---
name: web-search
version: "2.3.0"
description: "Search the web with automatic backend selection — public SearXNG works out-of-the-box (no credentials); an optional Duck API adds advanced filters (site, filetype, inurl, exact), a dedicated news endpoint, and engine override. Returns text, image, news, or video results. Use when the user wants to search the web, look something up, or find images/news/videos. Triggers on: web search, search for, google, look up, find online, image/news/video search."
---

# Web Search

```bash
web-search "your query"
```

That's the whole command. No flags, no pipes, no `export PATH=`. Works out of the box — public SearXNG, no credentials.

## Keep it simple

The default is the right call ~90% of the time. Don't add flags you don't need.

| ✗ Don't | ✓ Do |
|---------|------|
| `export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"; web-search "q" --max 6 2>&1 \| head -60` | `web-search "q"` |
| `web-search "q" --max 10 --page 1 --region wt-wt` | `web-search "q"` |
| `web-search "q" --json \| head` | `web-search "q"` |

- **Output is already concise** (10 results, markdown). No `head`, no `2>&1`.
- **`web-search: command not found`?** Install once (below) or use the full path `~/.local/bin/web-search "q"`. Don't prefix every call with `export PATH=`.
- **Want fewer/more results?** `--max 5` / `--max 20` — but the default 10 is usually right.
- **Want images/news/video?** `--categories images` / `--categories news`.

## Install

This skill ships in the **skale-skills** pi package — install the repo once:

```bash
pi install git:github.com/devskale/skale-skills
```

That loads the skill into pi. To also get a global `web-search` shell command, run the installer from **this skill's own directory** (next to `SKILL.md`):

```bash
./install.sh        # → creates ~/.local/bin/web-search (uv auto-installed)
install.bat         # Windows, same directory
```

## Update

```bash
web-search --update                  # Manual update (git pull + uv sync)
web-search --selfcheck               # Show version + last update date
```

Auto-updates in the background every 7 days. No search is blocked — the update runs in a detached process.

## Usage

```bash
web-search "react hooks tutorial"             # default: 10 text results
web-search "cats" --categories images         # images
web-search "AI news" --categories news        # news
web-search "query" --max 20                   # more results
web-search "query" --time-range day           # last 24h
```

## Options (only if you need them)

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `--max N` | Max results (default: 10) |
| `--categories CAT` | images, news, videos |
| `--time-range RANGE` | day, week, month, year (both backends) |
| `--json` | Raw JSON to stdout |
| `-v, --verbose` | Show backend on stderr |
| `--page N` | Results page (default: 1) |
| `--language LANG` | Search language (default: en). SearXNG only. |
| `--region CODE` | Region (us-en, de-de). Default: wt-wt. |
| `--engines LIST` | Comma-separated engines (SearXNG only) |
| `--backend LIST` | Duck API engine override: `yahoo,brave` or `auto` (Duck only) |
| `--api` / `--searxng` | Force a backend |
| `--update` | Update the skill now |
| `--selfcheck` | Show version and last update |

### Advanced filters (require Duck API token via `credgoo WEB_SEARCH_BEARER`)

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `--site DOMAIN` | Filter by domain |
| `--filetype EXT` | Filter by file type (pdf, txt, etc.) |
| `--inurl TEXT` | URL must contain text |
| `--exclude TERMS` | Comma-separated terms to exclude |
| `--exact` | Exact phrase match |

> Duck-only filters (`--site`, `--filetype`, `--inurl`, `--exclude`, `--exact`) are silently ignored on SearXNG with a warning. Use `--api` to force the Duck backend.

## News searches

`--categories news` uses the Duck API's dedicated news endpoint when a token is available (dated results from a real news index) and falls back to SearXNG otherwise. Text-search filters (`--site` etc.) don't apply to news.

## Backend behavior (Duck API)

- Server chain: query cache (12h) → ddgs/yahoo → private SearXNG fallback — repeat queries are fast.
- `404` from the API means *no results* (not an error); `502` means all backends failed or the queue is saturated — retry in a few seconds.
- Ad-click redirect URLs (`bing.com/aclick`, `doubleclick.net`, ...) are filtered out client-side.

## Configure backends (optional)

Public SearXNG works out of the box. For better reliability:

**Private SearXNG** (recommended):

```bash
credgoo searx        # Returns: URL@username@password
```

Or set the `SEARXNG_URL` env var (bare URL, or `URL@user@pass`).

**Duck API** (enables `--site`, `--filetype`, `--inurl`, `--exclude`, `--exact`):

```bash
credgoo WEB_SEARCH_BEARER
```

**No `credgoo` command?** Install it once (the skill prefers a global install):

```bash
uv tool install "credgoo @ git+https://github.com/devskale/python-openutils.git#subdirectory=packages/credgoo"
```

## Gotchas

- `--time-range` values are **lowercase**: `day`, `week`, `month`, `year`
- `-v, --verbose` output goes to **stderr** — safe to pipe stdout
- Duck-only filters are ignored on SearXNG (warning printed). Use `--api` to force Duck.
- `502 backend unavailable` → box is busy; wait a few seconds and retry, don't switch flags
- Exit codes: `0` = success, `1` = search error

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| `web-search: command not found` | Run `./install.sh` once, or call `~/.local/bin/web-search "q"`. Don't prefix calls with `export PATH=`. |
| `uv: command not found` | Run `install.sh` again — it auto-installs uv |
| Dependency errors | `web-search --update` |
| All SearXNG instances fail | Configure a private instance via `credgoo searx` |

## References

- [references/INDEX.md](references/INDEX.md) — worked examples, region/language codes, backend comparison, and authentication options. **Read when** you need region tuning, backend details, or advanced Duck-API filters (`--site`/`--filetype`/`--inurl`).