YaCy is free search engine software for local or organization-wide portals and a decentralized peer-to-peer web index.
Yacy Search Server
YaCy is a distributed peer-to-peer web search engine and intranet search appliance.
About Yacy Search Server
YaCy is a search engine application that runs on your own server. It bundles a search index, a web front-end for searching and index creation, and a web crawler with a scheduler to keep the index current. A network scanner can discover HTTP, FTP and SMB servers, and a customized search page can be embedded in your own web applications. It can also be placed in an intranet environment as a replacement for commercial enterprise search products.
By default, each installation joins a peer-to-peer network in which search indexes are exchanged with other YaCy instances, giving new users access to a larger search cluster without crawling the web themselves. This default operation can be turned off by choosing a different mode, and individual searches can also opt out so results are computed from the local index only. Running YaCy requires Java 17 or later and ant to build from git sources; Docker is recommended for a ready-to-run production package.
Key features
- Peer-to-peer exchange of search indexes with other YaCy installations
- Built-in web crawler with scheduler to keep the index fresh
- Intranet deployment as an alternative to commercial enterprise search
- Network scanner discovers available HTTP, FTP and SMB servers
- Customized search page can be embedded in your own web applications
- Per-search opt-out computes results from the local index only
Best for: Individuals and organizations that want to run and control their own web or intranet search index rather than rely on a hosted search provider.
Good for
- Peer-to-peer index sharing lets a peer draw on a larger search cluster without crawling the whole web alone
- Users can leave the cluster at the mode level or opt out per search for local-index-only results
- Intranet deployment and network scanning support searching local HTTP, FTP and SMB servers
Watch out for
- Running from git sources requires Java 17 or later and ant to build
- Pre-compiled packages exist but are not generated on a regular basis
- The default admin account and password must be changed, and remote access requires a log-in
Yacy Search Server at a glance
- Category
- Privacy & Security › Private Browsers & Search
- Type
- Open-source project
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
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Yacy Search Server FAQ
What do I need to install and run YaCy?
Building from git sources requires Java 17 or later and ant. Docker is recommended for a ready-to-run production package, and a latest developer release is available at release.yacy.net.
How do I reach the administration interface?
After starting YaCy, the administration interface is available in your browser at http://localhost:8090. Some pages require an admin account, which is also usually reachable without a password from localhost, though remote access needs a log-in.
Can I use YaCy without joining the peer-to-peer network?
Yes. You can opt out of the YaCy cluster by choosing a different operation mode in the web interface, or opt out during individual searches so results are computed from the local index only.
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