pi-smart-web-search

A pi extension that adds one tool -- web_search -- for batch web discovery.

It takes an array of queries, turns each into a search URL, and runs it through the same fetch->extract pipeline as pi-smart-fetch (wreq-js -> linkedom -> Defuddle). It returns each query's extracted results (numbered titles, links, snippets as markdown), followed by a # Read these pages summary -- every result link, in rank order -- for the model to open.

Install

pi install npm:pi-smart-web-search
pi install npm:pi-smart-fetch   # required (see below)

Requires pi-smart-fetch

web_search finds and ranks sources; pi-smart-fetch's web_fetch and batch_web_fetch are how the chosen pages get read. The tool description and the link summary name both tools by name, so installing web_search on its own tells the model to call tools that do not exist.

Start pi without it and web_search says so, once, in the TUI. The warning needs a UI to appear in, so pi -p will not show it.

Usage

Once installed, start up pi and just ask a question -- web_search kicks in automatically when an answer needs current or external info. Try:

What's the latest version of Node.js, and what's new in it?

Compare Bun and Deno for a new TypeScript API in 2026.

pi searches, opens the best results, and answers from what it read. No flags, no setup -- just ask.

Tool

web_search(searches: string[])   // up to 6 queries

Pass a few focused queries at once to cover a topic from multiple angles in one call.

Collapsed, the result is the progress card. Press Ctrl+O to see the markdown the model was given, rendered: headings styled, results numbered, and every link openable from the terminal.

Settings

One optional setting, in ~/.pi/agent/settings.json or a project's .pi/settings.json:

{ "smartWebSearch": { "resultsPerQuery": 5 } }

How many results to keep per query, 1 to 10, default 5. It trades tokens against coverage: against a live results page, 10 results cost about 1,400 tokens per query, 5 about 700, and 3 about 460.

Development

Run from a local clone instead of the registry:

git clone https://github.com/joematthews/pi-smart-web-search
cd pi-smart-web-search
npm install
pi install .

npm run check runs typecheck, lint, format, spell, and tests. Ctrl+O on a result shows exactly what the model received, against a real session.

Credits

Heavily inspired by pi-smart-fetch by Thinkscape (MIT). It shares the same pipeline (wreq-js -> linkedom -> Defuddle), and the progress card follows the shape batch_web_fetch established. Thanks to that project for the pattern.

License

MIT (c) Joe Matthews