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Web Search

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OpenMinis
web-search

General web search skill that uses browser automation with multiple search engines and selects the priority chain based on search intent. Supports: Perplexity, Metaso AI, Google, Bing, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Baidu, Sogou, Tavily. Trigger when the user mentions "web search," "search for it," "search this for me," "look it up online," "search engine," or needs real-time information from the internet.

Overview

PublisherOpenMinis
RepositoryMinisSkills
Skill nameweb-search
Stars
543
Forks
86
Bundled files
2
LicenseMIT
Links
Skill sourceRepository
  • Markdown instructions

    A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

  • Works with any LLM

    AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

  • 2 bundled files

    Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.

  • Open source

    Published by OpenMinis on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Web Search AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

1

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

  1. Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
  2. Choose "Install from GitHub".
  3. Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
    https://github.com/OpenMinis/MinisSkills/tree/main/web-search
  4. Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.
Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.
2

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/OpenMinis/MinisSkills.git /tmp/MinisSkills
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/MinisSkills/web-search .claude/skills/web-search
Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Web Search in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Web Search on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Web Search is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

  • Loaded only when it is needed

    The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

  • Switch models mid-chat

    Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

web-search

Use browser automation to search the web through multiple engines, then fall back automatically when one engine is blocked, logged out, or returns poor results.

When to use

Activate this skill when the user wants:

  • real-time web search
  • search engine results instead of model memory
  • Chinese web search or structured AI answers
  • engine-specific search (Google / Bing / Brave / Perplexity / Metaso AI)
  • fallback behavior across multiple search engines

Search engines

EngineURL patternStrengthNotes
Perplexityhttps://www.perplexity.ai/search?q={query}Highest answer qualityNeeds login once
Metaso AIhttps://metaso.cn/Strong Chinese resultsHome page interaction may be needed
Googlehttps://www.google.com/search?q={query}Best general web coverageStable fallback
Binghttps://www.bing.com/search?q={query}Good Chinese + AI summaryStable fallback
Bravehttps://search.brave.com/search?q={query}Privacy-friendlyGood backup
DuckDuckGohttps://html.duckduckgo.com/html/?q={query}Lightweight privacy searchMay show anomaly pages
Baiduhttps://www.baidu.com/s?wd={query}Strong Chinese indexUse for Chinese web results
Sogouhttps://www.sogou.com/web?query={query}Chinese / WeChat-heavy resultsSecondary Chinese backup
TavilyAPI-basedAgent-orientedRequires API key

Intent-based priority chains

Choose the search chain by user intent.

Deep research / comparison / trend analysis

Perplexity -> Metaso AI -> Bing -> Google -> Brave

Chinese search / Chinese summary / local context

Metaso AI -> Perplexity -> Baidu -> Bing -> Google

General web search / official site / original page lookup

Google -> Bing -> Brave -> DuckDuckGo

Privacy-first search

Brave -> DuckDuckGo -> Bing

Fallback rules

Immediately switch to the next engine when any of these happens:

  • login expired
  • captcha / verification / blocked / robot / abnormal traffic
  • empty result page
  • redirected back to the home page
  • page structure is broken and no useful text can be extracted
  • only input box is visible with no actual results

Success criteria

Treat a search as successful when at least two of these are true:

  • the page title or URL clearly indicates a result page
  • extracted text is non-empty and contains meaningful results
  • there are structured answers, result lists, citations, or related questions
  • the content is clearly not just the search homepage

Execution flow

  1. Infer search intent from the user request.
  2. Select the matching priority chain.
  3. Try the first engine.
  4. Extract text with browser tools.
  5. Check success criteria.
  6. If blocked or poor, switch to the next engine.
  7. Return the first good result, and optionally add a second source for comparison.

Scripts

  • scripts/browser_search.py - generate engine priority plans and fallback chains
  • evals/evals.json - prompt coverage for the main routing scenarios

Notes

  • Prefer Perplexity for best answer quality when login is valid.
  • Prefer Metaso AI for Chinese structured answers.
  • Prefer Google/Bing for finding original pages and official websites.
  • Use Brave/DuckDuckGo as privacy-oriented backups.
  • Do not rely on a single engine; fallback is part of the skill design.

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Web Search AI skill do?

General web search skill that uses browser automation with multiple search engines and selects the priority chain based on search intent. Supports: Perplexity, Metaso AI, Google, Bing, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Baidu, Sogou, Tavily. Trigger when the user mentions "web search," "search for it," "search this for me," "look it up online," "search engine," or needs real-time information from the internet.

Why use Web Search on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Web Search is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Web Search in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/OpenMinis/MinisSkills/tree/main/web-search. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Web Search?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Web Search?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Web Search with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Web Search AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by OpenMinis under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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