web-search-plusUnified search skill with Intelligent Auto-Routing. Uses multi-signal analysis to automatically select between Serper (Google), Tavily (Research), Exa (Neura...
Install via ClawdBot CLI:
clawdbot install robbyczgw-cla/web-search-plusStop choosing search providers. Let the skill do it for you.
This skill connects you to 6 search providers (Serper, Tavily, Exa, Perplexity, You.com, SearXNG) and automatically picks the best one for each query. Shopping question? → Google results. Research question? → Deep research engine. Need a direct answer? → AI-synthesized with citations. Want privacy? → Self-hosted option.
# Interactive setup (recommended for first run)
python3 scripts/setup.py
# Or manual: copy config and add your keys
cp config.example.json config.jsonThe wizard explains each provider, collects API keys, and configures defaults.
You only need ONE key to get started. Add more providers later for better coverage.
| Provider | Free Tier | Best For | Sign Up |
|----------|-----------|----------|---------|
| Serper | 2,500/mo | Shopping, prices, local, news | serper.dev |
| Tavily | 1,000/mo | Research, explanations, academic | tavily.com |
| Exa | 1,000/mo | "Similar to X", startups, papers | exa.ai |
| Perplexity | Via Kilo | Direct answers with citations | kilo.ai |
| You.com | Limited | Real-time info, AI/RAG context | api.you.com |
| SearXNG | FREE ✅ | Privacy, multi-source, $0 cost | Self-hosted |
Setting your keys:
# Option A: .env file (recommended)
export SERPER_API_KEY="your-key"
export TAVILY_API_KEY="your-key"
# Option B: config.json
{ "serper": { "api_key": "your-key" } }| I want to... | Provider | Example Query |
|--------------|----------|---------------|
| Find product prices | Serper | "iPhone 16 Pro Max price" |
| Find restaurants/stores nearby | Serper | "best pizza near me" |
| Understand how something works | Tavily | "how does HTTPS encryption work" |
| Do deep research | Tavily | "climate change research 2024" |
| Find companies like X | Exa | "startups similar to Notion" |
| Find research papers | Exa | "transformer architecture papers" |
| Get a direct answer with sources | Perplexity | "events in Berlin this weekend" |
| Know the current status of something | Perplexity | "what is the status of Ethereum upgrades" |
| Get real-time info | You.com | "latest AI regulation news" |
| Search without being tracked | SearXNG | anything, privately |
Pro tip: Just search normally! Auto-routing handles most queries correctly. Override with -p provider when needed.
The skill looks at your query and picks the best provider:
"iPhone 16 price" → Serper (shopping keywords)
"how does quantum computing work" → Tavily (research question)
"companies like stripe.com" → Exa (URL detected, similarity)
"events in Graz this weekend" → Perplexity (local + direct answer)
"latest news on AI" → You.com (real-time intent)
"search privately" → SearXNG (privacy keywords)What if it picks wrong? Override it: python3 scripts/search.py -p tavily -q "your query"
Debug routing: python3 scripts/search.py --explain-routing -q "your query"
python3 scripts/search.py -q "Tesla Model 3 price"
python3 scripts/search.py -q "explain machine learning"
python3 scripts/search.py -q "startups like Figma"python3 scripts/search.py -p serper -q "weather Berlin"
python3 scripts/search.py -p tavily -q "quantum computing" --depth advanced
python3 scripts/search.py -p exa --similar-url "https://stripe.com" --category company
python3 scripts/search.py -p you -q "breaking tech news" --include-news
python3 scripts/search.py -p searxng -q "linux distros" --engines "google,bing"{
"auto_routing": {
"enabled": true,
"fallback_provider": "serper",
"confidence_threshold": 0.3,
"disabled_providers": []
},
"serper": {"country": "us", "language": "en"},
"tavily": {"depth": "advanced"},
"exa": {"type": "neural"},
"you": {"country": "US", "include_news": true},
"searxng": {"instance_url": "https://your-instance.example.com"}
}| Feature | Serper | Tavily | Exa | Perplexity | You.com | SearXNG |
|---------|:------:|:------:|:---:|:----------:|:-------:|:-------:|
| Speed | ⚡⚡⚡ | ⚡⚡ | ⚡⚡ | ⚡⚡ | ⚡⚡⚡ | ⚡⚡ |
| Direct Answers | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Citations | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Factual Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Semantic Understanding | ⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐ |
| Full Page Content | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shopping/Local | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Find Similar Pages | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| RAG-Optimized | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓✓ | ✗ |
| Privacy-First | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓✓ |
| API Cost | $$ | $$ | $$ | Via Kilo | $ | FREE |
No. You only need keys for providers you want to use. Start with one (Serper recommended), add more later.
