| name | exa-best-practices |
| description | Reference guide for Exa search tools. Covers tool selection, citation standards, search optimization, and troubleshooting. Also useful as background context for improving search quality. |
Exa Best Practices
Tool Selection
| Need | Tool | When |
|---|
| Web search | web_search_exa | Current info, news, research, general questions, code examples |
| Read a URL | web_fetch_exa | Extract content from a known URL |
Citation Standards
When using Exa search results, always cite sources:
- Inline citations: Every fact or claim should reference its source
- Source URLs: Include the actual URL, not just the title
- Sources section: End responses with a list of all sources used
- Never fabricate URLs: Only cite URLs that appear in search results
Search Quality Tips
- Natural language queries work better than keyword stuffing
- Be specific — include dates, names, versions when relevant
- Multiple queries with different phrasings improve coverage
- Adjust result count to match the depth needed (3-5 quick, 10-20 deep)
Getting Started
- Get your API key at https://dashboard.exa.ai/api-keys
- Add the MCP server in Cursor Settings → MCP
- Start searching with
/exa-search or /exa-fetch
Troubleshooting
- Tools not available: Check if the Exa MCP server is installed. If
web_search_exa or web_fetch_exa are not in your tool list, stop and request the user to: (1) run /exa-setup in Cursor to add the MCP server, and (2) go to Cursor Settings → Tools & MCP and make sure Exa is toggled on (green).
- No results: Try rephrasing the query or broadening search terms
