Your own SearXNG.
Ready for Vane.

When you need your own SearXNG

Vane uses SearXNG, a metasearch engine, to fetch web results. The standard itzcrazykns1337/vane:latest image bundles SearXNG, so a basic Docker installation needs no separate search setup.

You need your own SearXNG instance when you:

• use the slim-latest image, which leaves SearXNG out;
• install Vane without Docker; or
• already run SearXNG and want Vane to share it.

The Vane README requires two things from that instance: the JSON format enabled in its settings, and the Wolfram Alpha search engine enabled.

The settings.yml Vane needs

The Vane repository ships a SearXNG settings file. Here it is with the secret key replaced by a placeholder:

use_default_settings: true

general:
  instance_name: 'searxng'

search:
  autocomplete: 'google'
  formats:
    - html
    - json

server:
  secret_key: 'REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_OWN_SECRET'

engines:
  - name: wolframalpha
    disabled: false

use_default_settings

Keeps SearXNG’s built-in defaults and applies only the changes listed in your file. Engines are merged by name.

formats

Lists the result formats SearXNG serves. The default is html only. Vane needs json.

wolframalpha

disabled: false turns the Wolfram Alpha engine on, as the Vane README requires.

SearXNG reads its settings from the path in the SEARXNG_SETTINGS_PATH environment variable, or from /etc/searxng/settings.yml. If you already have a settings file, add json to search: formats and the wolframalpha entry under engines: rather than replacing your configuration.

Set your own secret key

SearXNG uses secret_key for cryptographic purposes, and its documentation marks the example value “change this!”. The key in Vane’s repository is public, so do not reuse it for your own instance. You can set it in settings.yml or through the SEARXNG_SECRET environment variable, which overrides the file.

One way to generate a random value:

openssl rand -hex 32

Run SearXNG with Docker

Save the file as config/settings.yml, then start SearXNG with the command from the SearXNG Docker documentation:

docker run --name searxng -d \
    -p 8888:8080 \
    -v "./config/:/etc/searxng/" \
    -v "./data/:/var/cache/searxng/" \
    docker.io/searxng/searxng:latest

The config folder is mounted at /etc/searxng, where SearXNG reads settings.yml. The data folder keeps cached data. SearXNG is then available at http://localhost:8888 on the host.

Restart SearXNG after you change settings.yml:

docker restart searxng

Test the JSON API before connecting Vane

Ask SearXNG for JSON directly, using the request format from the SearXNG search API documentation:

curl 'http://localhost:8888/search?q=searxng&format=json'

A working instance returns JSON search results. According to SearXNG, requesting a format that is not enabled returns a 403 Forbidden error. If you see that, check search: formats in settings.yml and restart SearXNG.

Connect the Vane slim image

The Vane README starts the slim image with your SearXNG URL in SEARXNG_API_URL:

docker run -d -p 3000:3000 -e SEARXNG_API_URL=http://your-searxng-url:8080 -v vane-data:/home/vane/data --name vane itzcrazykns1337/vane:slim-latest

Replace http://your-searxng-url:8080 with your real address. Two details matter:

• Use the published port. SearXNG listens on 8080 inside its container. The Docker command above publishes it on host port 8888, so use 8888 when you connect through the host.
• Use an address the Vane container can reach. As with Ollama, localhost inside the Vane container is the container itself. Docker Desktop provides host.docker.internal for the host; on Linux, use the host’s private IP. See our connection guide.

Then open localhost:3000 and configure your model provider in Vane’s setup screen. For a non-Docker installation, enter the SearXNG URL in the setup screen instead.

Common problems

Sources and editorial notes

• Vane — SearXNG configuration in the repository
• Vane — using your own SearXNG instance
• SearXNG — settings.yml location and use_default_settings
• SearXNG — search settings and formats
• SearXNG — server settings and secret key
• SearXNG — search API and 403 behavior
• SearXNG — Docker installation

This independent guide is not affiliated with Vane or SearXNG. SearXNG documentation was checked on October 23, 2026. Both projects can change after that date.