The Problem With “Free” Search
Modern web search looks free on the surface, but you pay with something far more valuable than money: your behavioral data. Each query enriches an advertising profile that follows you across the internet, influencing the results you see and the prices you pay. Incognito windows, VPNs, and cookie blockers only address fragments of the problem; the real issue is that big-tech engines keep the keys to the data vault. Until you own the infrastructure, you can never fully own your privacy.
What Cognito AI Search Brings to the Table
Cognito flips that ownership model on its head by merging two self-hosted powerhouses:
- Private Metasearch with SearXNG --- an engine that aggregates dozens of public sources while stripping away trackers, ads, and filter bubbles.
- Local AI Assistance with Ollama --- an offline-first framework that runs advanced language models like LLaMA, Mistral, or the snappy phi4-mini directly on your own hardware.
Together they create a single search box that respects you. Type a query and you instantly get un-personalised, unbiased web results alongside context-aware AI explanations---all without leaking a byte of data to third-party clouds.
Why v1.0.0 Is a Genuine Milestone
The 1.0.0 tag isn’t a coat of paint; it’s a ground-up reinvention shaped by days of vibe coding and real-world testing. Here are the key breakthroughs:
- Total UI/UX Overhaul --- Gradient backgrounds, glass-morphism cards, and seamless dark/light theming make the interface feel as premium as any mainstream engine.
- Fast-Path Query Flow --- Your plain-language request is first optimised by a local model, then passed to SearXNG, yielding sharper results without added latency.
- Responsive by Design --- Whether you’re on a 34-inch ultrawide or a pocket-sized handset, Cognito automatically adapts to your screen and input method.
- Smart Caching --- A 24-hour local cache means repeat searches load in a blink, even if you lose your internet connection later in the day.
- Type-Safe Codebase --- The switch to TypeScript enforces strict contracts between UI, API, and logic, slashing runtime bugs and onboarding time for contributors.
- Graceful Degradation --- If your AI model is offline or the SearXNG instance hiccups, Cognito falls back to whichever service remains online instead of throwing a cryptic error.
A Day in Private Search --- How It Feels
8 a.m. You’re researching the best walking routes in your city before breakfast. Cognito autocompletes your query with insider keywords (“scenic”, “traffic-free”) thanks to its local model, then serves unbiased links from multiple map and tourism engines. No ads for shoe brands appear later in your social feed.
Noon. You wonder why your tomato plants have yellow leaves. The same search box gives you horticulture forums via SearXNG plus an AI summary explaining nitrogen deficiencies---all before you’ve sipped your coffee.
11 p.m. You lose your Wi-Fi. Cached results still open instantly, and the AI assistant runs offline to draft a troubleshooting checklist for your router.
That smooth blend of speed, depth, and autonomy turns everyday curiosity into a frictionless, private experience.
Under the Hood: Architecture in Plain English
At the heart of Cognito lie three pluggable layers:
- Presentation Layer --- React components styled with Tailwind, animated with simple CSS transitions, and organised for readability.
- Logic Layer --- Custom hooks (useSearch, useSearchSuggestions) manage state, debounce keystrokes, and coordinate API calls.
- Services Layer --- Dedicated wrappers for Ollama and SearXNG perform health checks, apply timeouts, and normalise error shapes.
These layers talk through strict TypeScript interfaces, so swapping Ollama for another local-AI runtime, or SearXNG for a different meta-engine, is mostly a configuration exercise rather than a rewrite.
Setting Up: From Zero to Private Hero in Minutes
All you need is a machine that can run Node 18+, Docker (or bare-metal installations) for SearXNG and Ollama, and a package manager like pnpm.
git clone https://github.com/kekePower/cognito-ai-search.git
cd cognito-ai-search
pnpm install
cp .env.example .env.local # Point to your SearXNG & Ollama URLs
pnpm dev # Start the development server
Prefer a production-grade launch? Build once and run forever with PM2:
pnpm build
pm2 start "pnpm start" --name cognito
pm2 save
That’s it---your private Google-killer now lives at http://localhost:3000 and nobody but you can peek inside.
Living Documentation Without the Dryness
The official HOWTO and optimisation summary dive deep into environment variables, hook examples, and performance metrics. Yet documentation alone rarely conveys the human angle: why these choices matter. So v1.0.0’s article you’re reading recasts those facts into a narrative---because this release isn’t just about cleaner imports or reduced token limits; it’s about everyday users finally having agency over how they learn, work, and play online.
Looking Forward: The v1.x Roadmap
Version 1.0.0 lays a rock-solid foundation, but the vision stretches far beyond:
- Model Switching on the Fly --- Choose Mistral for nuanced summaries or LLaMA for longer brainstorming with a simple dropdown.
- Redis-Backed Cache --- Speed up multi-user deployments and enable analytics on your own terms.
- Search Analytics Dashboard --- Opt-in graphs tracked locally to help you fine-tune performance without leaking usage data.
- Offline Progressive Web App --- Install Cognito like a native app and sync queries once you’re back online.
- Community Translations --- Localise the UI so privacy is accessible in every language.
How You Can Contribute
Cognito’s code lives in the open. You can:
- Star the repository to signal interest
- File an issue when you find a bug or have an idea
- Submit a pull request---TypeScript novices welcome; the linter guides you
- Write a blog post or record a tutorial video to spread the message
The more voices join, the harder it becomes for data-brokers to ignore the wave of privacy-first alternatives.
One Last Thought
Search should empower, not exploit. With Cognito AI Search v1.0.0 you hold, for the first time, a tool that matches the polish of big-tech platforms while answering to no one but you. Install it, share it, fork it---whatever you do, remember that every private query is a vote for a freer internet.