| name | exa-answer |
| description | Use when answering a focused research question through Exa Answer with sources, especially concise cited synthesis, technical questions, or domain-constrained web answers. |
Exa Answer
Use Exa Answer as an API-backed deep_research provider for concise cited synthesis. This is not the same as a long research report; use Tavily Research when the user asks for a comprehensive report or extended market analysis.
Exa configuration is shared with all Exa skills through provider-manager.
Source References
- Official Answer API:
https://exa.ai/docs/reference/answer
- Official Search API:
https://exa.ai/docs/reference/search
Before Use
Resolve the installed ArkSpace package root before running commands. Replace <installed-arkspace-path> with the directory two levels above this loaded SKILL.md, such as /Users/<user>/.claude/plugins/cache/ark-space/ark-space/0.1.2. Use the installed package path, not a repository-relative command.
Check configuration:
python3 <installed-arkspace-path>/scripts/arkspace.py provider check exa --capability deep_research
Configure Exa once:
python3 <installed-arkspace-path>/scripts/arkspace.py provider setup exa --wizard
Missing Configuration Recovery
If the provider check reports a missing Exa API key:
- Ask the user whether to start setup now: "Exa is not configured. Should I start the ArkSpace setup wizard now?"
- Present exactly two choices:
- "Start setup wizard" - start interactive setup with
python3 <installed-arkspace-path>/scripts/arkspace.py provider setup exa --wizard.
- "Not now" - leave Exa unconfigured; if the user still wants results, ask whether to continue with another registered provider or a clearly labeled non-ArkSpace fallback.
- Run the setup command only when the host shell can provide interactive secret input. If the shell is non-interactive, do not run
--wizard through that tool.
- In Claude Code non-interactive tool sessions, offer:
- run
! python3 <installed-arkspace-path>/scripts/arkspace.py provider setup exa --wizard in the Claude prompt or terminal, or
- paste the API key in chat and let the agent save it with
python3 <installed-arkspace-path>/scripts/arkspace.py provider setup exa --save-secret EXA_API_KEY --secret-stdin.
- Re-run the provider check after setup.
- If setup succeeds, rerun or tell the user to rerun the original invocation, such as
/ark-space:exa-answer <question>.
- Do not return Exa answer results until the provider check succeeds.
Helper Script
Focused answer:
python3 <installed-arkspace-path>/scripts/arkspace.py research run --provider exa "What changed in AI coding assistants in 2025?" --output markdown
Routing Notes
- Use Exa Answer for concise cited answers and semantic research questions.
- Use Exa Search first when the user wants source discovery rather than synthesis.
- Use Tavily Research when the user asks for a long-form report, broad market analysis, or comprehensive multi-source comparison.
