What is Perplexica?

Perplexica is a self-hosted AI-powered search system that combines web search with answer generation based on retrieved sources. The project is positioned as an open alternative to AI-enabled search services and is intended for users who require infrastructure control and flexibility in model selection.

In this architecture, the Perplexica AI search engine executes queries, retrieves sources via SearXNG, further filters relevant results, and generates answers with references to the sources used. The repository also describes different operational modes for various search types and provides support for an application programming interface (API) for integration into custom applications.

Additionally, Perplexica can be deployed with or without Docker, and its configuration supports integration with local models via Ollama as well as with certain external providers. This makes the solution suitable for local or private AI-powered search scenarios where isolated deployment, configuration control, and the ability to use it as a standalone search engine within a browser are important.