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stephschofield
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web-search

Performs web research using Brave Search MCP tools with fetch-based fallback.

Updated Jan 23, 2026
Search Tags:#research#web search#brave search#mcp#market research#competitive analysis#news search
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/stephschofield/beth --skill web-search-stephschofield
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: web-search
Source: https://github.com/stephschofield/beth/tree/main/.github/skills/web-search
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/stephschofield/beth --skill web-search-stephschofield

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Agents often need current information from the internet—competitor data, technology trends, documentation—but lack a structured way to search the web and degrade gracefully when search tooling is unavailable. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Brave Search MCP Integration: Uses brave_web_search, brave_news_search, brave_local_search, brave_image_search, and brave_summarizer tools for general queries, news, locations, images, and AI summaries. - Structured Research Patterns: Provides repeatable workflows for competitive analysis and technology research, compiling findings into structured reports. - Graceful Degradation: Falls back to the fetch tool for known URLs, requests user-provided information, or analyzes the existing codebase when MCP search is unavailable. - Use Case: Ask the agent to run a competitive analysis of a rival product; it searches for the competitor, gathers reviews and comparisons, and compiles a structured report. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to search the web for the latest news and best practices on a technology you are evaluating.

Frequently Asked Questions about web-search

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I search the web from an AI agent?▼

Web search works through the Brave Search MCP server, which exposes tools like brave_web_search and brave_news_search to the agent. Configure a Brave Search API key as described in the MCP setup documentation, then ask the agent to research a topic.

What Brave Search tools are available for research?▼

Five tools are available: brave_web_search for general queries, brave_news_search for current events, brave_local_search for business and location info on the Pro tier, brave_image_search for images with metadata, and brave_summarizer for AI-generated summaries.

What happens if the Brave Search MCP server is unavailable?▼

The skill degrades gracefully by falling back to the fetch tool for known documentation URLs, asking the user to provide specific URLs or information, and analyzing the existing codebase for similar implementations while clearly stating what information is missing.

Does web search require an API key?▼

Yes, Brave Search requires an API key to function. Setup instructions are provided in the MCP setup documentation referenced by the skill. Without a configured key, only the fetch-based fallback path is available.

How do I run a competitive analysis with web search?▼

Search for the competitor name plus product type, then search for reviews and comparisons of their offering. The skill compiles these findings into a structured report covering the competitive landscape.

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