What is a search engine? Easily explained
Anyone who browses the Internet is constantly working with search engines. In this practical tip, we explain what a search engine is and why you automatically think of Google.
What is a search engine? - Filters for Internet searches
Search engines are applications that search data structures for specific content or data types. This can be online search engines like Google, but also local search engines like the search bar. You open this in documents and programs with the key combination [Ctrl] + [F].
- A search engine searches through a given data complex according to criteria that you define beforehand. The most common criterion is a simple search term.
- In some search engines you can extend these criteria - for example, scientific search engines offer you the option of linking your search terms with operators such as [AND] or [OR].
- Online search engines such as Google make your search easier by selecting in advance which data types you are looking for: By default, you can narrow your search to, for example, pictures or videos.
Google - just one of many search engines
Similar to the fact that the pace has become a synonym for handkerchief, so it is with Google and search engines. Google is just one of many search engines that you can use to search the Internet:
- Google: The best known and most used online search engine is Google. In the meantime, the group operates numerous other offers such as the social network Google+, the video service YouTube and the blog portal Blogger. In 2014, 90 percent of all search queries were made using Google.
- Bing: Although far from Google, Bing is the second most used search engine in Germany. Bing is the search service from Microsoft and works by default in Internet Explorer and Windows Phones.
- Yahoo: Another well-known search engine is Yahoo. The search engine is operated by the Yahoo Group and uses the same search algorithm as Bing. The company operates other services, such as the Flickr photo service.
- Alternative search engines: If you do not want to disclose your search queries to Google or Microsoft, you can use alternative search engines. The search engines DuckDuckGo and WolframAlpha handle your data with particular care.
Wondering how much Google knows about your personal information, you can find out for yourself. We'll show you how to do Google research, what Google knows about you.