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 (titles, links, snippets as markdown), followed by a # Fetch the most relevant links menu -- the top links per query -- for the model to open.

So the model curates which links to open (no SEO-trash auto-pulled into context), and the follow-up nudge sits right below the links.

Install

pi install npm:pi-smart-web-search
pi install npm:pi-smart-fetch   # strongly recommended companion (see below)

Then restart pi.

Pairs with pi-smart-fetch

web_search finds and ranks sources; pi-smart-fetch's batch_web_fetch is the intended way to read the chosen pages, so installing it alongside is strongly recommended. It isn't required -- without it the model falls back to whatever fetch capability it has (e.g. curl through a shell tool); web_search still works, the follow-up is just less clean.

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[])

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

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 .

Then restart pi.

npm run check runs typecheck, lint, format, spell, and tests. npx tsx debug.ts "your query" prints what the model would receive for a search.

Credits

Heavily inspired by pi-smart-fetch by Thinkscape (MIT). It shares the same pipeline (wreq-js -> linkedom -> Defuddle), and the web_search result card mirrors batch_web_fetch's look. Thanks to that project for the pattern.

License

MIT (c) Joe Matthews