diff --git a/lib/hex/api/search.ex b/lib/hex/api/search.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6de68c86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/hex/api/search.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+defmodule Hex.API.Search do
+  @moduledoc false
+
+  def search(query_params) do
+    Hex.HTTP.request(
+      :get,
+      "https://search.hexdocs.pm?#{URI.encode_query(query_params)}",
+      %{},
+      nil
+    )
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/mix/tasks/hex.docs.search.ex b/lib/mix/tasks/hex.docs.search.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1e279d84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mix/tasks/hex.docs.search.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+defmodule Mix.Tasks.Hex.Docs.Search do
+  use Mix.Task
+
+  @shortdoc "Searches hexdocs, returning JSON"
+
+  @moduledoc """
+  Searches hexdocs, returning JSON.
+
+  If no version is specified, defaults to version used in the current mix project.
+  If called outside of a mix project or the dependency is not used in the
+  current mix project, defaults to the latest version.
+
+  ## Search documentation for all dependencies in the current mix project
+
+      $ mix hex.docs.search "search term"
+
+  ## Search documentation for specific packages 
+
+      $ mix hex.docs.search "search term" -p ecto -p ash
+
+  ## Search documentation for specific versions 
+
+      $ mix hex.docs.search "search term" -p ecto@3.13.2 -p ash@3.5.26
+  """
+  @behaviour Hex.Mix.TaskDescription
+
+  @elixir_apps ~w(eex elixir ex_unit iex logger mix)
+  @switches [package: :keep]
+  @aliases [p: :package]
+
+  @impl true
+  def run([]) do
+    Mix.raise("""
+    Must provide a search term. For example:
+
+        $ mix hex.docs.search "search term"
+    """)
+  end
+
+  def run([term | args]) do
+    Hex.start()
+    {opts, args} = OptionParser.parse!(args, strict: @switches, aliases: @aliases)
+    opts = Keyword.put(opts, :mix_project, !!Mix.Project.get())
+
+    filter_by =
+      case opts[:packages] do
+        p when p in [nil, []] ->
+          filter_from_mix_lock()
+
+        packages ->
+          filter_from_packages(packages)
+      end
+
+    query_params =
+      %{
+        q: term,
+        query_by: "doc,title",
+        filter_by: filter_by
+      }
+
+    case Hex.API.Search.search(query_params) do
+      {:ok, 200, _, body} ->
+        Mix.shell().info(body)
+
+      error ->
+        # todo do this better 
+        Mix.raise("""
+        Docs search failed.
+
+        #{inspect(error)}
+        """)
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp filter_from_mix_lock do
+    apps =
+      if apps_paths = Mix.Project.apps_paths() do
+        Enum.filter(Mix.Project.deps_apps(), &is_map_key(apps_paths, &1))
+      else
+        [Mix.Project.config()[:app]]
+      end
+
+    filter =
+      apps
+      |> Enum.flat_map(fn app ->
+        Application.load(app)
+        Application.spec(app, :applications)
+      end)
+      |> Enum.uniq()
+      |> Enum.map(fn app ->
+        "#{app}-#{Application.spec(app, :vsn)}"
+      end)
+      |> Enum.join(", ")
+
+    "package:=[#{filter}]"
+  end
+
+  defp filter_from_packages(packages) do
+    filter =
+      packages
+      |> Enum.flat_map(fn package ->
+        case Hex.API.Package.get(nil, package) do
+          {:ok, %{status: 200, body: body}} ->
+            ["#{package}-#{get_latest_version(body)}"]
+
+          other ->
+            Logger.warning(
+              "Failed to get latest version for package #{package}: #{inspect(other)}"
+            )
+
+            []
+        end
+      end)
+      |> Enum.join(", ")
+
+    "package:=[#{filter}]"
+  end
+
+  defp get_latest_version(package) do
+    versions =
+      for release <- package["releases"],
+          version = Version.parse!(release["version"]),
+          # ignore pre-releases like release candidates, etc.
+          version.pre == [] do
+        version
+      end
+
+    Enum.max(versions, Version)
+  end
+end