Discount	Date
1	Philip Aaron Wong	Johnson Sr Esq	25	$5.95	22%	Jun 26, 2004 7:22 AM
11	Aáron	Hibert	12	$2.99	5%	Aug 21, 2009 12:21 PM
12	Brandon Clark	Henry Jr	51	$42.29	18%	Oct 13, 2000 1:15 PM
111	Peter	Párker	28	$9.99	20%	Jul 6, 2006 8:14 AM
21	John	Hood	33	$19.99	25%	Dec 10, 2002 5:14 AM
013	Clark	Kènt Sr.	18	$15.89	44%	Jan 12, 2003 11:14 AM
005	Bruce	Almighty Esq	45	$153.19	44%	Jan 18, 2021 9:12 AM
10	Alex	Dumāss	13	$5.29	4%	Jan 8, 2012 5:11 PM
16	Jim	Franco	24	$14.19	14%	Jan 14, 2004 11:23 AM
166	Brüce Lee	Evans	22	$13.19	11%	Jan 18, 2007 9:12 AM
100	Brenda Dexter	McMasters	18	$55.20	15%	Feb 12, 2010 7:23 PM
55	Dennís	Bronson	65	$123.00	32%	Jan 20, 2001 1:12 PM
9	Martha	delFuego	25	$22.09	17%	Jun 11, 2011 10:55 AM

Page Header

<!-- blue theme stylesheet -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/theme.blue.css">
<!-- tablesorter plugin -->
<script src="js/jquery-latest.min.js"></script>
<script src="js/jquery.tablesorter.js"></script>
<script src="js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets.js"></script>

<!-- jquery.mark.js & tablesorter mark widget loaded after the plugin -->
<script src="js/jquery.mark.js"></script>
<script src="js/widget-mark.js"></script>

CSS

/* Example showing how to change the mark color by column */
tr td:nth-child(1) mark { background: #aa0000; color: #fff; }
tr td:nth-child(2) mark { background: #00aa00; color: #fff; }
tr td:nth-child(3) mark { background: #0000aa; color: #fff; }
tr td:nth-child(4) mark { background: #aaaa00; color: #fff; }
tr td:nth-child(5) mark { background: #00aaaa; color: #fff; }
tr td:nth-child(6) mark { background: #aa00aa; color: #fff; }

Javascript

$(function() {

  // ==============================
  // WITH filter widget
  // ==============================
  var $table = $('#table').tablesorter({
    theme: 'blue',
    widthFixed : true,
    // sort & filter diacritics
    sortLocaleCompare: true,
    widgets: ['zebra', 'filter', 'mark'],
    widgetOptions: {
      filter_external: 'input[name="keyword"]',
      filter_reset: 'button.reset',

      // default settings
      mark_accuracy: 'partially',
      mark_className: '',
      mark_debug: false,
      mark_diacritics: true,
      mark_element: 'mark',
      mark_exclude: [],
      mark_iframes: false,
      mark_log: console,
      mark_separateWordSearch: true,
      mark_synonyms: {},
      // callback functions
      mark_done: function(totalMatches) {},
      mark_each: function(element) {},
      mark_filter: function(node, term, counter, totalCounter) { return true; },
      mark_noMatch: function(keyword) {}
    }
  });

  // preset searches for the first table
  $('button[data-filter-column]').click(function(){
    var filters = [],
      $t = $(this),
      col = $t.data('filter-column'), // zero-based index, or "all" column
      txt = $t.data('filter-text') || $t.text(); // text to add to filter
    filters[col === "all" ? $table[0].config.columns : col] = txt;
    $.tablesorter.setFilters( $table, filters );
    return false;
  });

  // ==============================
  // NO filter widget
  // ==============================
  var $table2 = $('#table2').tablesorter({
    theme: 'blue',
    widthFixed : true,
    // sort & filter diacritics
    sortLocaleCompare: true,
    widgets: ['zebra', 'mark'],
    widgetOptions : {
      // default settings
      mark_accuracy: 'partially',
      mark_className: '',
      mark_debug: false,
      mark_diacritics: true,
      mark_element: 'mark',
      mark_exclude: [],
      mark_iframes: false,
      mark_log: console,
      mark_separateWordSearch: true,
      mark_synonyms: {},
      // callback functions
      mark_done: function(totalMatches) {},
      mark_each: function(element) {},
      mark_filter: function(node, term, counter, totalCounter) { return true; },
      mark_noMatch: function(keyword) {}
    }
  });

  // preset searches on the second table
  $('button.table2').click(function(){
    // check for reset
    var query = $(this).hasClass('reset2') ? '' : this.textContent;
    $('#table2-search')
      .val(query)
      .trigger('input');
  });

  $('#table2-search').on('input', function() {
    var config = $table2[0].config,
      filters = [];
    // still target the "any" match column
    filters[config.columns] = this.value;
    // trigger a mark update
    $table2.trigger('markUpdate', [filters]);
    // or call the function directly
    // $.tablesorter.mark.update(config, filters);
  });

});

tablesorter

Mark Widget

Flexible client-side table sorting