Skillshub tavily

Use this skill for web search, extraction, mapping, crawling, and research via Tavily’s REST API when web searches are needed and no built-in tool is available, or when Tavily’s LLM-friendly format is beneficial.

install
source · Clone the upstream repo
git clone https://github.com/ComeOnOliver/skillshub
Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/
T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/ComeOnOliver/skillshub "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r "$T/skills/intellectronica/agent-skills/tavily" ~/.claude/skills/comeonoliver-skillshub-tavily && rm -rf "$T"
manifest: skills/intellectronica/agent-skills/tavily/SKILL.md
source content

Tavily

Purpose

Provide a curl-based interface to Tavily’s REST API for web search, extraction, mapping, crawling, and optional research. Return structured results suitable for LLM workflows and multi-step investigations.

When to Use

  • Use when a task needs live web information, site extraction, mapping, or crawling.
  • Use when web searches are needed and no built-in tool is available, or when Tavily’s LLM-friendly output (summaries, chunks, sources, citations) is beneficial.
  • Use when a task requires structured search results, extraction, or site discovery from Tavily.

Required Environment

  • Require
    TAVILY_API_KEY
    in the environment.
  • If
    TAVILY_API_KEY
    is missing, prompt the user to provide the API key before proceeding.

Base URL and Auth

  • Base URL:
    https://api.tavily.com
  • Authentication:
    Authorization: Bearer $TAVILY_API_KEY
  • Content type:
    Content-Type: application/json
  • Optional project tracking: add
    X-Project-ID: <project-id>
    if project attribution is needed.

Tool Mapping (Tavily REST)

1) search → POST /search

Use for web search with optional answer and content extraction.

Recommended minimal request:

curl -sS -X POST "https://api.tavily.com/search" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TAVILY_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "query": "<query>",
    "search_depth": "basic",
    "max_results": 5,
    "include_answer": true,
    "include_raw_content": false,
    "include_images": false
  }'

Key parameters (all optional unless noted):

  • query
    (required): search text
  • search_depth
    :
    basic
    |
    advanced
    |
    fast
    |
    ultra-fast
  • chunks_per_source
    : 1–3 (advanced only)
  • max_results
    : 0–20
  • topic
    :
    general
    |
    news
    |
    finance
  • time_range
    :
    day|week|month|year|d|w|m|y
  • start_date
    ,
    end_date
    :
    YYYY-MM-DD
  • include_answer
    :
    false
    |
    true
    |
    basic
    |
    advanced
  • include_raw_content
    :
    false
    |
    true
    |
    markdown
    |
    text
  • include_images
    : boolean
  • include_image_descriptions
    : boolean
  • include_favicon
    : boolean
  • include_domains
    ,
    exclude_domains
    : string arrays
  • country
    : country name (general topic only)
  • auto_parameters
    : boolean
  • include_usage
    : boolean

Expected response fields:

  • answer
    (if requested),
    results[]
    with
    title
    ,
    url
    ,
    content
    ,
    score
    ,
    raw_content
    (optional),
    favicon
    (optional)
  • response_time
    ,
    usage
    ,
    request_id

2) extract → POST /extract

Use for extracting content from specific URLs.

curl -sS -X POST "https://api.tavily.com/extract" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TAVILY_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "urls": ["https://example.com/article"],
    "query": "<optional intent for reranking>",
    "chunks_per_source": 3,
    "extract_depth": "basic",
    "format": "markdown",
    "include_images": false,
    "include_favicon": false
  }'

Key parameters:

  • urls
    (required): array of URLs
  • query
    : rerank chunks by intent
  • chunks_per_source
    : 1–5 (only when
    query
    provided)
  • extract_depth
    :
    basic
    |
    advanced
  • format
    :
    markdown
    |
    text
  • timeout
    : 1–60 seconds
  • include_usage
    : boolean

Expected response fields:

  • results[]
    with
    url
    ,
    raw_content
    ,
    images
    ,
    favicon
  • failed_results[]
    ,
    response_time
    ,
    usage
    ,
    request_id

3) map → POST /map

Use for generating a site map (URL discovery only).

curl -sS -X POST "https://api.tavily.com/map" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TAVILY_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "url": "https://docs.tavily.com",
    "max_depth": 1,
    "max_breadth": 20,
    "limit": 50,
    "allow_external": true
  }'

Key parameters:

  • url
    (required)
  • instructions
    : natural language guidance (raises cost)
  • max_depth
    : 1–5
  • max_breadth
    : 1+
  • limit
    : 1+
  • select_paths
    ,
    select_domains
    ,
    exclude_paths
    ,
    exclude_domains
    : arrays of regex strings
  • allow_external
    : boolean
  • timeout
    : 10–150 seconds
  • include_usage
    : boolean

Expected response fields:

  • base_url
    ,
    results[]
    (list of URLs),
    response_time
    ,
    usage
    ,
    request_id

4) crawl → POST /crawl

Use for site traversal with built-in extraction.

curl -sS -X POST "https://api.tavily.com/crawl" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TAVILY_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "url": "https://docs.tavily.com",
    "instructions": "Find all pages about the Python SDK",
    "max_depth": 1,
    "max_breadth": 20,
    "limit": 50,
    "extract_depth": "basic",
    "format": "markdown",
    "include_images": false
  }'

Key parameters:

  • url
    (required)
  • instructions
    : optional; raises cost and enables
    chunks_per_source
  • chunks_per_source
    : 1–5 (only with
    instructions
    )
  • max_depth
    ,
    max_breadth
    ,
    limit
    : same as map
  • extract_depth
    :
    basic
    |
    advanced
  • format
    :
    markdown
    |
    text
  • include_images
    ,
    include_favicon
    ,
    allow_external
  • timeout
    : 10–150 seconds
  • include_usage
    : boolean

Expected response fields:

  • base_url
    ,
    results[]
    with
    url
    ,
    raw_content
    ,
    favicon
  • response_time
    ,
    usage
    ,
    request_id

Optional Research Workflow (Deep Investigation)

Use when a query needs multi-step analysis and citations.

create research task → POST /research

curl -sS -X POST "https://api.tavily.com/research" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TAVILY_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "input": "<research question>",
    "model": "auto",
    "stream": false,
    "citation_format": "numbered"
  }'

Expected response fields:

  • request_id
    ,
    created_at
    ,
    status
    (pending),
    input
    ,
    model
    ,
    response_time

get research status → GET /research/{request_id}

curl -sS -X GET "https://api.tavily.com/research/<request_id>" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TAVILY_API_KEY"

Expected response fields:

  • status
    :
    completed
  • content
    : report text or structured object
  • sources[]
    :
    { title, url, favicon }

streaming research (SSE)

Set

"stream": true
in the POST body and use curl with
-N
to stream events:

curl -N -X POST "https://api.tavily.com/research" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TAVILY_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"input":"<question>","stream":true,"model":"pro"}'

Handle SSE events (tool calls, tool responses, content chunks, sources, done).

Usage Notes

  • Treat
    search
    ,
    extract
    ,
    map
    , and
    crawl
    as the primary endpoints for discovery and content retrieval.
  • Return structured results with URLs, titles, and summaries for easy downstream use.
  • Default to conservative parameters (
    search_depth: basic
    ,
    max_results: 5
    ) unless deeper recall is needed.
  • Reuse consistent request bodies across calls to keep results predictable.

Error Handling

  • If any request returns 401/403, prompt for or re-check
    TAVILY_API_KEY
    .
  • If timeouts occur, reduce
    max_depth
    /
    limit
    or use
    search_depth: basic
    .
  • If responses are too large, lower
    max_results
    or
    chunks_per_source
    .