Serper — fastest, cheapest, largest free tier (2,500 queries/month), and handles most queries well.
The skill automatically falls back to your other configured providers. Or switch to SearXNG (unlimited, self-hosted).
Yes, if self-hosted. You control the server, no tracking, no profiling. Public instances depend on the operator's policy.
# Docker (5 minutes)
docker run -d -p 8080:8080 searxng/searxngThen enable JSON API in settings.yml. See docs.searxng.org.
Sometimes queries are ambiguous. Use --explain-routing to see why, then override with -p provider if needed.
If one provider fails (rate limit, timeout, error), the skill automatically tries the next provider. You'll see routing.fallback_used: true in the response when this happens.
{
"provider": "serper",
"query": "iPhone 16 price",
"results": [{"title": "...", "url": "...", "snippet": "...", "score": 0.95}],
"routing": {
"auto_routed": true,
"provider": "serper",
"confidence": 0.78,
"confidence_level": "high"
}
}Tavily, Serper, and Exa are NOT core OpenClaw providers.
❌ Don't modify ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json for these
✅ Use this skill's scripts — keys auto-load from .env
SearXNG SSRF Protection: The SearXNG instance URL is validated with defense-in-depth:
http/https schemes onlySEARXNG_ALLOW_PRIVATE=1Generated Mar 1, 2026
Startups can use this skill to automatically route queries for competitor analysis, pricing research, and industry trends. For example, searching 'startups like Figma' would route to Exa for similarity-based results, while 'latest AI regulation news' would use You.com for real-time updates, streamlining competitive intelligence.
Researchers and students can leverage auto-routing to find academic papers and explanations efficiently. Queries like 'transformer architecture papers' would route to Exa for semantic search, while 'how does HTTPS encryption work' would use Tavily for in-depth explanations, enhancing literature review and learning.
Small businesses or consumers can use this skill for local searches and price comparisons. For instance, 'best pizza near me' would route to Serper for local results, and 'iPhone 16 Pro Max price' would also use Serper for shopping data, aiding in market analysis and purchase decisions.
Organizations or individuals concerned with data privacy can rely on SearXNG for anonymous web searches. Queries with privacy keywords or general topics like 'linux distros' can be forced to use SearXNG, ensuring untracked access to information without compromising security.
Media companies or event planners can use this skill to get up-to-date information and direct answers. For example, 'events in Berlin this weekend' would route to Perplexity for cited answers, and 'breaking tech news' would use You.com for real-time updates, supporting timely reporting and planning.
Offer a free tier with limited searches per month (e.g., 1,000 queries) using providers like Serper or Tavily, and charge for higher limits, advanced features like auto-routing analytics, or premium providers like Perplexity via Kilo Gateway. Revenue comes from monthly subscriptions based on usage tiers.
Sell customized versions of the skill to large organizations for internal use, such as integrating with their existing tools or adding proprietary data sources. Revenue is generated through one-time licensing fees, annual support contracts, and training services for seamless adoption.
Partner with search providers like Serper, Tavily, or Exa to earn commissions on API key sign-ups referred through the skill's setup process. Additionally, offer premium configurations or bundled keys for a fee, driving revenue from affiliate links and value-added services.
💬 Integration Tip
Start by setting up just one API key (e.g., Serper for general use) via the interactive setup script, then gradually add more providers as needed to optimize auto-routing performance.
Summarize URLs or files with the summarize CLI (web, PDFs, images, audio, YouTube).
AI-optimized web search via Tavily API. Returns concise, relevant results for AI agents.
This skill should be used when users need to search the web for information, find current content, look up news articles, search for images, or find videos. It uses DuckDuckGo's search API to return results in clean, formatted output (text, markdown, or JSON). Use for research, fact-checking, finding recent information, or gathering web resources.
Web search and content extraction via Brave Search API. Use for searching documentation, facts, or any web content. Lightweight, no browser required.
Search indexed Discord community discussions via Answer Overflow. Find solutions to coding problems, library issues, and community Q&A that only exist in Discord conversations.
Multi search engine integration with 17 engines (8 CN + 9 Global). Supports advanced search operators, time filters, site search, privacy engines, and WolframAlpha knowledge queries. No API keys required.