Overview
Search operators are special commands that you can add to your search queries to filter and refine results. They help you find exactly what you’re looking for by limiting and focusing your search with precision. You can place them anywhere in your query string to gain better control over the returned results. Whether you’re building a specialized search application, filtering results by file type, or narrowing down results to specific websites, search operators give you the power to create more targeted searches.Key Features
Precise Filtering
Narrow down results by file type, location, language, and more
Flexible Placement
Add operators anywhere in your query for natural query construction
Content Targeting
Search within specific parts of web pages (title, body, or both)
Logical Combinations
Combine multiple operators with AND, OR, NOT for complex queries
Use Cases
Search operators are perfect for:- Research Applications: Filter academic papers, PDFs, and documents by file type
- Competitive Analysis: Monitor specific domains while excluding others
- Multilingual Search: Target content in specific languages and regions
- Content Discovery: Find exact phrases and specific keyword placements
- Advanced Filtering: Build complex search logic with operator combinations
Basic Search Operators
File Extension and Type
ext
Returns web pages with a specific file extension.
Example: To find the Honda GX120 Owner’s manual in PDF format:
filetype
Returns web pages created in the specified file type. Functionally similar to ext.
Example: To find documentation about cognitive changes in PDF format:
Content Location Operators
intitle
Returns web pages containing the specified term in the page title.
Example: To find SEO conference pages with “2023” in the title:
inbody
Returns web pages containing the specified term in the body of the page.
Example: To find information about the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti with “founders edition” in the body:
inpage
Returns web pages containing the specified term either in the title or in the body.
Example: To find pages about the 2024 Oscars with “best costume design” anywhere on the page:
Language and Location Operators
lang or language
Returns web pages written in the specified language. The language code must be in ISO 639-1 two-letter format.
Example: To find information about visas only in Spanish:
en- Englishes- Spanishfr- Frenchde- Germanja- Japanesezh- Chinese
loc or location
Returns web pages from a specific country or region. The country code must be in ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 format.
Example: To find Canadian web pages about Niagara Falls:
us- United Statesgb- United Kingdomca- Canadaau- Australiade- Germanyfr- France
Domain Filtering
site
Returns web pages from only a specific website or domain.
Example: To find information about Goggles only on Brave pages:
You can also use subdomains (e.g.,
site:blog.example.com) or partial domains
(e.g., site:example.com will include all subdomains).Advanced Search Operators
Inclusion and Exclusion
+ (Plus)
Forces the inclusion of a term in the title or body of the page. Ensures that the specified keyword appears in results.
Example: To find information about FreeSync GPU technology, ensuring “FreeSync” appears:
- (Minus)
Excludes web pages containing the specified term from results.
Example: To search for office-related content while excluding Microsoft:
The minus operator is particularly useful for filtering out common but
unwanted terms from your search results.
Exact Matching
"" (Quotation Marks)
Returns web pages containing exact matches to your query in the specified order.
Example: To find pages about Harry Potter with the exact phrase “order of the phoenix”:
Logical Operators
Logical operators allow you to combine and refine search operators for complex queries. These operators enable advanced search logic and must be written in uppercase.AND
Returns only web pages meeting all specified conditions. All criteria must be satisfied.
Example: To search for visa information in English from UK websites:
OR
Returns web pages meeting any of the conditions. At least one criterion must be satisfied.
Example: To search for travel requirements for either Australia or New Zealand:
NOT
Returns web pages that do not meet the specified condition(s). Excludes results matching the criteria.
Example: To search for information about Brave Search while excluding brave.com:
Logical operators can be combined to create sophisticated search queries. For
example:
(coffee OR tea) AND recipe NOT starbucksUsing Search Operators with the API
Search operators work seamlessly with the Brave Search API. Simply include them in your query parameter:Practical Examples
Here are some real-world examples combining multiple operators:Academic Research
Find recent academic papers about climate change in PDF format from educational institutions:Multilingual Content Discovery
Search for cooking recipes in French from Canadian websites:Competitive Analysis
Find information about AI startups while excluding major tech companies:Technical Documentation
Search for Python documentation on specific topics with exact terms:News Research
Find news articles about electric vehicles from multiple specific sources:Best Practices
Combine Operators Effectively
Combine Operators Effectively
Use multiple operators together to create highly targeted searches. Start
with broader operators like
site or lang, then narrow down with content
operators like intitle or inbody.Use Quotes for Exact Phrases
Use Quotes for Exact Phrases
When searching for specific terminology, product names, or phrases, wrap them
in quotation marks to ensure exact matching. This is particularly useful for
technical terms and proper nouns.
Test Operator Combinations
Test Operator Combinations
Experiment with different operator combinations to find the optimal query for
your use case. Some operators work better together than others depending on
your search goal.
URL Encode Special Characters
URL Encode Special Characters
When using operators in API calls, ensure special characters are properly URL
encoded. Most HTTP libraries handle this automatically.
Start Simple, Then Refine
Start Simple, Then Refine
Begin with basic queries and gradually add operators to refine results.
This iterative approach helps you understand which operators provide the
most value for your specific use case.
Operator Reference Table
| Operator | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
ext: | File extension filter | manual ext:pdf |
filetype: | File type filter | report filetype:pdf |
intitle: | Search in page title | intitle:guide |
inbody: | Search in page body | inbody:"exact phrase" |
inpage: | Search in title or body | inpage:keyword |
lang: | Language filter (ISO 639-1) | lang:es |
loc: | Location filter (ISO 3166-1) | loc:ca |
site: | Domain filter | site:example.com |
+ | Force inclusion | +required |
- | Exclude term | -unwanted |
"" | Exact phrase match | "exact phrase" |
AND | Logical AND | term1 AND term2 |
OR | Logical OR | term1 OR term2 |
NOT | Logical NOT | term NOT excluded |
Limitations and Notes
Search operators are experimental and in the early stages of development.
Behavior and availability may change as we continue to improve the feature.
- Not all queries may return results when operators are used, especially with very restrictive combinations
- Operator behavior may vary depending on the complexity of the query
- Some operators may have overlapping functionality (like
extandfiletype) - Logical operators must be written in uppercase (AND, OR, NOT)
- Operator combinations are processed from left to right unless grouped with parentheses