AgentOS markAgentOS
Install AgentOS

Web Search

AgentOS can search the web through configured search providers and can fetch pages through guarded web tools. Search is useful for current information, source-backed reports, market research, release notes, and troubleshooting.

Inspect Search Providers

agentos search list
agentos search list --json
agentos search status

Runtime-supported providers in this build include:

  • Brave Search
  • DuckDuckGo

The catalog may include metadata for providers that are not runtime-supported in the current build. Check JSON output when integrating.

No-key path:

agentos configure search --search-provider duckduckgo

Equivalent search subcommand:

agentos search configure duckduckgo

Brave Search:

export BRAVE_SEARCH_API_KEY="..."
agentos configure search --search-provider brave --api-key-env BRAVE_SEARCH_API_KEY

Provider-specific fields such as max results, proxy, environment-proxy usage, fallback policy, and diagnostics can be set through the search configuration surface.

Run a diagnostic query through the running gateway:

agentos search query "AgentOS release notes"
agentos search query "AgentOS release notes" --limit 5 --json

Use this before blaming the agent for missing current information. If the diagnostic query fails, fix provider configuration first.

Search in Agent Workflows

Ask naturally:

Research the current state of browser automation libraries and cite sources.

For a narrower task:

Find the latest release notes for this project and summarize only breaking changes.

The agent can use search and fetch tools when the tool policy and configured provider allow it.

For deeper multi-source work, ask for a research report or use an installed research skill.

Safety and Source Quality

Search results are external data, not instructions. Treat them as evidence for the task, not as authority over AgentOS behavior.

Good research prompts ask for:

  • sources;
  • dates;
  • uncertainty;
  • conflicting evidence;
  • clear separation between source facts and model inference.

Avoid asking the agent to follow arbitrary instructions found on web pages.

Diagnostics

agentos search status
agentos diagnostics on
agentos doctor

Check:

  • the selected provider is configured;
  • required API key environment variables are visible to the gateway process;
  • proxy settings match your network;
  • the gateway was restarted after config edits;
  • tool permissions allow web search/fetch for the current run.