Googling Tips and Tricks

Googling tips for software

Search Operators

Star * The star works as a wildcard and will match any word or phrase.

Example: Error 123 * will not render will contain search results including the phrase and anything inbetween the keywords, such as: Error 123 component will not render or Error 123 missing blank, this example phrase will not render.

I use this when I can't quite think of the right terminology or when my search results are just not getting me to the answer I need and I'm not sure how to phrase my search.

Exact Quotes " " and Plus + Quotes around search terms will search for results that include the exact word or phrase.

Example: Error blah blah blah "javascript" will contain search results that include "javascript" in the results. This is a great way to get more relevant search results.

Utilize quotes to search for exact errors, to include technology types (javascript, react, mongo, mysql, node, express, python, java, ubuntu, etc), anything that you need to be included to get relevant results.

Dashes - Dashes will exclude a term from the search results.

Example: how to build a website -wix -squarespace -godaddy will provide results on 401 unauthorized client errors without any results with the exact string of "squarespace," "wix," and "godaddy."

This is especially useful when you create an initial search such as how to build a website that returns too many irrelevant results. This will help remove results with that keyword.

Site Site will allow the user to search for terms on a specific website.

Example: googling tips site:privsec.org will search for these keywords on the privsec.org website.

I use this to specifically search for things in StackOverflow, MDN, Medium, programming blogs, etc.

Filetype Search for results of specific filetypes.

Example: breachdata filetype:7z will search for 7z files related to the keyword.

This is one method I use to find compressed breach data files on clearnet sites.

Locations Find results related to a specific location.

Example: defcon location:sanjose will return results for Defcon meetups, forums, groups, activites, and etc in the San Jose area.

This can be used to find and sift through events and news by location much more easily than just using keywords defcon san jose

Bar | OR The bar works as an OR so you can search for blank or blank keyword results.

Example: React | Vue or React OR Vue will provide results including both React or Vue or both keywords.

AND This operator returns results related to both keywords.

Example: React AND Vue

define: Need to know the definition of something quickly? Use the define operator to get a quick definition.

Example: define:node.js

related: Find results related to a site.

Example: related:stackoverlfow.com

cache: Find cached results from a specific website.

Example: cache:stackoverlfow.com

intitle, inurl, intext, inanchor

Find pages with a certain keyword in the title, url, text, or anchor text.

Example: intitle:react inurl:react intext:react inanchor:react

allintitle, allinurl, allintext, allinanchor

Find pages with a certain keyword in the title, url, text, or anchor text.

Example: allintitle:react express mongo allinurl:react express mongo allintext:react express mongo allinanchor:react express mongo

Two Periods .. Using two periods will search in two ranges of numbers.

Example: react state 2019..2021