Refers to the software (web-based computer program) used on the Internet to collect and organize content in response to a query entered by a user through a web browser or mobile app. The search engine provides a list of results to the query that best match what the user is trying to find (the query is typically a single word, multiple words, or sentence—sometimes presented in question format). Search engine results commonly include text summaries, hyperlinks to sources of additional information, and sometimes images.
Google is the most used search engine. There are many others such as Bing; Yahoo! Search; DuckDuckGo; Brave Search; Ecosia; Yandex (Russia); Baidu (China); You.com; and the Wayback Machine. The latter allows users to access archived versions of websites. Various search engines have different emphases; for example, they are known for user control, transparency, privacy, speed of answering, or a geographical focus.
Alternate names: Web or internet search engine
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