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| --- | |
| title: Search Engine Setup | |
| description: Configure OpenHands to use Tavily as a search engine | |
| --- | |
| ## Setting Up Search Engine in OpenHands | |
| OpenHands can be configured to use [Tavily](https://tavily.com/) as a search engine, which allows the agent to search the web for information when needed. This capability enhances the agent's ability to provide up-to-date information and solve problems that require external knowledge. | |
| ### Getting a Tavily API Key | |
| To use the search functionality in OpenHands, you'll need to obtain a Tavily API key: | |
| 1. Visit [Tavily's website](https://tavily.com/) and sign up for an account | |
| 2. Navigate to the API section in your dashboard | |
| 3. Generate a new API key | |
| 4. Copy the API key (it should start with `tvly-`) | |
| ### Configuring Search in OpenHands | |
| Once you have your Tavily API key, you can configure OpenHands to use it: | |
| #### In the OpenHands UI | |
| 1. Open OpenHands and navigate to the Settings page by clicking the gear icon | |
| 2. In the LLM settings tab, locate the "Search API Key (Tavily)" field | |
| 3. Enter your Tavily API key (starting with `tvly-`) | |
| 4. Click "Save" to apply the changes | |
| <Note> | |
| The search API key field is optional. If you don't provide a key, the search functionality will not be available to the agent. | |
| </Note> | |
| #### Using Configuration Files | |
| If you're running OpenHands in headless mode or via CLI, you can configure the search API key in your configuration file: | |
| ```toml | |
| # In your OpenHands config file | |
| [core] | |
| search_api_key = "tvly-your-api-key-here" | |
| ``` | |
| ### How Search Works in OpenHands | |
| When the search engine is configured: | |
| 1. The agent can decide to search the web when it needs external information | |
| 2. Search queries are sent to Tavily's API via [Tavily's MCP server](https://github.com/tavily-ai/tavily-mcp) which includes a variety of [tools](https://docs.tavily.com/documentation/api-reference/introduction) (search, extract, crawl, map). | |
| 3. Results are returned and incorporated into the agent's context | |
| 4. The agent can use this information to provide more accurate and up-to-date responses | |
| ### Limitations | |
| - Search results depend on Tavily's coverage and freshness | |
| - Usage may be subject to Tavily's rate limits and pricing tiers | |
| - The agent will only search when it determines that external information is needed | |
| ### Troubleshooting | |
| If you encounter issues with the search functionality: | |
| - Verify that your API key is correct and active | |
| - Check that your API key starts with `tvly-` | |
| - Ensure you have an active internet connection | |
| - Check Tavily's status page for any service disruptions | |