searxng

What This Skill Does

The SearXNG Search skill allows you to leverage a self-hosted SearXNG instance to perform private web searches. SearXNG acts as a metasearch engine, aggregating results from numerous search providers like Google, DuckDuckGo, Brave, and Startpage, while respecting your privacy by not tracking your searches. This skill enables the AI to fetch relevant web information without relying on centralized search engines, promoting data sovereignty and user anonymity.

Installation

To install this skill, you will need a running SearXNG instance. The installation command is:

clawhub install openclaw/skills/skills/clockworksquirrel/searxng-local

Before installing, ensure your SearXNG instance is accessible and configured. The skill defaults to using http://localhost:8080 as the SearXNG URL. If your instance is hosted elsewhere, you can configure this using the SEARXNG_URL environment variable:

export SEARXNG_URL="http://your-searxng-host:port"

Refer to the SearXNG documentation for detailed setup and configuration of your SearXNG instance, including enabling the JSON API.

Use Cases

This skill is ideal for scenarios where privacy is paramount or when you need to gather information from a diverse set of search engines without direct interaction.

• Private Web Research: Conduct searches for information without leaving a traceable digital footprint.
• Information Aggregation: Get a consolidated view of search results from multiple engines, offering a broader perspective.
• Content Discovery: Find articles, news, images, or videos relevant to a query, with the option to filter by category.
• Academic and Technical Queries: Utilize specific categories like 'science' or 'it' to find specialized information.
• Automated Information Gathering: Integrate into workflows that require retrieving web data programmatically and privately.

Example Prompts

• "Search the web for the latest advancements in quantum computing using SearXNG."
• "Find recent news articles about renewable energy sources via SearXNG."
• "Using SearXNG, look for scientific papers on the effects of microplastics on marine life."

Tips & Limitations

• SearXNG Instance Requirement: This skill relies entirely on a properly configured and accessible SearXNG instance. If your SearXNG instance is down or misconfigured, the skill will not function.
• URL Configuration: Always verify that the SEARXNG_URL environment variable is correctly set if your instance is not running on the default http://localhost:8080.
• Result Quality: The quality and relevance of search results depend heavily on the configuration of your SearXNG instance and the search engines it aggregates.
• Rate Limiting: Be mindful of potential rate limits imposed by your SearXNG instance or the underlying search engines it queries.
• Advanced Queries: While the skill supports basic searches, complex queries or specific filtering might require direct interaction with the SearXNG API or shell functions for greater control.
• JSON Output Parsing: The skill's default output is JSON. Ensure any consuming agent or user can parse this format effectively. The provided shell function offers a user-friendly formatted output for terminal use.