# API Parameters

{% hint style="warning" %}
**IMPORTANT!** **The `engine` parameter should always be set to `duckduckgo` for this API!**
{% endhint %}

Being part of the SERP API suite, the DuckDuckGo engine uses `query parameters` for customizing results. Below is a full list of supported parameters that you may pass to the [base URL](/duckduckgo-search-api/getting-started/access-the-api.md) in order to get the most suited results from DuckDuckGo:

<table><thead><tr><th width="155">Parameter</th><th width="101" align="center">Type</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><code>api_key</code> <mark style="color:red;background-color:red;">Required</mark> </td><td align="center"><code>string</code></td><td><a href="/pages/txrdn3NJVjNq1Gk1XflG">The API key</a> required to authorize requests.</td></tr><tr><td><code>engine</code><br> <mark style="color:red;background-color:red;">Required</mark> </td><td align="center"><code>string</code></td><td>The engine of the SERP API. Needs to be set to <strong><code>duckduckgo</code></strong> for requests to DuckDuckGo.</td></tr><tr><td><code>q</code><br> <mark style="color:red;background-color:red;">Required</mark> </td><td align="center"><code>string</code></td><td>The terms that you are searching for (the query).m</td></tr><tr><td><code>kl</code></td><td align="center"><code>string</code></td><td>Country and language code used to define the country and language of search. You can find the full list <a href="/pages/qGC9flUZRBFNYBfyHdkT">here</a>.</td></tr><tr><td><code>kad</code></td><td align="center"><code>string</code></td><td>Language of the search page interface: buttons, menu. You can find a list with all the available markets <a href="/pages/t6igcCqiSazGdFTWobJp">here</a>.</td></tr><tr><td><code>kp</code></td><td align="center"><code>int</code></td><td><p>Removes adult content from search results. Available values are:</p><p><code>1</code> - Turn on safe search<br><code>-1</code> - Moderate search content<br><code>-2</code> - Turn off safe search</p></td></tr><tr><td><code>df</code></td><td align="center"><code>string</code></td><td>Time range to search. Available values are:<br><code>d</code> - Past 2 weeks<br><code>w</code> - Past month<br><code>m</code> - Past 3 months<br><code>w</code> - Past 6 months</td></tr></tbody></table>


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.webscrapingapi.com/duckduckgo-search-api/getting-started/api-parameters.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.