X/Twitter Search

name: x-twitter-search
version: 3.0.0
updated: 2026-03-02
author: InstaClaw
triggers:
  keywords: [twitter, tweet, x.com, tweets, trending, hashtag, viral, thread]
  phrases: ["search twitter", "search x", "find tweets", "what's trending on x", "latest tweets about", "check twitter for", "who tweeted", "twitter mentions", "x posts about"]
  NOT: [post to twitter, send tweet, tweet this, schedule tweet]

Overview

You can search X/Twitter using the Twitter API v2 directly from your VM. This gives you real-time access to tweets from the last 7 days with full engagement metrics, author info, and direct links.

This is a read-only search skill. You can find and read tweets but cannot post, like, retweet, or interact with Twitter accounts.

How it works: Your VM calls the Twitter API v2 directly using your own TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN environment variable.

Setup Check

Before making any Twitter API call, check that the token is set:

TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN=$(grep TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN ~/.openclaw/.env | cut -d= -f2)
if [ -z "$TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN" ]; then
  echo "TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN not set"
fi

If TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN is not set

Tell the user:

Your Twitter API key isn't configured yet. To enable X/Twitter search:

1. Go to your InstaClaw dashboard → Environment Variables and add TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN
2. To get a key: go to developer.x.com, create a Project, create an App, then generate a Bearer Token under "Keys and Tokens"
3. Note: X Basic API tier costs $200/mo and includes 10,000 tweet reads/month

Once added, the token syncs to your VM automatically.

Then stop — do not attempt the search.

How to Search

TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN=$(grep TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN ~/.openclaw/.env | cut -d= -f2)
curl -s "https://api.x.com/2/tweets/search/recent?query=AI%20agents%20-is%3Aretweet&max_results=10&tweet.fields=text,created_at,author_id,public_metrics,entities,note_tweet,referenced_tweets,in_reply_to_user_id&expansions=author_id&user.fields=username,name,profile_image_url,verified,public_metrics" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN"

Query Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
query	Yes	Twitter search query (1-512 chars). Supports Twitter v2 operators.
max_results	No	Results to return (10-100, default 10)
sort_order	No	"recency" (default) or "relevancy"
tweet.fields	No	Comma-separated fields: text,created_at,author_id,public_metrics,entities,note_tweet,referenced_tweets,in_reply_to_user_id
expansions	No	author_id to include user data
user.fields	No	username,name,profile_image_url,verified,public_metrics

Response Format

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "1234567890123456789",
      "text": "Full tweet text...",
      "author_id": "12345",
      "created_at": "2026-03-01T18:40:40.000Z",
      "public_metrics": {
        "like_count": 42,
        "retweet_count": 5,
        "reply_count": 2,
        "quote_count": 1
      }
    }
  ],
  "includes": {
    "users": [
      {
        "id": "12345",
        "username": "exampleuser",
        "name": "Example User",
        "verified": false,
        "public_metrics": {
          "followers_count": 1500
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "meta": {
    "result_count": 10,
    "newest_id": "...",
    "oldest_id": "..."
  }
}

To build tweet URLs: https://x.com/{username}/status/{tweet_id}

Twitter v2 Query Operators

Use these in the query parameter to refine your search:

Operator	Description	Example
from:username	Tweets from a specific user	from:elonmusk
to:username	Replies to a user	to:OpenAI
-is:retweet	Exclude retweets (recommended)	AI agents -is:retweet
is:reply / -is:reply	Filter replies in or out	from:sama -is:reply
has:media	Tweets with images/video	AI art has:media
has:links	Tweets with URLs	startup funding has:links
lang:en	Language filter	trending lang:en
"exact phrase"	Exact match	"GPT-5 release"
(A OR B)	Boolean OR	(crypto OR bitcoin)
-word	Exclude a term	AI -spam -bot
#hashtag	Hashtag search	#BuildInPublic
conversation_id:ID	Tweets in a thread	conversation_id:123456

Search Patterns

Pattern 1: Topic Search

Find tweets about a subject.

User: "What are people saying about Claude 4 on Twitter?"

Query: Claude 4 -is:retweet lang:en
max_results: 15

Deliver:
  - Summarize the main opinions and reactions
  - Quote notable tweets with attribution (@username)
  - Note the sentiment balance (positive/negative/mixed)
  - Include direct x.com links to interesting tweets

Pattern 2: Account Search

Find tweets from a specific user.

