Draft:Whoogle

{{AFC submission|d|adv|u=69.181.17.113|ns=118|decliner=Caleb Stanford|declinets=20250328001500|ts=20250326223712}}

{{Draft topics|software|computing|libraries-and-information|technology}}

Whoogle (also known as Whoogle Search) is an open-source Google Search front end request proxy that removes tracking elements and advertisements.{{cite web |url=https://github.com/benbusby/whoogle-search |title=Whoogle Search |website=GitHub |access-date=2024-10-26}} The software allows users to self-host their own search instance that interfaces with Google Search while emphasizing privacy features.{{cite web |url=https://fosspost.org/whoogle-search-engine/ |title=Deploy Your Own Google Search Engine Using Whoogle |website=FOSS Post |date=2021-03-15 |access-date=2024-10-26}}

The search engine functions as a proxy service that processes Google Search results before presenting them to users. It removes elements that could be used for user tracking while maintaining core search functionality. The application supports various configuration options through environment variables and allows custom CSS theming.

The software is written in Python using the Flask web framework and can be deployed through various methods, including Docker containers and traditional installation.{{cite web |title=Whoogle Search |url=https://hub.docker.com/r/benbusby/whoogle-search |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=Docker Hub}}

Whoogle usage essentially disabled by Google

Google now loads results, then redirects javascript-free search requests to a no-javascript denial page.{{cite web |author1=benbusby |title=Google no longer supports javascript-free search requests · Issue #1211 |url=https://github.com/benbusby/whoogle-search/issues/1211 |website=whoogle-search |publisher=GitHub |language=en}}{{cite web |title=JavaScript Now Required for Google Search: Everything You Need to Know |url=https://smartproxy.com/blog/javascript-is-now-a-must-for-google-search |website=smartproxy.com |access-date=26 March 2025 |language=en}}

Features

Whoogle provides several privacy-focused features:

Removal of tracking scripts and cookies
Elimination of advertisements from search results
Optional connection routing through Tor network
Configurable instance region
No user data storage
Support for Google Search operators

Deployment

Users can deploy Whoogle through several methods:

Docker container deployment{{cite web |last1=Partridge |first1=Robert |title=How To Setup Whoogle Search With Docker |url=https://www.techaddressed.com/tutorials/setup-whoogle-search-docker/ |website=Tech Addressed |access-date=26 March 2025 |date=31 May 2022}}
Direct Python installation via: pip (Python package manager)[https://medevel.com/whoogle-search/ Whoogle Search: Create your Private Meta Search Engine] : Medevel - open source for healthcare[https://benbusby.com/projects/whoogle-search/ Whoogle Search] - Ben Busby{{cite web |title=whoogle-search |url=https://pypi.org/project/whoogle-search/ |website=pypi.org - Python Package Index |publisher=Python Software Foundation |access-date=26 March 2025}}

::pip install whoogle-search

While Whoogle offers privacy enhancements over direct Google Search usage, several security considerations exist:

Instance hosts maintain the ability to log search queries
HTTPS encryption is required for secure operation
Public instances require user trust in the host{{cite news |title=This slick Linux browser is like a tricked-out Opera - and it's faster than Firefox |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/this-slick-linux-browser-is-like-a-tricked-out-opera-and-its-faster-than-firefox/ |access-date=26 March 2025 |work=ZDNET |language=en}}

References

External links

[https://github.com/benbusby/whoogle-search Official GitHub repository]
[https://benbusby.com/projects/whoogle-search/ Whoogle Search] - Ben Busby
[https://sourceforge.net/projects/whoogle-search.mirror/ Whoogle Search] : SourceForge
[https://libreselfhosted.com/project/whoogle/ Whoogle] : Libre Self-hosted projects
[https://4get.ca/ 4get Self-hosted Search]
[https://hearch.co/ hearch.co distributed metasearch]