Getting Rate-Limitited while having 1-minute breaks in-between

[CezaPasc]

Describe the bug

I am getting rate-limited receiving a 202 Status Code even though I am waiting at least 1 minute between the requests. It usually happens after 6-7 requests
I'm not sure if it matters, but I'm still able to visit https://duckduckgo.com/in the browser after being rate-limited.

Steps to reproduce the problem:
The problem can be reproduced executing this:

from duckduckgo_search import DDGS
import time

class DuckDuckGo:

    def __init__(self, limit=5) -> None:
        self.limit = limit
        self.query = ""
        self.duck = DDGS()
        self.new_search = False
        self.last_request = 0
        self.cooldown = 60

    def perform_search(self):
        assert self.query != "", "Please set a search query first using `set_search(query)`"
        now = time.time()
        difference = now - self.last_request
        if difference < self.cooldown:
            to_wait = self.cooldown - difference
            print("Waiting %s before next request" % to_wait)
            time.sleep(to_wait)

        # Send the request
        results = self.duck.text(self.query, max_results=self.limit)
        self.new_search = False
        self.last_request = time.time()

        for result in results:
            result["link"] = result.pop("href") 

        return results

    def set_search(self, query):
        self.query = f'site:finance.yahoo.com/news/ "{query}"'
        self.new_search = True



if __name__ == "__main__":
    duck = DuckDuckGo()

    while True:
        duck.set_search("some")
        results = duck.perform_search()

        duck.set_search("search")
        results = duck.perform_search()

        duck.set_search("terms")
        results = duck.perform_search()

Exception:
duckduckgo_search.exceptions.RatelimitException: https://duckduckgo.com/ 202 Ratelimit

Specify this information

• OS: Mac OS 14.2
• environment: Python 3.10
• duckduckgo_search version: 5.3.0

[deedy5]

Try the version with httpx for now:
pip install -U duckduckgo_search==5.3.0b4

[av1d]

Was having same issue, the httpx version fixed it. Thank you.

[CezaPasc]

I am now using this version and I am still facing the same issue.
duckduckgo_search 5.3.0b4

Do I also have to change something in the code, like specifying a different backend?

[DavidEstape]

Trying the suggested version (5.3.0b4) also solved the problem for me.
pip install -U duckduckgo_search==5.3.0b4

In case you are using Windows, you also have to change the default EventLoopPolicy of asyncio library BEFORE importing the other libraries.

import asyncio
asyncio.set_event_loop_policy(asyncio.WindowsSelectorEventLoopPolicy())

I don't know if I will be rate-limited again with the httpx version after a while...

[deedy5]

@DavidEstape

In case you are using Windows, you also have to change the default EventLoopPolicy of asyncio library BEFORE importing the other libraries.

This is applied automatically:
https://github.com/deedy5/duckduckgo_search/blob/fce7fab463934f9e4d844ca5ca40a185a656a468/duckduckgo_search/__init__.py#L18C1-L19C76

[deedy5]

@CezaPasc

I am now using this version and I am still facing the same issue.
duckduckgo_search 5.3.0b4
Do I also have to change something in the code, like specifying a different backend?

Changing the backend parameter will not provide any benefits.

[DavidEstape]

@DavidEstape

In case you are using Windows, you also have to change the default EventLoopPolicy of asyncio library BEFORE importing the other libraries.

This is applied automatically: https://github.com/deedy5/duckduckgo_search/blob/fce7fab463934f9e4d844ca5ca40a185a656a468/duckduckgo_search/__init__.py#L18C1-L19C76

Yes. You are correct. I tried without and no warning now, so no need to change the EventLoopPolicy.
Thank you for your effort.

[deedy5]

@CezaPasc

There's a new version (v5.3.1) out, give it a try.
pip install -U duckduckgo_search

[CezaPasc]

Could it be that the problem is somehow on my fault?
I tested it now again twice: in the same environment and then on an other server (using Linux instead of Mac OS) with a fresh Python environment only having duckduckgo_search installed.
duckduckgo_search 5.3.1

[Jimmy Tai]

Still running into the same after update to v5.3.1. Was running 1 search per 3-5 sec for total ~50 searches. The error message is bit confusing since I can see the search output in the provide url. Do we just wait it out for soft block period or there is a fix?

RatelimitException: https://links.duckduckgo.com/d.js?q=sklearn+repo+site%3Agithub.com&kl=wt-wt&l=wt-wt&p=&s=0&df=&vqd=4-292300349075791261695672170567302953005&ex=-1 202 Ratelimit

[me]

duckduckgo_search==5.3.0b4 works for me while 5.3.1 still fails

[Alex Umnov]

I'll leave my two cents here.
I was using this lib with langchain inside Collaboratory.
Restarting the runtime fixed it, while every other solution didn't.
Edit: Doesn't seem to always solve the issue

[Vijay Maurya]

I am using windows system its working
after adding code below code before

import asyncio

asyncio.set_event_loop_policy(asyncio.WindowsSelectorEventLoopPolicy())

from duckduckgo_search import DDGS

results = DDGS().text("who twitter ceo", max_results=5)
print(results)

Thanks @DavidEstape

[deedy5]

What is the current situation?
Does anyone have v5.3.1 or 5.3.1b1 working?

[Alicia Núñez]

Neither 5.3.1 nor 5.3.1b1 is working for me. In my case, it freezes forever instead of raising an exception. However, 5.3.0b4 seems to be working.

[deedy5]

Update to v6.0.0

[vivekshinde27]

Using version 6.1.9 still facing this issue > RatelimitException: https://duckduckgo.com/ 202 Ratelimit

[yshishenya]

Having the same issue

[deedy5]

update to v6.1.10