User: "What has @elonmusk been posting about lately?"

Query: from:elonmusk
max_results: 15

Deliver:
  - List their recent posts chronologically
  - Summarize themes and topics
  - Include engagement metrics (likes, retweets)

Pattern 3: Trending Discussions

Find what's getting traction.

User: "What's trending in AI on Twitter?"

Query: AI trending -is:retweet lang:en
sort_order: relevancy
max_results: 15

Deliver:
  - Top topics with brief context
  - Notable viral posts with engagement numbers
  - Links to representative tweets

Pattern 4: Combined Filters

Mix operators for precise results.

User: "Find tweets from AI researchers about GPT-5"

Query: GPT-5 (AI OR "machine learning") -is:retweet lang:en
max_results: 15

Deliver:
  - Key insights and opinions
  - Quote high-engagement tweets
  - Summarize the overall narrative

Pattern 5: Hashtag Search

Find posts using a specific hashtag.

User: "Show me tweets with #BuildInPublic"

Query: #BuildInPublic -is:retweet
max_results: 15

Deliver:
  - Interesting projects being built in public
  - High-engagement posts
  - Themes and trends in the hashtag

Pattern 6: Brand Monitoring

Track mentions of a company or product.

User: "What are people saying about Stripe on Twitter?"

Query: Stripe OR @stripe -is:retweet
max_results: 15

Deliver:
  - Overall sentiment summary
  - Common praise and complaints
  - Notable posts from verified/industry accounts

Pattern 7: Conversation Thread

Follow a specific thread or conversation.

User: "Show me the full thread from this tweet"

Query: from:username conversation_id:1234567890123456789
max_results: 25

Deliver:
  - Thread content in order
  - Key points from the author
  - Notable replies if applicable

Pattern 8: Media Posts

Find tweets with images or video.

User: "Find AI art being shared on Twitter"

Query: AI art has:media -is:retweet
max_results: 15

Deliver:
  - Describe the media content from the tweet text
  - Include x.com links so user can view the media
  - Note engagement levels

Rate Limits

These are your own API limits based on your X developer tier:

Tier	Requests / 15 min	Tweet reads / month	Cost
Basic	450	10,000	$200/mo
Pro	450	1,000,000	$5,000/mo

If you get a 429 response, check the retry-after header and wait before retrying.

Best Practices

1. Use -is:retweet by default — Removes duplicates, gives you more unique content per search.

2. Quote tweets with attribution — Always include the @username when quoting. Format: "Tweet text" — @username

3. Include engagement metrics — The API returns likes, retweets, replies, and quotes. Use them to highlight popular takes.

4. Include direct links — Build tweet URLs as https://x.com/{username}/status/{tweet_id}. Include x.com links to notable tweets.

5. Don't fabricate tweets — Only report tweets that appear in your search results. Never invent tweet text or attribute fake quotes to real accounts.

6. Use sort_order=relevancy for discovery — When the user wants popular/important tweets rather than the most recent.

7. Combine operators — Stack from:, -is:retweet, lang:en, has:media etc. for precise results.

8. URL-encode the query — When building the curl URL, ensure special characters in the query are percent-encoded (spaces → %20, colons → %3A, etc.).

Known Limitations

• 7-day window — Twitter API v2 search/recent only covers the last 7 days. Older tweets are not available.
• No DMs or protected accounts — Only public tweets are searchable.
• Read-only — Cannot post, like, retweet, or follow.
• No media content — You get tweet text and metadata, not image/video files. Link the user to x.com for media viewing.
• Rate limits are yours — You are using the user's own API quota. Be mindful of monthly read caps.

Error Handling

HTTP Status	Meaning	What to Do
400	Bad request / invalid query	Check query syntax and encoding
401	Unauthorized	Token is invalid or expired — tell user to check their TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN
403	Forbidden	Token lacks permissions or tier doesn't support this endpoint
429	Rate limited	Wait for retry-after seconds, then retry
503	Service unavailable	Twitter is having issues — retry in a few minutes

Quality Checklist

• Checked TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN is set before calling
• Used -is:retweet to filter noise
• Quoted tweets with @username attribution
• Included direct x.com links to notable tweets
• Reported engagement metrics (likes, retweets)
• Summarized sentiment (not just listed tweets)
• Did not fabricate or hallucinate tweet content