google

google [search-query]    // Via common alias; opens browser search

[search-query]
    Positional argument: space-separated terms to search on Google.

There is no built-in or standard Linux command named google in major distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, or Arch Linux. Instead, 'google' typically refers to user-defined shell aliases or third-party tools that enable Google searches directly from the terminal.

A common alias example added to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc is:
alias google='xdg-open "https://www.google.com/search?q=$(printf '%s' "$@" | tr ' ' '+')"'
This launches the default web browser with a Google search query formed from the arguments provided. After defining the alias, run source ~/.bashrc to apply it.

For a full-featured alternative, use googler, an open-source Python tool mimicking Google Search CLI. It supports options for result count, exact site searches, images, news, and more. Install via pip install googler or package managers like sudo apt install googler.

Such custom tools exemplify Unix philosophy: compose simple scripts for powerful functionality. They avoid bloating core systems while providing quick web access without leaving the terminal. Similar utilities exist for privacy-focused searches like DuckDuckGo.

Not pre-installed; requires manual alias setup or tool installation. Alias behavior depends on xdg-open and default browser. No options in basic alias; use googler for advanced flags.

Add to ~/.bashrc:
alias google='firefox "https://google.com/search?q=$*"'
Replace firefox with your browser (e.g., chromium).

googler linux commands   // 10 results
googler -n 5 -w wikipedia.org kernel   // 5 wiki results

Aliases for 'google' appeared in early 2000s forums as Google rose in popularity, using wget/curl or browser openers. Dedicated CLI tools evolved later: googler first released in 2015 by developer jarun, gaining features like HTTPS support and multiple engines by 2020s.

googler(1), ddgr(1), w3m(1), lynx(1), surfraw(1)