curl-search

What This Skill Does

The curl-search skill is a robust, lightweight utility for OpenClaw that enables web-based information retrieval directly from your command-line environment. By leveraging the versatility of the 'curl' command combined with a Python-based URL encoding layer, this skill allows users to query major search engines—Baidu, Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo—without needing a browser. It is designed specifically for environments where dedicated search APIs are either unavailable or restricted, providing a reliable fallback for gathering real-time data. Beyond simple fetching, version 2.0.0 integrates rigorous security measures, including input sanitization to strip dangerous shell metacharacters, command injection protection, and validation for engine selection and result limits.

Installation

To integrate this skill into your environment, the primary method is through the ClawHub package manager. Run the following command in your terminal:

clawhub install openclaw/skills/skills/bluejoy34/curlsearch

If you prefer manual deployment, navigate to your designated skills directory and extract the archive using 'tar -xzf curl-search.tar.gz'. Ensure that you have 'curl' installed on your system and an available 'python3' interpreter, as these are mandatory dependencies for the skill's network operations and query string formatting.

Use Cases

This skill is ideal for developers and power users who need to look up documentation, verify current information, or retrieve technical summaries without leaving the terminal context. It shines in automated scripting environments where gathering data from a search engine can streamline workflows, such as checking for the latest package versions or looking up error codes on developer forums.

Example Prompts

1. "Search for the latest OpenClaw Python installation guide using google."
2. "Look up how to implement authentication in Flask using bing."
3. "Query duckduckgo for recent security updates regarding curl usage."

Tips & Limitations

Please note that while this tool is highly efficient, it relies on public search engine endpoints. Consequently, it may occasionally trigger anti-scraping mechanisms if used too frequently. For users located in China, using Google as a default engine will require a configured proxy or VPN. Always ensure your environment variables (e.g., SEARCH_ENGINE and MAX_RESULTS) are configured to match your specific needs to avoid unnecessary overhead and ensure consistent output performance.