Slick
Show HN: My independent search engine focused on user control
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What is Slick?
Slick is a modern privacy-focused search engine built from scratch with emphasis on speed, relevance, and user privacy. It uses a custom-built web crawler to discover and index web content while respecting robots.txt directives and avoiding spammy or malicious sites. The search engine extracts page titles, headers, body text, metadata, and structured data while intentionally ignoring ads, tracking scripts, cookies, and pop-ups to maintain a clean index focused on real content.
Key features include language detection and automatic translation for non-English queries, relevance-based ranking that considers quality and freshness, customizable settings for language/region preferences, safe search filters, and optional account management for search history. Slick offers advanced tools for power users including a Search Console for URL submission and analytics, API access for integration into applications, and browser extensions for quick search functionality.
Slick is designed for privacy-conscious users who want search results without personal tracking, profiling, or unnecessary data collection. It appeals to individuals seeking clean, fast search experiences, website owners who want to submit URLs for faster indexing, developers who need search API integration, and anyone who values data security with encryption, regular security audits, and user rights including data access, correction, deletion, and portability.
Slick pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Slick appears to be free to use during its early access period. The website does not display paid plans or pricing tiers. Users can access all core search features without payment. Advanced tools like Search Console, API access, and browser extensions are available but specific pricing for API usage limits or premium features is not publicly disclosed on the website.
Slick pros
- No personal tracking or user profiling
- No unnecessary data collection
- Custom-built web crawler from scratch
- Respects robots.txt directives
- Avoids spammy and malicious sites
- Prioritizes fresh, trustworthy content
- Fast search index optimized for speed
- Automatic language detection and translation
- Clean index without ads or tracking scripts
- Customizable language and region settings
- Optional accounts for history management
- Safe search filters available
- Search Console for URL submission
- API access for developers
- Browser extensions included
Slick cons
- Some features not fully implemented yet
- Safe Search still in development
- Optional accounts not fully implemented
- Early access stage product
- Limited ad personalization options
- May have smaller index than major engines
- Translation only for non-English to English
- No long-term track record yet
Frequently asked questions about Slick
What is Slick search engine?
Slick is a modern search engine built from scratch with a focus on speed, relevance, and privacy. It does no personal tracking, no profiling, and no unnecessary data collection. It uses a custom-built web crawler and maintains a clean index focused on real content without ads or tracking scripts.
How does Slick crawl the web?
Slick uses a custom-built web crawler that follows links between pages, respects robots.txt directives, avoids spammy and malicious sites, and prioritizes fresh, trustworthy content. Site owners can also submit URLs manually through the Search Console for faster indexing.
What data does Slick collect from users?
Slick collects no personal tracking data, no user profiles, and no unnecessary data. The engine is built with privacy as a core principle. Users can manage their search history and data through optional accounts, and have rights to access, correct, or delete their data.
What does Slick index from web pages?
Slick indexes page titles and headers, main body text, metadata including canonical tags, structured data like schema.org and Open Graph, and internal and external links. It intentionally ignores ads, tracking scripts, third-party widgets, cookies, pop-ups, and consent banners.
How does Slick handle non-English searches?
When you search, Slick detects the language of your query and automatically translates it to English using its translation engine if it is not already in English. It then analyzes the intent, identifies key concepts, and searches the index for relevant content.
What advanced tools does Slick offer?
Slick offers three main tools for power users: Search Console for submitting URLs, viewing analytics, and managing site presence; API Access for integrating Slick search capabilities into your own applications; and Browser Extensions for enhancing browsing with quick search features.
How does Slick protect user data security?
Slick implements encryption of data in transit and at rest, conducts regular security audits and vulnerability assessments, enforces strict access controls and authentication measures, and maintains an incident response plan for data breaches. While no system is completely secure, they work hard to protect data from unauthorized access.
What user rights does Slick respect?
Slick respects the right to access, correct, or delete your data; the right to object to or restrict processing of your data; the right to data portability; and the right to withdraw consent at any time. Users can see more information in the Privacy Policy or contact Slick directly.
How can I customize my Slick search experience?
You can change your default language and region, manage your search history and data through optional accounts, control ad personalization and tracking settings, and enable or disable safe search filters. All these options are available on the settings page.
How do I get help with Slick?
Slick offers multiple support options: a Help Center with articles and FAQs on common topics, Contact Support via email or chat to reach the support team, and a Community Forum where you can connect with other users and share tips. They are available to assist and ensure a great experience.