How do I install the Exa Search skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/exa-search-2 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Exa Search safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Exa Search?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Exa Search free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Exa Search?

tomevault-io (@tomevault-io) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Exa Search by tomevault-io — Agent Skill

Name: Exa Search
Author: tomevault-io

Exa Search

Web and code search with Exa MCP. Use for current documentation, API references, code examples, latest library info, or when the user mentions "exa", "web search", "docs", or "current API". Use when this capability is needed.

tomevault-io Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Exa (MCP Server)

Real-time web and code search for current documentation and examples.

When This Applies

Signal	Action
Need current API docs	Use Exa
Library/framework documentation	Use Exa
Code examples from GitHub	`get_code_context_exa`
Latest versions/deprecations	Use Exa
Deep research	`deep_search_exa`

Available Tools

web_search_exa        # Real-time web search
get_code_context_exa  # Search GitHub, docs, StackOverflow
deep_search_exa       # Deep research with query expansion
crawling              # Extract content from specific URLs

Query Patterns

Current Documentation

{library} {feature} {version} 2024 2025

Examples:

FastAPI Pydantic v2 model_validator 2024 2025
Next.js 14 app router server components
React useOptimistic hook 2024

Migration Between Versions

{library} v{old} to v{new} migration
{library} {version} breaking changes
{library} upgrade guide {version}

Code Examples

get_code_context_exa("{library} {pattern} implementation example")
get_code_context_exa("{library} {use_case} tutorial")

Security/Auth Patterns

{auth_method} best practices 2024
{library} authentication {pattern} security
OAuth PKCE {language} 2024

When to Use Exa

Use Case	Use Exa?
Current API documentation	YES
Latest library changes	YES
Code examples	YES
Security best practices	YES
Deprecation notices	YES

When NOT to Use Exa

Use Case	Use Instead
Information in codebase	Warp-Grep or Grep
Past session content	CASS
Historical context	cass-memory (`cm`)
Task information	Beads (`bd`, `bv`)

Query Strengthening

If initial query returns poor results:

Add version: "React 19 useOptimistic" vs "React useOptimistic"
Add year: "FastAPI middleware 2024" vs "FastAPI middleware"
Add "official": "Next.js official docs app router"
Be more specific: "Prisma findMany where clause" vs "Prisma queries"

Verification Checklist

After grounding with Exa:

Check	Pass If
Source	Official docs or reputable repo
Freshness	Updated within 12 months
Version	Matches your dependency
Completeness	Full import + usage pattern
Status	Not deprecated

Recording Results

Track grounding status in your work:

## Grounding Status
| Pattern | Query | Source | Status |
|---------|-------|--------|--------|
| `@model_validator` | "Pydantic v2 2024" | docs.pydantic.dev | ✅ Verified |
| `useOptimistic` | "React 19 2024" | react.dev | ✅ Verified |

Status values:

✅ Verified — Matches current docs
⚠️ Changed — API changed, updated approach
❌ Deprecated — Found alternative
❓ Unverified — Couldn't confirm, flagged

Requirements

Requires Exa API key configured:

claude mcp add exa -s user \
  -e EXA_API_KEY=your-key \
  -- npx -y @anthropic-labs/exa-mcp-server

---name: exa-search-2description: Web and code search with Exa MCP. Use for current documentation, API references, code examples, latest library info, or when the user mentions "exa", "web search", "docs", or "current API". Use when this capability is needed.---# Exa (MCP Server)Real-time web and code search for current documentation and examples.## When This Applies| Signal | Action ||--------|--------|| Need current API docs | Use Exa || Library/framework documentation | Use Exa || Code examples from GitHub | `get_code_context_exa` || Latest versions/deprecations | Use Exa || Deep research | `deep_search_exa` |---## Available Tools```pythonweb_search_exa # Real-time web searchget_code_context_exa # Search GitHub, docs, StackOverflowdeep_search_exa # Deep research with query expansioncrawling # Extract content from specific URLs```---## Query Patterns### Current Documentation```{library} {feature} {version} 2024 2025```**Examples:**```FastAPI Pydantic v2 model_validator 2024 2025Next.js 14 app router server componentsReact useOptimistic hook 2024```### Migration Between Versions```{library} v{old} to v{new} migration{library} {version} breaking changes{library} upgrade guide {version}```### Code Examples```pythonget_code_context_exa("{library} {pattern} implementation example")get_code_context_exa("{library} {use_case} tutorial")```### Security/Auth Patterns```{auth_method} best practices 2024{library} authentication {pattern} securityOAuth PKCE {language} 2024```---## When to Use Exa| Use Case | Use Exa? ||----------|---------|| Current API documentation | **YES** || Latest library changes | **YES** || Code examples | **YES** || Security best practices | **YES** || Deprecation notices | **YES** |---## When NOT to Use Exa| Use Case | Use Instead ||----------|-------------|| Information in codebase | Warp-Grep or Grep || Past session content | CASS || Historical context | cass-memory (`cm`) || Task information | Beads (`bd`, `bv`) |---## Query StrengtheningIf initial query returns poor results:1. **Add version**: "React 19 useOptimistic" vs "React useOptimistic"2. **Add year**: "FastAPI middleware 2024" vs "FastAPI middleware"3. **Add "official"**: "Next.js official docs app router"4. **Be more specific**: "Prisma findMany where clause" vs "Prisma queries"---## Verification ChecklistAfter grounding with Exa:| Check | Pass If ||-------|---------|| Source | Official docs or reputable repo || Freshness | Updated within 12 months || Version | Matches your dependency || Completeness | Full import + usage pattern || Status | Not deprecated |---## Recording ResultsTrack grounding status in your work:```markdown## Grounding Status| Pattern | Query | Source | Status ||---------|-------|--------|--------|| `@model_validator` | "Pydantic v2 2024" | docs.pydantic.dev | ✅ Verified || `useOptimistic` | "React 19 2024" | react.dev | ✅ Verified |```**Status values:**- ✅ Verified — Matches current docs- ⚠️ Changed — API changed, updated approach- ❌ Deprecated — Found alternative- ❓ Unverified — Couldn't confirm, flagged---## RequirementsRequires Exa API key configured:```bashclaude mcp add exa -s user \ -e EXA_API_KEY=your-key \ -- npx -y @anthropic-labs/exa-mcp-server```---## See Also- `external-docs/` — Full grounding skill with patterns- `warp-grep/` — Codebase search- `cass-search/` — Past session search---> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/eaasxt) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.

Frequently asked questions