Question 1

How do I add a custom search provider to s?

Accepted Answer

Create a ~/.config/s/config file in UCL format and add a customProviders array with name, URL containing %s for the query, and tags. The README provides an example for adding a site like example.com.

Question 2

s vs surfraw: which is better for terminal searches?

Accepted Answer

s offers more providers, modern features like tag filtering and server mode, and better autocompletion, while surfraw is simpler but older. s is better for configurability and multi-provider support in contemporary workflows.

Question 3

Can s search in incognito or private mode?

Accepted Answer

Yes, by using the -b flag to specify a browser binary with flags, e.g., 's -b "chromium --incognito" query'. The README shows examples for Chromium and Firefox private windows.

Question 4

How to use s in scripts without opening a browser?

Accepted Answer

Use the --output flag to generate search URLs without launching a browser. This is ideal for automation, logging, or integrating with other tools in pipelines.

Question 5

Does s support searching multiple providers at once?

Accepted Answer

No, s searches one provider per command, but you can use tags to filter categories or write shell scripts to loop through multiple providers with output-only mode.

Question 6

How to set up autocompletion for s in Zsh?

Accepted Answer

Run 'sudo zsh -c "s --completion zsh > /usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/_s"' to generate and install the completion script, ensuring it's in your $fpath, as detailed in the README.

s

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