tavily-search

name	tavily-search
description	Search the web with Tavily API via curl. Use when users explicitly request Tavily, when you need Tavily-specific controls (search_depth, topic, time_range, include/exclude domains, include_answer, include_raw_content), or when built-in web_search provider setup is unavailable.
metadata	{"openclaw":{"requires":{"bins":["curl"],"env":["TAVILY_API_KEY"]},"primaryEnv":"TAVILY_API_KEY"}}

Tavily Search (curl)

Use Tavily Search with the helper script:

{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh "latest AI chip launches"

Quick examples

News in the last week:

{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh "AI regulation updates" --topic news --time-range week --max-results 8

Include an answer synthesized from results:

{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh "best practices for SOC2 readiness" --include-answer

Get richer answer quality:

{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh "energy storage market outlook" --answer-mode advanced

Limit to specific domains:

{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh "Fed minutes summary" --include-domains federalreserve.gov,reuters.com

Use date boundaries:

{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh "NVIDIA earnings call highlights" --start-date 2025-01-01 --end-date 2025-12-31

Parameter guidance

• Default search_depth to basic for cost and latency.
• Use advanced (or fast / ultra-fast) only when request quality or speed needs justify it.
• Use topic news for current events; use topic general for broad lookup.
• Use time_range for recent windows (day, week, month, year).
• Use country only with topic general. Pass lowercase country names (for example: united states).
• Turn on include_raw_content only when downstream extraction truly needs full text.

API key setup

Set TAVILY_API_KEY, or configure it in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

export TAVILY_API_KEY="tvly-..."

Or place it in this skill-local file:

{baseDir}/.env

with:

TAVILY_API_KEY=tvly-...

The script reads {baseDir}/.env automatically when TAVILY_API_KEY is not already set.

OpenClaw config option:

{
  skills: {
    entries: {
      "tavily-search": {
        apiKey: "tvly-...",
      },
    },
  },
}