Client API migration

Move your SearXNG client to hosted search

Keep supported SearXNG JSON requests and result parsing. Change your instance URL to Search1API in clients such as Open WebUI and LangChain.

Open WebUI — bash diff
-SEARXNG_QUERY_URL="http://searxng:8080/search?q=<query>"
+SEARXNG_QUERY_URL="https://api.search1api.com/compat/searxng/YOUR_SEARCH1API_KEY/search?q=<query>"

When to make the switch

If maintaining an instance, enabling JSON output or dealing with an unavailable public instance is interrupting your application, move its supported search calls to a hosted endpoint. Search1API implements the SearXNG client protocol; it does not host a SearXNG instance or expose a SearXNG search engine.

Original service reference: SearXNG Search API

What you keep

SearXNG JSON result fields such as results[].title, url and content.
Supported engine names, categories, query bangs and language prefixes.
Existing Open WebUI and LangChain SearXNG client integrations.

What to review before switching

Results come from Search1API. Your instance’s plugins, private engines, preferences and privacy policies are not imported.
Unsupported engines appear in unresponsive_engines; when none is supported, category or default web search is used. Options such as safesearch are ignored.
The API key is part of the instance URL. Keep it private. Each searched engine costs one credit; selecting several engines increases the cost.

Move your existing client

Create a Search1API key for this client; a separate key can be revoked independently.
Replace the instance address or query URL using the example below. Keep the client set to SearXNG.
Run representative queries and check selected engines, categories, ignored options and credit usage.

LangChain · SearxSearchWrapper — python
from langchain_community.utilities import SearxSearchWrapper
search = SearxSearchWrapper(
    searx_host="https://api.search1api.com/compat/searxng/YOUR_SEARCH1API_KEY"
)
results = search.results("hono workers", num_results=5, engines=["google"])
for item in results:
    print(item["title"], item["link"])

Examples match the compatibility reference. Validate your own filters and result handling before switching production traffic.

Client examples:Open WebUI / LangChainRead the compatibility reference

Search uses your Search1API credits and account rate limit. Reading page content and selecting several engines can add charges; see the protocol reference for details.

View pricing

Migration questions

Do I need to install SearXNG?

No. You point the SearXNG-compatible client at Search1API’s hosted endpoint. No SearXNG process, settings.yml or JSON-output configuration is needed on your side.

Will it reproduce my self-hosted instance?

It preserves the supported request and response format. Search sources, ranking, plugins, metadata and privacy properties can differ. Keep a self-hosted instance if those controls are essential.

Can I keep using the SearXNG UI?

This migration covers applications calling the JSON search API. It does not replace the SearXNG website or import its UI and settings.

More migration guides

Search API migrations Google Custom Search JSON API Bing Web Search v7