Custom Search Engines’ Filters – Gitlab Example

Gitlab, like Github, is a platform providing a Version Control System, allowing Developers to collaborate on writing code. It claims to have 30+ MLN profiles, quite comparable to Github’s 60+ MLN. There are some differences in functionality and user profiles.

(If you source for Developers, the below search syntax examples might help in finding results – scroll down to see the Gitlab CSE operator syntax. But most importantly, the Gitlab example demonstrates a powerful sourcing technique – filtered search in CSEs).

Gitlab profiles offer a rich Schema.org’s Person structure, allowing you to X-Ray it in a filtered way using (a favorite subject) Custom (Programmable) Search Engines (CSEs). The structure even has a filter for emails!

If you are not familiar with filtered search available through CSEs on sites that support Schema.org’s structure, here is, in brief, how it works.

Web page creators can put some “meta” code within the page source code – not for rendering but for telling Googlebot what “objects” it contains – a person, an organization, or a movie, for example. The Schema standard defines the format for “communicating” those objects.

The objects embedded in meta-code may have values – say, a page may have an object Person with the value “job title” equal to “developer.” CSEs provide a way to search for that structure and values – for example, you can search for all people with the title “developer” on a particular site (if its structure supports it). I.e., you are getting awesome search abilities- now you can search for results based on the values such as job title, company, location, and more, depending on the site to X-Ray.

David Galley‘s and my book Custom Search Engines – Discover more: is out (yay!) and is the only book about CSEs. It talks about the subject in-depth. (Make sure you get an electronic copy where you can click on links). So will our class.

Join us for an interactive class, Become a Custom Search Engines Expert, on June 29-30 (Tue-Wed) 2021, and get going with CSEs in just two days! The presentation will be of interest to Recruiters, Sourcers, OSINT Researchers, and anyone who does research using Google.

What about Gitlab? Here is the full list of its CSE search operators – use them in the GitLAB CSE below (or build your own CSE).

1. more:p:hcard-fn:<name>
2. more:p:person-role:<role>
3. more:p:person-worksfor:<organization>
4. more:p:person-location:<location>
5. more:p:person-email:<email>
6. more:p:metatags-og_description:<bio>

GitLAB CSE