kagi-search

# Kagi Search ## Overview The kagi-search tool provides access to Kagi's privacy-focused search engine via command line. It returns both traditional search results and Kagi's Quick Answer feature for instant factual responses. ## When to Use Kagi Search Use kagi-search when: - User explicitly requests "search Kagi" or "use Kagi" - User needs privacy-focused search results without ads or tracking - User wants Quick Answer instant responses for factual queries - User asks questions that benefit from Kagi's curated, high-quality results - You need to complement web_search with alternative sources Continue using web_search for: - General web searches where Kagi wasn't explicitly requested - Current events and breaking news (web_search is optimized for this) - Multiple searches in quick succession (web_search has no rate limits) ## Basic Usage ### Standard Search Search and display formatted results: ```bash kagi-search "your query here" ``` Limit number of results: ```bash kagi-search "blockchain development" -n 5 ``` ### JSON Output Get structured JSON for programmatic processing: ```bash kagi-search "ethereum scaling" -j ``` JSON output includes: - `results[]`: Array of search results with `title`, `url`, `snippet` - `quick_answer`: Object with `markdown`, `raw_text`, `references[]` (if available) ### Reading from stdin Pipe queries to kagi-search: ```bash echo "NixOS configuration" | kagi-search ``` ## Quick Answer Feature Kagi's Quick Answer provides immediate factual responses similar to featured snippets, but often with better quality and references. Quick Answers appear automatically when available and include: - Concise answer text - Source references with links - Related information This is particularly useful for: - Factual questions ("What is X?", "How does Y work?") - Definitions and explanations - Quick fact checking - Technical questions with authoritative sources ## Output Formats ### Terminal Display Default terminal output includes: - Quick Answer section (if available) with answer text and up to 5 references - Numbered search results with: - Title (blue, bold, clickable hyperlink) - URL (green, clickable hyperlink) - Snippet preview (dimmed text) - Color-coded formatting for better readability ### JSON Output Mode Use `-j` flag for structured data: ```json { "results": [ { "title": "Result title", "url": "https://example.com", "snippet": "Description text..." } ], "quick_answer": { "markdown": "Formatted answer text", "raw_text": "Plain text answer", "references": [ { "title": "Source title", "url": "https://source.com" } ] } } ``` ## Common Patterns ### Search and Display Results ```bash kagi-search "rust async programming patterns" ``` ### Search with Limited Results ```bash kagi-search "bitcoin whitepaper" -n 3 ``` ### Get JSON for Processing ```bash results=$(kagi-search "web3 development" -j) # Process JSON with jq or Python ``` ### Combine with Other Tools ```bash # Search and extract URLs kagi-search "substrate blockchain" -j | jq -r '.results[].url' # Search and open first result url=$(kagi-search "solana programs" -j | jq -r '.results[0].url') # Then use web_fetch to retrieve the page content ``` ## Configuration The tool uses session token authentication configured at `~/.config/kagi/config.json`: ```json { "password_command": "rbw get kagi-session-link", "timeout": 30, "max_retries": 5 } ``` The password command should return a Kagi session link or token. Default uses `rbw` (Bitwarden CLI), but can be any command that outputs the session token. ## Error Handling If authentication fails: - Check that the session token is valid - Verify the password command in config - Ensure the token hasn't expired If no results found: - Try broader search terms - Check query spelling - Verify network connectivity ## Integration with Other Tools ### Complementing web_search Use both tools for comprehensive research: ```bash # Use web_search for current events # Use kagi-search for technical deep dives or when user requests Kagi specifically ``` ### Processing Results Extract and fetch full page content: ```bash # 1. Search with kagi-search # 2. Get URLs from results # 3. Use web_fetch to retrieve full page content ``` ### Comparing Sources Run parallel searches to compare results: ```bash # Search both web_search and kagi-search # Compare result quality and sources # Synthesize information from both ``` ## Best Practices 1. **Use Quick Answers** for factual queries that benefit from immediate responses 2. **Limit results** appropriately with `-n` flag to reduce noise 3. **Use JSON mode** when programmatically processing results 4. **Combine with web_fetch** to get full page content from interesting results 5. **Respect rate limits** - Kagi has usage limits on session-based access 6. **Fall back to web_search** if kagi-search fails or is unavailable ## Debug Mode Enable debug logging to stderr: ```bash kagi-search "query" -d ``` This shows: - Request URLs - Response details - Authentication status - Parsing information Useful for troubleshooting authentication or parsing issues. --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/aldoborrero) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions. <!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-04-15 -->