Web Search
Web search gives agents the ability to search the internet during task execution. This is useful for tasks that need up-to-date information, research, fact-checking, or any work that benefits from live web results.
How it works
Section titled “How it works”Web search is powered by SearXNG, a privacy-respecting metasearch engine. SearXNG aggregates results from multiple search engines without tracking your queries.
By default, Errand uses a hosted instance at https://search.errand.cloud — this works out of the box with no setup required.
Configuration
Section titled “Configuration”If you want to use a self-hosted SearXNG instance (for privacy, performance, or customization), you can change the instance URL:
- Open the Errand UI and go to Settings > Integrations
- Find the SearXNG Search card and click it
- Configure:
| Field | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Instance URL | The SearXNG server address | https://search.errand.cloud |
| Username | Optional — for private instances with basic auth | — |
| Password | Optional — for private instances with basic auth | — |
- Click Test & Save to verify the connection
No setup needed for default instance
Section titled “No setup needed for default instance”If you’re happy using the hosted instance at https://search.errand.cloud, there’s nothing to configure. Web search is available to agents immediately.
What agents can do with web search
Section titled “What agents can do with web search”During task execution, agents can:
- Search by keyword with category filters (general, news, images, etc.)
- Filter by time range to find recent or older results
- Select language for localized results
- Control safe search settings
- Browse paginated results for deeper research
Each search result includes a URL, title, and content snippet that the agent can use to complete your task.
Self-hosting SearXNG
Section titled “Self-hosting SearXNG”If you prefer to run your own SearXNG instance:
- Follow the SearXNG installation guide
- Ensure the JSON search format is enabled in your SearXNG settings
- Update the Instance URL in Errand to point to your instance
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Search returns an error | Check that the Instance URL is correct and the SearXNG instance is running |
| Slow search results | The default hosted instance may be under load — consider running your own SearXNG instance |
| No results returned | Try adjusting the search query — very specific or unusual terms may not return results |
| Authentication error | If using a private instance with basic auth, verify the username and password |