Sequential Search
sequential_searchTrack and document each step of a multi-stage research investigation, capturing findings, sources, and knowledge gaps to build on previous work across API calls.
Instructions
Track multi-step research progress across multiple API calls.
When to use:
Complex investigations requiring 3+ searches with different angles
Research you might abandon early (tracks partial progress)
Investigations where you need to show reasoning steps
Research with branching paths to explore alternatives
When to use search_and_scrape instead:
Simple queries that need content from multiple sources in one call
Key principle: You do the reasoning; this tool tracks state. It persists across API calls so you can build on previous steps.
Example flow:
Start: sequential_search(searchStep: "Starting research on X", stepNumber: 1, nextStepNeeded: true)
Search: search_and_scrape("topic")
Record: sequential_search(searchStep: "Found Y, need Z", stepNumber: 2, source: {...}, nextStepNeeded: true)
Complete: sequential_search(searchStep: "Research complete", stepNumber: 3, nextStepNeeded: false)
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| searchStep | Yes | Description of what you searched or found in this step | |
| stepNumber | Yes | Current step number (starts at 1) | |
| totalStepsEstimate | No | Estimated total steps needed (can be adjusted as you go) | |
| nextStepNeeded | Yes | Set to true if more research steps are needed, false when done | |
| source | No | Source found in this step (if any) | |
| knowledgeGap | No | Knowledge gap identified - what information is still missing | |
| isRevision | No | Set to true if this step revises previous thinking | |
| revisesStep | No | Step number being revised (required if isRevision is true) | |
| branchFromStep | No | Step number to branch from (for exploring alternatives) | |
| branchId | No | Identifier for this branch of research | |
| sessionId | No | Session ID to continue (optional - uses current session if omitted) |
Output Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| sessionId | Yes | Unique session identifier | |
| currentStep | Yes | Current step number | |
| totalStepsEstimate | Yes | Estimated total steps | |
| isComplete | Yes | Whether research is marked as complete | |
| sourceCount | Yes | Number of sources collected so far | |
| openGapsCount | Yes | Number of unresolved knowledge gaps | |
| stateSummary | Yes | Human-readable summary of research state | |
| sources | No | All sources collected (included when complete) | |
| gaps | No | All knowledge gaps (included when complete) |