Brave Search API (Direct)

Overview

This skill enables web searching using the Brave Search API directly via curl commands. No MCP server required - saves context tokens.

API Key

Environment variable: BRAVE_API_KEY

Web Search

Endpoint

GET https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search

Parameters

• q (required): Search query
• count (optional): Results count (1-20, default 10)
• offset (optional): Pagination offset

Usage

Generate and execute this curl command:

curl -s "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search?q=QUERY&count=10" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "X-Subscription-Token: $BRAVE_API_KEY"

Example

curl -s "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search?q=xterm.js+WebGL+tutorial&count=5" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "X-Subscription-Token: $BRAVE_API_KEY" | jq '.web.results[] | {title, url, description}'

Local Search

Endpoint

GET https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/local/search

Usage

curl -s "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/local/search?q=coffee+near+Shibuya" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "X-Subscription-Token: $BRAVE_API_KEY"

Response Processing

Use jq to extract relevant fields:

# Get titles and URLs
| jq '.web.results[] | {title, url}'

# Get descriptions
| jq '.web.results[] | {title, description}'

# Get first 3 results
| jq '.web.results[:3]'

Common Workflows

Research a Technology

curl -s "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search?q=VS+Code+extension+development+2024&count=10" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "X-Subscription-Token: $BRAVE_API_KEY" | jq '.web.results[:5] | .[] | {title, url}'

Find Error Solutions

curl -s "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search?q=WebGL+context+lost+solution&count=10" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "X-Subscription-Token: $BRAVE_API_KEY" | jq '.web.results[] | {title, url, description}'

Notes

• URL encode spaces as + or %20
• API key must be set in environment
• Rate limits apply per subscription tier