About Searx

Searx was launched in 2014 by Adam Tauber as an open-source, privacy-focused metasearch engine. The project was developed to provide users with a customizable and decentralized alternative to traditional search engines, focusing on privacy and user autonomy. Searx quickly gained attention in privacy-conscious communities due to its transparency and the ability for anyone to host their own instance.

Searx aggregates results from multiple search engines, including Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo, without tracking users or storing personal data. Users can customize their search experience by choosing which sources to include in their results. Searx can be self-hosted, allowing individuals and organizations to run their own private instances, making it highly versatile for privacy-focused users.

Searx remains a popular choice for those seeking a customizable and privacy-centric search engine. It has a dedicated following among tech enthusiasts and privacy advocates, though it lacks the mainstream appeal of larger search engines. Numerous self-hosted instances exist worldwide, contributing to its decentralized nature and continued relevance in the privacy space.

Searx Timeline

• 2014: Searx was created by a group of independent developers as an open-source metasearch engine. Its primary goal was to provide users with privacy-focused search results by aggregating data from multiple search engines without tracking user activity.
• 2016: Searx gained popularity among privacy-conscious users and tech enthusiasts for its ability to be self-hosted, allowing users to set up their own instance of Searx and control their search environment. This approach gave users full control over their data.
• 2018: The Searx community continued to grow, with many public instances emerging, allowing users to access the service without needing to host it themselves. It became a popular choice for those looking to avoid mainstream search engines while still accessing aggregated search results.
• 2020: As concerns over online privacy increased, Searx’s use as a privacy tool expanded. It provided a way to access results from engines like Google, Bing, and others without revealing personal data to those services.
• 2023: Searx remained an essential part of the open-source privacy community, with regular updates and improvements contributed by volunteers. Its flexibility and commitment to no tracking have kept it relevant among those looking for customizable, non-corporate search options.
• Legacy: Searx is known for its community-driven approach to search, offering a metasearch engine that combines results from multiple sources while keeping users’ privacy intact. It serves as a symbol of the open-source movement’s response to the data-driven models of major search engines.

Ready for the next chapter? Discover another search engine’s rise. Sogou: A Chinese Search Engine with Unique Language Capabilities.