Introduction

For years, I've been testing all kinds of search engines: Google, Bing, Qwant... but nothing really convinced me in the long run. Between data collection, targeted ads, and the feeling of being constantly watched, I eventually got tired of it. So I decided to switch to DuckDuckGo, and frankly, I don't regret it.

My experience with DuckDuckGo

The first thing that struck me was the simplicity of the interface. No frills, no useless widgets, just a search bar and you're good to go. I like this minimalist approach: it gets straight to the point and loads quickly, even on an old PC or with a weak 4G connection.

But the real selling point is privacy. DuckDuckGo doesn't track me, doesn't store my history, and doesn't bombard me with personalized ads all the time. I can search for whatever I want without feeling like the entire web knows my interests. It feels good, seriously.

Another nice thing: the results are the same for everyone. No “filter bubble” where you're only shown what you want to hear. Here, there's no excessive personalization, everyone starts on an equal footing. It makes a difference, and sometimes allows me to come across sites that I would never have seen with Google.

!bang commands: a real game changer

Honestly, I didn't expect to use the !bang commands so much, but it's clearly become a reflex. For those who don't know, just type an exclamation point followed by a shortcut to search directly on a specific site, without going through the site's home page.

Here are a few examples that I use all the time:

• !w to search directly on Wikipedia (example: !w Toulouse)
• !yt for YouTube (!yt powershell tutorial)
• !gh for GitHub (!gh automation script)
• !g for Google (!g baguette)
• !dpl for Deepl (!dpl how to fix a bug)

There are hundreds of them, for almost all known sites. It's super handy, saves a ton of time, and frankly, once you get used to it, you can't do without it.

Of course, it's not perfect. Sometimes the results are a little less accurate than on Google, especially for very local or highly specific searches. But honestly, for 95% of my needs, it does the job. And I'd rather sacrifice a little convenience for peace of mind.

Conclusion

In short:

• Privacy respected, no data collection
• Simple and fast interface, without overload
• Neutral results, identical for everyone
• Fewer intrusive ads
• Practical features such as !bang, which are truly indispensable

I'm not saying that DuckDuckGo is perfect, but for me, it's the best compromise between efficiency and privacy. If you're tired of being tracked everywhere on the web, it's definitely worth a try.

What search engine do you use? Have you tried DuckDuckGo yet? Let me know what you think on Discord or social media!