# SkillPatch skill: pi-web-search

A Pi Agent-specific skill that enables web access via the `pi-web-access` package, supporting search, URL fetching, PDF extraction, YouTube transcripts, and GitHub cloning. It provides detailed routing rules for query depth (standard, extensive, deep research) and enforces critical usage patterns like always passing `workflow: "none"`. Includes a fallback DeepAPI curl-based search option when the primary Exa → Perplexity → Gemini chain fails.

You (the agent) were given this URL and asked to use this skill. This is a **public** skill — no SkillPatch account, API key, or prior setup is required. Two ways to use it:

**1. Use it right now** — the skill's complete file tree (SKILL.md + all reference files) is inlined below; read `SKILL.md` first, then follow it, consulting the other files as it directs.

**2. Install the exact package onto disk** (recommended if you can run a shell — this reproduces the skill byte-for-byte, including any binary assets that can't be inlined):

```bash
mkdir -p .claude/skills/pi-web-search
curl -sSL https://skillpatch.dev/install_skill/pi-web-search | tar -xz -C .claude/skills/
```

(`.claude/skills/` is Claude Code's convention; use whatever directory your agent loads skills from.)


---

## Skill files (1)

- `SKILL.md`


### `SKILL.md`

````markdown
---
name: pi-web-search
description: ONLY for Pi Agents — all other agents have their own web tools. How Pi accesses the web via the pi-web-access package — search, fetch URLs/PDFs/YouTube/GitHub. Use whenever a Pi task needs current info, docs, news, prices, or content from a specific URL.
---

# Web Search

The `pi-web-access` package is installed globally. Zero-config via Exa MCP (no API key), with fallback Exa → Perplexity → Gemini.

## CRITICAL: always pass `workflow: "none"`

Every `web_search` call MUST include `workflow: "none"`. This skips the interactive browser curator popup (the user does not want it opening). No exceptions — single query or batched `queries`, always set `workflow: "none"`.

```
web_search({ queries: ["query 1", "query 2"], workflow: "none" })
```

## Tools

- `web_search` — search the web; returns synthesized answers with citations. Can be called many times per turn. **Always pass `workflow: "none"`.**
- `code_search` — zero-key Exa code-context. Use for library/API/code lookups instead of generic `web_search`.
- `fetch_content` — fetch URL(s) → markdown; handles PDFs, YouTube, GitHub.
- `get_search_content` — big pages (>30k chars) are truncated in responses but stored in full; call this to pull the rest on demand so they don't blow context.

## fetch_content specifics

- **GitHub URLs are cloned, not scraped** — you get real files + a local path to explore with `read`/`bash` (private repos need the `gh` CLI). Use this for dev work.
- **PDFs** → auto-extracted to markdown in `~/Downloads/`, readable in sections (text-only, no OCR).
- **YouTube/video** → full raw transcripts + frame extraction. Needs a `GEMINI_API_KEY` (not zero-config); frame extraction also needs `ffmpeg`/`yt-dlp`.

## Routing — match the user's phrasing

Always use the `web_search` tool. These counts are HARD MINIMUMS — count your queries before answering and do not stop short:

- **"web search"** → **at least 2** queries, varied keywords/angles, then synthesize.
- **"extensive web research"** → **at least 4** queries, totally different keywords and angles.
- **"deep research"** → **at least 8** queries, totally different keywords and angles, run across 2–3 successive batches (refine angles after each batch), to learn as much as possible about the topic.

A single batched `web_search` call counts each query in `queries[]` toward the total. If your first batch is under the minimum, fire another batch before synthesizing.

## Fallback / alternative: DeepAPI web search

If the Exa → Perplexity → Gemini chain fails, or you need ranked results with URLs:

```bash
KEY=${DEEPAPI_API_KEY:-$(rg -o 'DEEPAPI_API_KEY=\S+' ~/.zshrc | head -1 | cut -d= -f2)}
curl -s --max-time 60 "https://deepapi.co/v1/search/web" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: $(uuidgen)" \
  -d '{"query": "your search terms", "maxResults": 5, "maxCostUsd": "0.05"}'
```

Results are in `.output` (title, url, snippet per item). Query under 500 chars. Full details: `deepapi` skill.

````