Introduction
# OmniSearch Skill - Web Search Tool
## CRITICAL: When to Use This Skill
**ALWAYS use OmniSearch when:** - User explicitly asks to "search", "google", "look up", "find online" - User asks about current events, news, or recent developments - User requests prices, product specs, reviews, or comparisons - User asks "what's the latest..." or "what's happening with..." - You need to verify current facts, statistics, or data - User asks about people, companies, or organizations you don't know - Information might have changed since your training cutoff - User needs sources or citations for factual claims
**Examples of queries requiring OmniSearch:** - "What's the weather in Hamburg today?" - "Search for iPhone 16 reviews" - "What happened in the tech industry this week?" - "Find the current price of Bitcoin" - "Look up restaurants near me" - "What are people saying about the new Tesla model?"
## DO NOT Use OmniSearch When: - Answering from your existing knowledge is sufficient and current - User is asking for creative content, code, or analysis - Question is about concepts, definitions, or timeless information
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## How to Execute Search
**IMPORTANT**: Run the script from the omnisearch skill directory using the relative path `./scripts/omnisearch.sh`
### Method 1: Recommended (Wrapper Script)
Use the wrapper script for all searches:
```bash # AI-enhanced search (includes summarization) - USE THIS FOR MOST QUERIES ./scripts/omnisearch.sh ai "your search query here"
# Raw web search results (when you need direct source material) ./scripts/omnisearch.sh web "your search query here" ```
**Available providers:** - **ai** type: `perplexity` (default - recommended for most queries) - **web** type: `perplexity` (default), `brave`, `kagi`, `tavily`, `exa`
**Optional provider override:** ```bash ./scripts/omnisearch.sh ai "query" perplexity ./scripts/omnisearch.sh web "query" brave ./scripts/omnisearch.sh web "query" kagi ./scripts/omnisearch.sh web "query" tavily ./scripts/omnisearch.sh web "query" exa ```
**Practical examples:** ```bash # Current weather ./scripts/omnisearch.sh ai "weather in Hamburg today"
# Product research ./scripts/omnisearch.sh web "iPhone 16 Pro reviews 2024"
# News search ./scripts/omnisearch.sh ai "latest AI developments this week"
# Price comparison ./scripts/omnisearch.sh web "DJI Mini 4 Pro price Germany" brave
# Research with premium provider ./scripts/omnisearch.sh web "machine learning papers 2024" kagi ```
### Method 2: Fallback (Direct mcporter)
Only use if the wrapper script fails:
```bash mcporter call omnisearch.ai_search query="your search query" provider="perplexity" mcporter call omnisearch.web_search query="your search query" provider="brave" ```
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## Response Format
After receiving search results, ALWAYS:
1. **Summarize**: Present 2-5 key bullet points with the most relevant findings 2. **Cite sources**: Include 2-6 source URLs formatted as clickable links 3. **Add context**: Note if information is time-sensitive or has low confidence 4. **Answer directly**: Don't just dump results - synthesize and answer the user's question
**Example response structure:** ``` Based on my search, here's what I found:
- [Key finding 1] - [Key finding 2] - [Key finding 3]
Sources: - [Title 1](URL1) - [Title 2](URL2)
Note: This information is from [date/timeframe] and may change. ```
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## Search Query Best Practices
- Keep queries concise and specific (3-8 words ideal) - Use natural language, not keyword stuffing - Include location when relevant: "restaurants Hamburg" - Include timeframe when needed: "iPhone 16 reviews 2024" - For prices, include currency/region if specific: "iPhone 16 price Germany"
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## Troubleshooting
**If the wrapper script fails:** 1. Check if you're in the correct directory (should contain `scripts/` folder) 2. Verify the script has execution permissions: `chmod +x ./scripts/omnisearch.sh` 3. Try the fallback method (direct mcporter call) 4. Check if mcporter is properly installed and configured
**Common issues:** - **"command not found"**: Script path is incorrect or you're not in the skill directory - **"No such file"**: The script may not have been copied to `scripts/` folder yet - **Empty results**: Try different provider or rephrase query
**Query formatting:** - Queries with spaces are automatically handled (no need to escape) - Use quotes in the command: `./scripts/omnisearch.sh ai "query with spaces"` - Special characters should work fine within the quoted string
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## Important Notes
- **Directory structure**: This SKILL.md file is in the omnisearch skill folder, with the script in `./scripts/omnisearch.sh` relative to this file - **Script validation**: The wrapper script automatically validates that a query is provided and will show usage help if missing - **Provider selection**: - **Perplexity** (default): Best for AI-enhanced results with summarization and context - **Brave**: Good for privacy-focused, unfiltered web results - **Kagi**: Premium search with advanced filtering and ranking - **Tavily**: Optimized for research and comprehensive coverage - **Exa**: Semantic search with AI-powered relevance - This is a LOCAL tool - it runs on this OpenClaw instance - ALWAYS run the search immediately when user requests it - don't ask permission - The wrapper script (omnisearch.sh) is designed to work reliably even with basic LLMs