Zero-API-Key Web Search

Use this skill when a task needs live search results, source-backed verification, or full-page reading. No API keys required. 100% free.

Install

pip install zero-api-key-web-search

For Claude Code, the repository also ships .claude/skills/zero-api-key-web-search/SKILL.md. For Manus-style Agent Skills workflows, use this root SKILL.md plus docs/manus.md.

Core Commands

zero-search "latest Python release" --type news --timelimit w
zero-browse "https://docs.python.org/3/whatsnew/"
zero-verify "Python 3.13 is the latest stable release" --json
zero-report "Python 3.13 stable release" --claim "Python 3.13 is the latest stable release" --deep --json

Legacy aliases: zero-search, zero-browse, zero-verify, zero-report.

When to Use

• facts, versions, releases, dates, or statistics
• recent or time-sensitive questions
• claim checking with citations
• compact evidence reports with citation-ready source digests
• tasks where conflicting sources should be surfaced instead of hidden
• free dual-provider verification with ddgs + self-hosted searxng

Operating Guidance

• Treat zero-verify as a first-pass evidence classifier, not a proof engine.
• Prefer zero-report when you need a single artifact that combines verdict, citations, and next steps.
• Prefer zero-search --type news for recent events.
• Use zero-browse when snippets are too thin to justify an answer.
• Cite URLs for factual claims.
• If support and conflict are both present, present the disagreement rather than collapsing it.

Compatibility Names

• Repository: zero-api-key-web-search
• Package: zero-api-key-web-search
• Module: zero_api_key_web_search
• CLI: zero-search, zero-browse, zero-verify, zero-report
• MCP: zero-mcp
• Legacy aliases: search-web, browse-page, verify-claim, evidence-report, cross-validated-search-mcp, free-web-search-mcp
• Legacy modules: free_web_search, zero_api_key_web_search_compat

Limits

• Default provider diversity is limited because the default path uses ddgs.
• The recommended free upgrade path is self-hosted searxng via ZERO_SEARCH_SEARXNG_URL.
• Scoring is heuristic and depends on returned snippets.
• TLS verification is enabled by default; insecure mode requires an explicit environment variable.

License

MIT License.