How to Deploy SearXNG from Oikos OpenHub: Setting Up a Private Metasearch Engine

SearXNG is a powerful, open-source metasearch engine that aggregates results from over 70 search services (including Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo) while guaranteeing user privacy. It strips identifying information from search requests, prevents tracking cookies, and never logs user activity, making it the ultimate tool for a tracker-free web search experience.

Deploying your own SearXNG instance through the Oikos OpenHub Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is the most reliable way to achieve a self-hosted solution. Oikos manages the container hosting, high-availability, and secure access, giving you a dedicated private search endpoint instantly.

1. Accessing the Oikos OpenHub Catalog#

Access the Oikos Console#

  • Visit: Navigate to the Oikos launchpad at https://launch.nife.io.
  • Log In: Use your registered Oikos credentials to access the primary application dashboard.

Navigate to OpenHub#

  • Locate: Find the OpenHub option in the left-hand navigation sidebar (standardizing the terminology from Marketplace).
  • Selection: Click OpenHub to browse the catalog of professional and open-source applications ready for deployment.

Search for SearXNG#

  • Search Bar: Utilize the search functionality within the OpenHub interface and enter SearXNG.
  • Identify: Locate the SearXNG application card. This pre-configured container image is optimized for deployment on the Oikos PaaS.

2. Configuring and Initiating Deployment#

SearXNG deployments are streamlined, but defining a few key settings ensures optimal performance and security.

Start Deployment and Configuration Review#

  • Action: Hover over the SearXNG tile and click the Deploy button. This transitions you to the configuration screen.

Review Deployment Settings#

  • App Name: Assign a unique name to your private search instance (e.g., my-private-search).
  • Cloud Region: Select a Cloud Region close to your physical location to minimize latency for search queries.
  • Resource Allocation: Review the default CPU and RAM. While SearXNG is lightweight, allocating sufficient resources ensures quick aggregation of results from multiple external search engines.

Crucial Environment Variable (SECRET_KEY): For security, SearXNG requires a random, unique SECRET_KEY to be set as an environment variable (or within the configuration file). This key is essential for generating secure tokens and cookies. Oikos usually handles the generation of this key automatically, but ensure it is confirmed before deployment.

  • Finalization: Review all settings, confirm the necessary environment variables, and click Submit or the final Deploy button to commence the container launch process.

Monitor Deployment Status#

  • Process: Oikos provisions resources, pulls the SearXNG container image, securely applies your configurations, and establishes a secure HTTPS network endpoint.
  • Completion: Wait for the status indicator to change to Running.

3. Accessing and Utilizing SearXNG#

Wait for Completion and Launch#

  • Action: Once the status is Running, click the Open App button.
  • Result: This redirects you to the unique, secure URL of your deployed SearXNG interface.

Initial Search and Customization#

  • Start Searching: Your self-hosted metasearch engine is immediately ready for use.
  • Privacy Features: You can immediately begin using the search bar, confident that all requests are proxied through your Oikos deployment, obscuring your IP address from the external engines.
  • Customization: Access the settings panel within the SearXNG interface to customize preferences, including which search engines to query, themes, and language options.

Core Benefits of Deploying SearXNG on Oikos#

Utilizing the Oikos PaaS for SearXNG offers the highest level of web search privacy and control:

1. Zero Logging and Tracking Guarantee#

Since you control the entire stack, your self-hosted instance ensures no user logs, no search history, and no profiling occurs. All queries are anonymized before being passed to external providers, providing true digital sovereignty over your search activity.

2. High Availability Metasearch#

Oikos provides the stable, containerized environment necessary for SearXNG to run reliably. This is critical for a metasearch engine, which must simultaneously query multiple external APIs without failures or timeouts.

3. Dedicated, Secure Endpoint (HTTPS)#

Your SearXNG instance is hosted on a unique, secure URL provisioned by Oikos with HTTPS/TLS encryption. This protects your search queries from being intercepted in transit, a fundamental requirement for any privacy tool.

4. Simplified Deployment for a Complex Tool#

SearXNG requires careful configuration of proxies and secrets. Oikos eliminates this DevOps complexity, enabling immediate deployment so users can focus on the benefits of private search rather than server maintenance.

Official Documentation#

For detailed guides on customizing search engines, setting rate limits, and advanced configuration:

SearXNG Official Documentation: https://docs.searxng.org