@bitovi/n8n-nodes-google-search

This is an n8n community node. It lets you use Google Search in your n8n workflows.

Google Search is a web search engine that allows you to find information on the internet. This node integrates with Google's Custom Search API to perform programmatic searches.

n8n is a fair-code licensed workflow automation platform.

Installation
Operations
Credentials
Compatibility
Usage
Resources

Installation

Follow the installation guide in the n8n community nodes documentation.

Alternatively:

• Make sure to allow community nodes with N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ENABLED=true
• Once logged in to your N8N web UI, go to /settings/community-nodes and type @bitovi/n8n-nodes-google-search

Operations

The Google Search node supports the following operations:

Custom Search

• Search Query: Perform searches using Google's Custom Search API
• Return All: Option to return all results or limit to a specific number
• Limit: Set maximum number of results to return (when Return All is disabled)

Additional Search Parameters

• Date Restrict: Restrict results to a specific time period (past 24 hours, week, month, or year)
• Exact Terms: Search for exact phrases
• Exclude Terms: Exclude specific terms from search results
• File Type: Filter results by file type (e.g., pdf, doc, etc.)
• Filter: Enable/disable duplicate content filter
• HQ: Search for pages that link to a specific URL
• Image Color Type: Filter images by color type (color, gray, black and white, transparent)
• Image Dominant Color: Filter images by dominant color
• Image Size: Filter images by size
• Image Type: Filter by image type (clipart, face, lineart, stock, photo)
• Link Site: Restrict results to pages linking to a specific site
• Or Terms: Search for pages containing any of the specified terms
• Related Site: Find pages related to a specific URL
• Rights: Filter by usage rights
• Safe Search Level: Enable safe search filtering
• Search Type: Specify search type (image search, etc.)
• Site Search: Restrict search to a specific site
• Site Search Filter: Include or exclude results from site search
• Sort By: Sort results by relevance (default) or date

Credentials

To use this node, you need to authenticate with Google's Custom Search API. You'll need:

Prerequisites

1. A Google Cloud Platform account
2. A Google Custom Search Engine set up

Setting up credentials

1. Create a Custom Search Engine:

   • Go to Google Programmable Search Engine
   • Create a new search engine
   • Note the Search Engine ID (cx parameter)

2. Get API Key:

   • Go to Google Cloud Console or Programmable Search Engine Guide
   • Enable the Custom Search API
   • Create an API key
   • Copy the API key

3. Configure in n8n:

   • Search Engine ID: Enter your Custom Search Engine ID
   • API Key: Enter your Google Cloud API key

Compatibility

• Minimum n8n version: Compatible with n8n v0.198.0 and above
• Node.js version: Requires Node.js 18.10 or higher
• n8n API version: Uses n8n nodes API version 1

This node has been tested with the latest versions of n8n and should work with all current installations.

Usage

Basic Search

1. Add the Google Search node to your workflow
2. Configure your credentials (Search Engine ID and API Key)
3. Enter your search query
4. Set whether to return all results or limit the number
5. Execute the workflow

Advanced Search Options

Use the "Additional Fields" section to:

• Restrict results to a specific time period (past 24 hours, week, month, etc.)
• Sort results by date or relevance
• Filter results by file type, language, or site
• Search for exact phrases or exclude specific terms
• Filter images by size, color, or type

Pagination

The node supports automatic pagination when "Return All" is enabled, allowing you to retrieve large result sets efficiently.

Example Use Cases

• Content Research: Search for articles, papers, or resources on specific topics
• Competitor Analysis: Monitor mentions of your brand or competitors
• Lead Generation: Find contact information or company details
• SEO Analysis: Research keywords and analyze search results
• Data Collection: Gather information from web sources programmatically

Using as an AI Agent Tool

This node can be used as a tool in n8n's AI Agent workflows, allowing AI assistants to automatically search the web when needed.

Prerequisites

• n8n version 1.40 or higher (with AI Agent support)
• Environment variable: N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ALLOW_TOOL_USAGE=true

Setting the Environment Variable

For Docker:

docker run -e N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ALLOW_TOOL_USAGE=true n8nio/n8n

Or in your docker-compose.yml:

environment:
  - N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ALLOW_TOOL_USAGE=true

For npm installation:

export N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ALLOW_TOOL_USAGE=true
npx n8n start

For Windows (PowerShell):

$env:N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ALLOW_TOOL_USAGE="true"
npx n8n start

Setup Steps

1. Set the environment variable as shown above
2. Install this community node through n8n's Community Nodes settings
3. Restart n8n if it was already running
4. In your workflow, add an AI Agent node
5. Click Add Tool in the AI Agent configuration
6. Select Google Search from the available tools

How It Works

• The AI agent will automatically call the Google Search tool when it determines a web search is needed
• The tool returns search results including titles, links, and snippets
• Results are limited to 50 by default (configurable with the "Limit" parameter)
• All "Additional Fields" are available for advanced filtering

Tips for AI Tool Usage

• Use descriptive prompts that might require web searches (e.g., "What are the latest trends in...")
• The AI will decide when to use the search tool based on the conversation context
• You can combine this with other tools for comprehensive AI workflows
• Monitor your Google API quota as the AI may make multiple search requests

Need help or have questions?

Need guidance on leveraging AI agents or N8N for your business? Our AI Agents workshop will equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to implement successful and valuable agentic workflows.

Resources

• n8n community nodes documentation
• Google Custom Search API documentation
• Google Programmable Search Engine
• Google Cloud Console

License

MIT