Otsingumootoril

Otsingumootoril, meaning "search engine" in Estonian, refers to a software system designed to search for information on the World Wide Web. When a user enters a query, typically keywords, the search engine scans its index of web pages and returns a list of results that are most relevant to the query. This index is built by web crawlers, which are automated programs that systematically browse the internet, following links from page to page to discover new content.

The core functionality of a search engine involves several key steps. First, the web crawler discovers and downloads web pages. Second, these pages are analyzed and processed to extract meaningful information, which is then stored in a massive database or index. Third, when a user submits a search query, the search engine consults its index to find matching documents. Finally, a ranking algorithm is employed to order the results, presenting the most relevant and authoritative pages at the top of the list.

Popular examples of search engines include Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. Each uses its own proprietary algorithms to determine search result rankings, though the underlying principles are similar. The effectiveness of a search engine is judged by its ability to provide accurate, comprehensive, and timely results, as well as the speed at which it can deliver them. Search engines play a crucial role in information access, enabling billions of users worldwide to find information on virtually any topic.