Source Code
Web Search by Exa
Real-time web search using Exa for fresh sources, citations, and quick content extraction without running a browser.
Setup
Connect MCP server:
https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp
No API key needed.
Tool
web_search_exa
What it does
Searches the public web and returns the most relevant sources plus a condensed context string for the top results. Useful for fast research, fact checking, and getting up-to-date links.
Inputs
query(string, required): The search query. Natural language works best.numResults(int, optional): How many results to return (keep small for speed).type(string, optional): Search strategy:auto,fast,deep.livecrawl(string, optional):fallbackorpreferred.contextMaxCharacters(int, optional): Limit size of returned context string.
Examples
Basic search (5-10 results):
web_search_exa { "query": "latest MCP tooling trends 2026" }
Focused search, faster:
web_search_exa {
"query": "What is the latest news in techcrunch",
"numResults": 5,
"type": "fast"
}
Deep research with more context:
web_search_exa {
"query": "Top AI productivity tools for startups in 2026",
"numResults": 8,
"type": "deep",
"contextMaxCharacters": 8000
}
When to Use
- Looking up recent info beyond model training data
- Finding official docs, blog posts, or changelogs
- Quick source lists for fact checking or citations
- Light content extraction for summaries or analysis
Notes
- Provide precise queries and include domain hints for better results.
- If you need full-page extraction for a specific URL, use Exa "contents" tools (outside this web_search_exa-only skill).
References
- Exa MCP: https://exa.ai/docs/reference/exa-mcp
- Exa Search API: https://exa.ai/docs/reference/search