PageRank

An animation of the PageRank algorithm running on a small network of pages. The size of the nodes represents the perceived importance of the page, and arrows represent hyperlinks.
A simple illustration of the Pagerank algorithm. The percentage shows the perceived importance, and the arrows represent hyperlinks.

PageRank (PR) is an algorithm used by Google Search to rank web pages in their search engine results. It is named after both the term "web page" and co-founder Larry Page. PageRank is a way of measuring the importance of website pages. According to Google:

PageRank works by counting the number and quality of links to a page to determine a rough estimate of how important the website is. The underlying assumption is that more important websites are likely to receive more links from other websites.[1]

Currently, PageRank is not the only algorithm used by Google to order search results, but it is the first algorithm that was used by the company, and it is the best known.[2][3] As of September 24, 2019, all patents associated with PageRank have expired.[4]

  1. ^ "Facts about Google and Competition". Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  2. ^ Sullivan, Danny (2007-04-26). "What Is Google PageRank? A Guide For Searchers & Webmasters". Search Engine Land. Archived from the original on 2016-07-03.
  3. ^ Cutts, Matt. "Algorithms Rank Relevant Results Higher". Archived from the original on July 2, 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  4. ^ "US7058628B1 - Method for node ranking in a linked database - Google Patents". Google Patents. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2019.