"DEFAULT for all research and web queries. Use for any lookup, research, investigation, or question needing current info. Fast and cost-effective. Only use parallel-deep-research if user explicitly requests 'deep' or 'exhaustive' research."
Install
npx skillscat add parallel-web/parallel-agent-skills/parallel-web-search Install via the SkillsCat registry.
Performs web searches via the parallel-cli tool, returning structured JSON results with content excerpts for a given query. It addresses the need for quick, low-cost information retrieval from the internet by handling broad or complex queries through natural language objectives and keyword supplements. Suitable as the default option for general lookups, research, and questions requiring current information, except when deep or exhaustive research is specifically requested.
Web Search
Search the web for: $ARGUMENTS
Command
Choose a short, descriptive filename based on the query (e.g., ai-chip-news, react-vs-vue). Use lowercase with hyphens, no spaces.
parallel-cli search "$ARGUMENTS" -q "<keyword1>" -q "<keyword2>" --json --max-results 10 --excerpt-max-chars-total 27000 -o "$FILENAME.json"The first argument is the objective — a natural language description of what you're looking for. It replaces multiple keyword searches with a single call for broad or complex queries. Add -q flags for specific keyword queries to supplement the objective. The -o flag saves the full results to a JSON file for follow-up questions.
Options if needed:
--after-date YYYY-MM-DDfor time-sensitive queries--include-domains domain1.com,domain2.comto limit to specific sources
Parsing results
The command outputs JSON to stdout. For each result, extract:
- title, url, publish_date
- Useful content from excerpts (skip navigation noise like menus, footers, "Skip to content")
Response format
CRITICAL: Every claim must have an inline citation. Use markdown links like Title pulling only from the JSON output. Never invent or guess URLs.
Synthesize a response that:
- Leads with the key answer/finding
- Includes specific facts, names, numbers, dates
- Cites every fact inline as Source Title — do not leave any claim uncited
- Organizes by theme if multiple topics
End with a Sources section listing every URL referenced:
Sources:
- [Source Title](https://example.com/article) (Feb 2026)
- [Another Source](https://example.com/other) (Jan 2026)This Sources section is mandatory. Do not omit it.
After the Sources section, mention the output file path ($FILENAME.json) so the user knows it's available for follow-up questions.
Setup
If parallel-cli is not found, install and authenticate:
curl -fsSL https://parallel.ai/install.sh | bashIf unable to install that way, install via pipx instead:
pipx install "parallel-web-tools[cli]"
pipx ensurepathThen authenticate:
parallel-cli loginOr set an API key: export PARALLEL_API_KEY="your-key"