name

description

Search the web, library documentation, and GitHub repositories using Tavily, Context7, and GitHub Grep MCPs. Use when: (1) Looking up documentation for libraries or frameworks, (2) Searching for code examples or tutorials, (3) Finding API references or specifications, (4) Researching best practices or solutions, (5) Looking up error messages or troubleshooting guides, (6) Finding library installation instructions, (7) Searching for real-world code patterns in GitHub repositories, or (8) When you need current web information or documentation. Triggers: search, look up, find documentation, search web, lookup, find examples, search for, how to, tutorial, API reference, documentation for, error message, troubleshoot, best practices, find code examples, GitHub search.

Search

Search web, library docs, and GitHub code using progressive escalation.

Quick Start

Decision Tree:

Library/framework docs? → Context7 get-library-docs
Code examples/patterns? → GitHub Grep grep_searchGitHub
Web info/tutorials? → Tavily tavily_search
Multiple sources needed? → Run tools in parallel

Default Workflow:

Start simple: search_depth: "basic", maxResults: 5
If insufficient: Escalate to Level 2 (expand query, increase results)
If repeated problem: Escalate to Level 3 (parallel queries, extraction, crawling)

Tools Overview

Tavily (Web Search)

Tool	Purpose	Key Params
`tavily_search`	Web search	`search_depth`, `topic`, `time_range`, `include_domains`
`tavily_extract`	Extract from URLs	`extract_depth`, `query` (for reranking)
`tavily_crawl`	Multi-page crawl	`max_depth`, `select_paths`, `instructions`
`tavily_map`	Discover site structure	`max_depth`, `limit`

Context7 (Library Docs)

Tool	Purpose	Key Params
`resolve-library-id`	Get library ID	`libraryName`
`get-library-docs`	Fetch docs	`mode: "code"/"info"`, `topic`, `page`

GitHub Grep (Code Search)

Tool	Purpose	Key Params
`grep_searchGitHub`	Search code patterns	`query`, `language`, `repo`, `path`, `useRegexp`

Critical: GitHub Grep searches literal code patterns, not keywords!

✅ Good: useState(, getServerSession, (?s)try {.*await
❌ Bad: react tutorial, how to authenticate

Progressive Escalation Levels

Level 1: Simple Search (Default)

When: Quick lookups, straightforward questions, first encounter

Tavily: search_depth: "basic", maxResults: 5
Context7: mode: "code" for API, mode: "info" for concepts
GitHub Grep: literal code patterns with language filter
Parallel execution when appropriate

Sufficient? → Done. Insufficient? → Level 2

Level 2: Enhanced Search

When: Initial results incomplete, need more examples, outdated results

Expand query: Add synonyms, context (keep <400 chars)
Increase: maxResults: 10-15, search_depth: "advanced"
Filter domains: include_domains: ["stackoverflow.com", "github.com"]
Time filter: time_range: "year" for recent info
Two-step extraction: Search → Filter by score (>0.5) → Extract top URLs

Sufficient? → Done. Insufficient? → Level 3

Level 3: Deep Research

When: Problem encountered 2+ times, complex topic, building knowledge base

Parallel queries: 3-5 query variations with synonyms
Systematic extraction: Top 5-10 URLs with extract_depth: "advanced"
Website exploration: tavily_map → tavily_crawl
GitHub deep dive: Multiple pattern variations, regex, cross-repo comparison
Cross-reference: Verify across multiple sources

Key Tips (Reminders)

Query Formulation

400 char limit - Break complex queries into sub-queries
Natural language works better - Full sentences > keywords
Be specific - Include technology, use case, context
For full guide: See references/query-guide.md

Score-Based Filtering

Tavily results include score (0-1)
>0.5 typically good - Adjust based on distribution
Filter before extracting to save credits

Two-Step Extraction Pattern

1. Search with search_depth: "advanced"
2. Filter URLs by score (>0.5)
3. Extract top 2-5 URLs with extract_depth: "basic"
4. Upgrade to "advanced" only if needed

GitHub Grep Patterns

# API usage
Query: getServerSession
Language: ['TypeScript'], Path: '/api/'

# Multiline with regex
Query: (?s)useEffect\(\(\) => {.*cleanup
useRegexp: true

Cost Optimization

basic = 1 credit, advanced = 2 credits
Prefer two-step extraction over include_raw_content: true
Use tavily_map before tavily_crawl

For advanced techniques: See references/advanced-techniques.md

Common Patterns

Pattern	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Error resolution	Exact error + SO domain	Remove quotes, add context	Extract top answers, cross-ref docs
Best practices	"Tech best practices 2024"	Domain filter + extract	Parallel aspect searches
API reference	Context7 with topic	+ Tavily + GitHub Grep	Crawl official docs
Code patterns	GitHub Grep literal	+ language/path filters	Regex + cross-repo

For workflow examples: See references/examples/example-workflows.md

References

references/reference-parameters.md - Complete parameter reference for all tools
references/query-guide.md - Query structuring, 400 char limit, expansion strategies
references/advanced-techniques.md - Two-step extraction, post-processing, cost optimization
references/examples/example-workflows.md - Practical workflow examples

Output

Search results are used directly in context. No files saved unless requested. For comprehensive research with evidence cards, use the research skill.

search

Install Skill

SKILL.md