A search engine is a type of software that enables a user to type in a word or string of words to search within predefined indexes for topics.

There are hundreds of search engines available. They use various search techniques. For example, one search engine may index whole documents on the web, while another may index only titles. Some search engines are not really engines at all, but directories, where sites are categorized, similar to a library subject catalog.

Take the time to read about the search engines prior to searching the Internet. This will result in time spent on fruitful searches for desired information.