> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.atom14.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Search Modes

> Quick Search vs AI Search - Choose the right mode for your use case.

## Search Modes

SearchAnything offers two powerful search modes:

### Quick Search (Keyword Matching)

**Best for**: Instant results, exact matches, known phrases

Quick Search performs **fast keyword matching** across your indexed content. Results appear instantly as you type.

```bash theme={null}
GET /api/search?q=quarterly+revenue&mode=quick
```

**Characteristics:**

* ⚡ Ultra-fast response (\~100ms)
* 🎯 Exact keyword matches
* 📍 Precise location tracking (page, line, timestamp)
* 🔍 Best for known phrases and specific terms

### AI Search (Semantic + Summary)

**Best for**: Complex queries, finding concepts, summarizing information

AI Search uses **semantic understanding** to find content by meaning, not just exact words. It can also summarize findings across multiple documents.

```bash theme={null}
GET /api/search?q=what+were+the+main+challenges&mode=ai
```

**Characteristics:**

* 🧠 Semantic understanding (finds synonyms and related concepts)
* 📊 Cross-document synthesis
* 💡 AI-generated summaries
* ⏱️ Slower (\~2-5s) but more powerful

## When to Use Each Mode

| Use Case                                   | Recommended Mode |
| ------------------------------------------ | ---------------- |
| Finding specific quote or number           | Quick Search     |
| Searching by file name                     | Quick Search     |
| Understanding themes across documents      | AI Search        |
| Answering questions that require synthesis | AI Search        |
| Real-time search-as-you-type               | Quick Search     |
| Research and analysis                      | AI Search        |

## Example Comparison

**Query**: "What are the security features?"

**Quick Search** returns:

* Exact matches for "security features" across all files
* Each match shown separately with location
* Fast, precise, minimal processing

**AI Search** returns:

* All related security concepts (authentication, encryption, access control)
* Synthesized answer combining multiple sources
* Citations linking back to original content
* Contextual understanding of your question

## API Parameters

Both modes support the same parameters:

* `q`: Search query (required)
* `limit`: Max results (default: 50, max: 100)
* `mode`: `quick` or `ai` (default: `quick`)

```bash theme={null}
# Quick search with 20 results
GET /api/search?q=revenue&mode=quick&limit=20

# AI search for comprehensive answer
GET /api/search?q=what+are+the+main+findings&mode=ai
```