---
title: "SearXNG — Private Self-Hosted Search"
domain: opensource
category: alternatives
tags: [searxng, search, privacy, self-hosting, docker]
status: published
created: 2026-04-02
updated: 2026-04-02
---
# SearXNG — Private Self-Hosted Search

## Problem

Every search query sent to Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo is logged, profiled, and used to build an advertising model of you. Even "private" search engines are still third-party services with their own data retention policies.

## Solution

[SearXNG](https://github.com/searxng/searxng) is a self-hosted metasearch engine. It queries multiple search engines simultaneously on your behalf — without sending any identifying information — and aggregates the results. The search engines see a request from your server, not from you.

Your queries stay on your infrastructure.

---

## Deployment (Docker)

```yaml
services:
  searxng:
    image: searxng/searxng:latest
    container_name: searxng
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8090:8080"
    volumes:
      - ./searxng:/etc/searxng
    environment:
      - SEARXNG_BASE_URL=https://search.yourdomain.com/
```

SearXNG requires a `settings.yml` in the mounted config directory. Generate one from the default:

```bash
docker run --rm searxng/searxng cat /etc/searxng/settings.yml > ./searxng/settings.yml
```

Key settings to configure in `settings.yml`:

```yaml
server:
  secret_key: "generate-a-random-string-here"
  bind_address: "0.0.0.0"

search:
  safe_search: 0
  default_lang: "en"

engines:
  # Enable/disable specific engines here
```

### Caddy reverse proxy

```
search.yourdomain.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:8090
}
```

---

## Using SearXNG as an AI Search Backend

SearXNG integrates directly with Open WebUI as a web search provider, giving your local AI access to current web results without any third-party API keys:

**Open WebUI → Settings → Web Search:**
- Enable web search
- Set provider to `searxng`
- Set URL to `http://searxng:8080` (internal Docker network) or your Tailscale/local address

This is how MajorTwin gets current web context — queries go through SearXNG, not Google.

---

## Why Not DuckDuckGo?

DDG is better than Google for privacy, but it's still a centralized third-party service. SearXNG:

- Runs on your own hardware
- Has no account, no cookies, no session tracking
- Lets you choose which upstream engines to use and weight
- Can be kept entirely off the public internet (Tailscale-only)

---