How to Improve Your Google Search Experience with Bangs
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Chapter 1 Understanding the Bang Feature
A few years ago, I jumped on the DuckDuckGo (DDG) bandwagon, but it only lasted about five months. I often find myself reminiscing about how effective Google search truly is—perhaps a story for another time. Although DDG didn't become my primary search engine, it introduced a feature that fundamentally altered my perspective on user experience in browsers and search engines: the DuckDuckGo Bang.
It's fascinating how much people can talk about the Bang (!) syntax in DDG. In short, if you're using Chrome, you can replicate a similar experience by utilizing the Bang syntax. Simply navigate to chrome://settings/searchEngines and add new search engines under the "Site Search" section.
Section 1.1 The Google Search Dilemma
Traditionally, whenever I needed to research a topic, I would just Google it, without using any complicated search operators. Whether it was gadget reviews or technical queries like "how to remove duplicates in a list in Python," Google was my first stop. Recently, however, I've started appending site:reddit.com, site:github.com/user/repo, site:stackoverflow.com, and similar queries to refine my search results. This approach yields a more impartial set of results, often featuring reviews by actual users.
Subsection 1.1.1 Creating a Custom Bang Experience
If you're using Chrome, you can create a user experience akin to DDG's Bang syntax without needing any extensions, as this functionality is built into your browser. Here’s a simple guide:
- Go to chrome://settings/searchEngines and select "Site Search" to add new search engines.
- Customize your