# Jimmmmmies Skillsframework Web Search

> Web Search Skill

- Skill: `tomevault-io/jimmmmmies-skillsframework-web-search` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/jimmmmmies-skillsframework-web-search`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/jimmmmmies-skillsframework-web-search/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/jimmmmmies-skillsframework-web-search

---

# Web Search Skill

## Overview

This skill enables Claude to perform web searches using DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine. It provides both API-based search and HTML fallback methods to retrieve web results including titles, URLs, and snippets.

## Quick Start

To perform a basic web search:

```bash
# Using the simple search script (recommended)
python scripts/simple_search.py "your search query" --max-results 3

# Using the advanced search script (requires BeautifulSoup)
python scripts/duckduckgo_search.py "your search query" --max-results 5
```

## Search Methods

### 1. Simple Search (Recommended)
The `simple_search.py` script uses DuckDuckGo's Instant Answer API and includes a fallback HTML parser. It doesn't require additional dependencies beyond `requests`.

**Features:**
- Instant answers for factual queries
- Related topics and web results
- Automatic fallback to HTML search
- Consistent JSON output format

### 2. Advanced Search
The `duckduckgo_search.py` script uses BeautifulSoup for more robust HTML parsing. It requires `beautifulsoup4` and `requests`.

**Features:**
- More comprehensive web search results
- Better snippet extraction
- Region and safe search controls
- Detailed result parsing

## How to Use This Skill

### Basic Search Workflow

1. **Identify the search need**: Determine what information you need to find
2. **Formulate the query**: Create specific, clear search terms
3. **Execute the search**: Run the appropriate search script
4. **Analyze results**: Review titles, URLs, and snippets
5. **Extract information**: Gather relevant data from results
6. **Follow up if needed**: Perform additional searches for more information

### Common Search Patterns

#### Factual Information
```bash
python scripts/simple_search.py "population of Tokyo" --max-results 2
```

#### Technical Documentation
```bash
python scripts/simple_search.py "Python requests library POST example" --max-results 3
```

#### News and Current Events
```bash
python scripts/simple_search.py "latest AI developments 2024" --max-results 4
```

#### How-to Guides
```bash
python scripts/simple_search.py "how to set up Python virtual environment" --max-results 3
```

### Integration with Claude's Workflow

When Claude needs to search the web:

1. **Direct execution**: Use the `bash` tool to run search scripts
2. **Result processing**: Parse JSON output or text results
3. **Information synthesis**: Combine multiple search results
4. **Citation**: Include URLs when referencing information

## Script Details

### simple_search.py
- **Dependencies**: Only `requests` (already available)
- **Output**: JSON or formatted text
- **Best for**: Most search needs, quick results

### duckduckgo_search.py  
- **Dependencies**: `beautifulsoup4` and `requests`
- **Output**: JSON or formatted text
- **Best for**: Comprehensive web searches, detailed results

## Result Format

Search results are returned as a list of dictionaries:

```python
[
    {
        "title": "Result Title",
        "url": "https://example.com/path",
        "snippet": "Brief description or excerpt from the page",
        "type": "instant_answer|related_topic|html_fallback"
    }
]
```

## Best Practices

1. **Be Specific**: Use precise search terms for better results
2. **Use Appropriate max_results**: Start with 3-5 results, increase if needed
3. **Verify URLs**: Check domain credibility before using information
4. **Combine Sources**: Use multiple results to verify information
5. **Respect Privacy**: DuckDuckGo doesn't track searches - maintain this privacy focus

## Error Handling

- Network errors return empty results
- Invalid queries may return fewer results
- API rate limits are handled gracefully
- Timeouts are set to 10 seconds

## Examples of When to Use This Skill

### Scenario 1: Answering Current Questions
**User**: "What's the latest version of Python?"
**Claude Action**: Search for "Python latest version release date"

### Scenario 2: Finding Documentation
**User**: "How do I use the pandas groupby function?"
**Claude Action**: Search for "pandas groupby function examples tutorial"

### Scenario 3: Research Topics
**User**: "Tell me about renewable energy sources"
**Claude Action**: Search for "types of renewable energy sources pros and cons"

### Scenario 4: Technical Troubleshooting
**User**: "I'm getting a 'module not found' error in Python"
**Claude Action**: Search for the specific error message

## Resources

For detailed usage examples and API documentation, see:
- [Search Usage Guide](references/search_usage.md) - Comprehensive guide with examples

## Notes

- DuckDuckGo is privacy-focused and doesn't track searches
- Results may vary based on region (default: us-en)
- Some queries trigger instant answers (concise summaries)
- Always verify critical information from multiple sources

---
> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/jimmmmmies) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.
<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-04-13 -->