perplexity

name	perplexity
description	Use when the user wants current information, recent documentation, fact verification, changelogs, release status, or source-backed web research via Perplexity.

Perplexity

Use this skill only for information that is time-sensitive, uncertain, or requires external source verification.

Do not use it for:

• questions answerable from the local codebase
• stable general knowledge
• tasks that do not need web research

Tool

Resolve the CLI in this order:

1. $PPLX_SEARCH_BIN if set
2. $HOME/.local/bin/pplx-search
3. ~/.agents/skills/perplexity/pplx-search
4. ~/dotfiles/ai/skills/codex/perplexity/pplx-search
5. pplx-search from PATH

Prefer a resolved path over bare pplx-search because agent shells can start with a minimal PATH.

PPLX="${PPLX_SEARCH_BIN:-$HOME/.local/bin/pplx-search}"
if [ ! -x "$PPLX" ]; then PPLX="$HOME/.agents/skills/perplexity/pplx-search"; fi
if [ ! -x "$PPLX" ]; then PPLX="$HOME/dotfiles/ai/skills/codex/perplexity/pplx-search"; fi

Before the first real query in a session, prefer a quick health check if setup is uncertain:

"$PPLX" --health

Use one of the resolved commands above. Example:

"$PPLX" "query"

Models:

• -m sonar: quick factual checks
• default (sonar-pro): normal research
• --reason: analytical questions and comparisons
• --deep: broad, multi-source research only when necessary

Query Writing

Write short, specific queries with product names, versions, and dates.

Prefer queries that ask for:

• official docs, repos, changelogs, release notes, or maintainer comments
• concrete dates for changes, deprecations, and support status
• explicit separation of confirmed facts from inference

Examples:

"$PPLX" "OpenClaw memory-core vs claude-mem April 2026 official docs issues changelog"
"$PPLX" --reason "Does current OpenClaw memory search require memory-core runtime contract"
"$PPLX" -m sonar "latest Bun release date"

Useful templates:

# Release / changelog lookup
"$PPLX" "latest <product> release changelog <month year> official"

# Is X still supported?
"$PPLX" --reason "Is <feature/plugin/product> still supported as of <month year>? Prefer official docs, changelogs, issues, maintainer comments"

# Comparison with current state
"$PPLX" --deep "<product A> vs <product B> <year> official docs benchmarks maintainer guidance"

# Maintainer-intent / architecture drift
"$PPLX" --reason "<project> <feature> architecture changes issue discussion changelog maintainer comments"

Output Handling

When using results:

• prefer primary sources
• prefer official docs, repos, changelogs, release notes, and maintainer comments over blogs
• separate confirmed facts from inference
• preserve concrete dates when the answer depends on recency
• include source links in the final answer
• keep synthesis concise unless the user asks for depth

If the first search is weak:

• reformulate once with tighter nouns, versions, and dates
• switch to --reason for analytical questions
• switch to --deep only when breadth is genuinely needed

If setup fails:

• run "$PPLX" --health
• check PERPLEXITY_API_KEY
• check whether network access is available