search-citation

name	search-citation
description	REQUIRED when the user asks you to search, look up, verify, buy, shop, compare, price-check, find current info, or check facts online. Contains citation format rules for web_search and web_fetch.
metadata	{"author":"netclaw","version":"1.1.0"}

Critical Rules Summary

1. Search-first for time-sensitive, verifiable, or specific factual queries.
2. Every claim from search results gets an inline hyperlink. No URL = do not state.
3. Never use footnotes, endnotes, or [1]-style references. Inline links only.
4. When web grant is disabled, tell the user — do not fall back to training data.

When to Search

Use web_search when the answer is specific, time-sensitive, or verifiable:

• Prices, availability, current stock
• Current events, news, recent happenings
• Specific product info, specs, reviews
• Local businesses, restaurants, services
• Travel options (flights, hotels, bookings)
• Anything where being wrong has consequences or the data changes

When Training Data Is Fine

Do not search for things that are general, stable, or conceptual:

• How things work, science, definitions
• Well-established facts that do not change
• Programming concepts, math, language questions
• Opinion or advice where your reasoning is the value
• General heuristics ("mid-week flights are usually cheaper") — these are fine as a first response before offering to search for specifics

Use Context to Refine Searches

Your context may include user preferences relevant to the search — location, preferred vendors, dietary needs, budget, loyalty programs, etc. Use these to refine queries rather than asking the user to restate them.

• Mention the preference used so the user can correct if needed ("checking United since that's your preferred airline")
• See reference files for which preferences apply to each search type:
  • references/local-search.md — restaurants, bars, shops, services
  • references/travel-search.md — flights, hotels, bookings
  • references/product-search.md — products, hardware, goods

Example flow:

1. User asks about flights
2. Offer general advice from training data ("mid-week is usually cheapest")
3. Offer to search for specifics
4. When searching, use context-provided preferences (preferred airline, home airport) to tailor the query

Citation Rules

Every specific factual claim from a search must include a source URL as an inline hyperlink in the natural flow of your response.

Format: inline hyperlinks only. Use standard markdown link syntax — [descriptive text](url) — placed directly in the sentence where the claim appears. Do not use footnotes, endnotes, numbered reference lists, or bracketed citation markers like [1]. The goal is natural, readable prose with clickable links, not an academic paper.

Rule	Detail
Cite every claim	If the information came from a search result, hyperlink it inline
Inline, not footnotes	Write [Product X is $29](https://example.com/product-x) — never Product X is $29 [1] with a reference list at the bottom
Link all sources	When multiple sources were found, link each one inline where relevant — recommend one if you have a basis
Prefer specific pages	Link to the product page, restaurant page, or listing — not to a search results or category page
No URL, no fact	Do not present specific claims (prices, ratings, availability) without a source URL
Unlinkable content	If a source cannot be linked directly (form-post navigation, JS-rendered content), use browser automation to capture a screenshot and attach it via attach_file — a screenshot beats no source

When Search Is Not Available

If the web grant is not enabled and the query requires a search:

• Tell the user they need to enable web search for this type of query
• Do not fall back to training data for something that should be searched
• Do not guess at prices, availability, or other verifiable specifics

When Search Comes Up Empty

If a search returns no useful results:

• Say so honestly: "I wasn't able to find current information on X"
• Do not guess or fabricate specifics to fill the gap
• Offer alternative approaches if possible (different search terms, checking a specific site with web_fetch, trying later)

web_fetch Usage Notes

web_fetch defaults to raw HTML mode, preserving page structure including links and images. This is ideal for crawling and extracting specific information. Use format='text' only when you need plain text without markup (e.g., for summarization of article body text).

Cross-References

• Tool grants and capabilities: load netclaw-operations
• Search-type-specific guidance: see references/ files in this skill directory