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Web Search

web_search
Read-onlyIdempotent

Search the live web and get ranked results with title, URL, snippet and published date. When to use: an agent needs current facts, news or links that are not on chain - 'what is the BTC fee market saying today', 'recent Zcash governance proposals', 'find the docs page for X'. Use it before web_fetch, then fetch the one URL that looks authoritative. Do not use: for on-chain facts (use the BTC/LTC/ETH/XMR/ZEC/TRON tools) or for content inside a CyberLibrary book (use cyberlibrary_fulltext_search). Provider: self-hosted SearXNG (Bing/Baidu/360/Sogou/Yandex/Marginalia) first, then Serper, Tavily and cn.bing RSS as automatic fallbacks. Returns: {query, count, results:[{title,url,snippet,published}], provider (serper|tavily|bing_rss), cached, took_ms, _metering}. Results may be cached for up to 10 minutes; a cached result still counts as one call against the free allowance. Metered: all web tools share 100 free calls/day per IP (separate from the risk/library allowance), then 1 credit per call over x402 - there is no API key; the 402 answer carries accepts[]. max count is 10.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "query": "<query>"
    },
    "name": "web_search"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
langNoOptional language preference, e.g. zh-cn or en.
siteNoOptional: restrict results to one domain, e.g. github.com.
countNoNumber of results to return, 1-10. Default 5.
queryYesSearch query (1-200 characters).
freshnessNoOptional freshness filter.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observed

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover safety (readOnly, openWorld, idempotent, non-destructive), and the description adds real operational context on top: a 10-minute cache that still bills as a call, a 100-call/day per-IP allowance shared across web tools, x402 credit pricing, no API key, and a 402 response carrying accepts[]. It also names the provider fallback chain, which explains result variability an agent might otherwise find mysterious.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Well front-loaded and clearly sectioned with labels (When to use / Do not use / Returns / Metered). Slightly long, and the trailing 'max count is 10' duplicates the schema and could be dropped, but nearly every sentence carries routing or billing information an agent needs.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

No output schema exists, yet the description spells out the return envelope (query, count, results fields, provider, cached, took_ms, _metering). Combined with cost, caching and fallback behavior, an agent has everything needed to call this and interpret the answer.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so query, lang, site, count and freshness are already defined in the schema. The description only restates the count ceiling ('max count is 10'), which the schema already declares as 1-10, and adds no syntax or interaction guidance for freshness or site. Baseline 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Opens with a specific verb+resource ('Search the live web') and immediately characterizes the output ('ranked results with title, URL, snippet and published date'). It explicitly separates itself from on-chain tools and from cyberlibrary_fulltext_search, so an agent can route correctly without opening any schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives concrete example queries, an explicit ordering rule ('use it before web_fetch, then fetch the one URL that looks authoritative'), and a 'Do not use' section naming the alternatives (BTC/LTC/ETH/XMR/ZEC/TRON tools, cyberlibrary_fulltext_search). This is the when/when-not/alternatives triad at full strength.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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