exa-research
Use Exa AI for neural search, content retrieval, and automated deep research. Requires EXA_API_KEY.
Best use case
exa-research is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Use Exa AI for neural search, content retrieval, and automated deep research. Requires EXA_API_KEY.
Teams using exa-research should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/exa-research/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How exa-research Compares
| Feature / Agent | exa-research | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Use Exa AI for neural search, content retrieval, and automated deep research. Requires EXA_API_KEY.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Exa Research Skill
This skill leverages the Exa AI API for neural search, finding similar content, and autonomous research via their Research endpoint.
## Setup
1. **Dependencies:** Requires `exa-py` and `openai` (for research endpoint compatibility).
```bash
pip install exa-py openai python-dotenv
```
2. **API Key Configuration:** Requires `EXA_API_KEY`.
```bash
# If the script fails due to a missing key, run the following:
echo "It seems the Exa API key is not set up."
read -p "Enter your Exa API key: " EXA_KEY
echo "EXA_API_KEY=$EXA_KEY" >> .env
if [ -f .gitignore ] && ! grep -q ".env" .gitignore; then echo ".env" >> .gitignore; fi
echo "API key saved to .env."
```
## Usage
The script `scripts/exa_tools.py` supports multiple operations.
### 1. Search and Contents
Perform a neural search and retrieve content or highlights.
```bash
python3 scripts/exa_tools.py search "<query>" [--num-results <N>] [--highlights]
```
**Example:**
```bash
python3 scripts/exa_tools.py search "innovative sustainable urban planning" --num-results 5 --highlights
```
### 2. Research (Automated)
Automate in-depth research and receive a structured report.
```bash
python3 scripts/exa_tools.py research "<query>" [--model <exa-research|exa-research-pro>]
```
**Example:**
```bash
python3 scripts/exa_tools.py research "Analyze the impact of quantum computing on cryptography" --model exa-research-pro
```
### 3. Find Similar
Find pages similar to a given URL.
```bash
python3 scripts/exa_tools.py find_similar "<url>"
```
**Example:**
```bash
python3 scripts/exa_tools.py find_similar "https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.03762"
```
## Output
The script outputs results in JSON format.Related Skills
openai-deep-research
Use OpenAI's Deep Research API (o3 / o4 models) to automate multi-step, citation-backed research workflows.
langchain-deep-research
Run LangChain Open Deep Research agent for iterative web research and comprehensive reports. Requires LLM API keys and search API (e.g., OPENAI_API_KEY, TAVILY_API_KEY).
gpt-researcher
Run the GPT Researcher autonomous agent to generate comprehensive deep research reports. Requires LLM and Search API keys (e.g., OPENAI_API_KEY, TAVILY_API_KEY).
xai-grok
Use xAI Grok API with Agent Tools for real-time web and X (Twitter) search and synthesis. Requires XAI_API_KEY.
tavily-search
Use Tavily Search API for optimized, real-time web search results for RAG. Requires TAVILY_API_KEY.
stanford-storm
Run Stanford STORM (knowledge-storm) to generate comprehensive, Wikipedia-style articles with citations. Requires LLM and Search API keys (Bing or You.com).
smolagents
Use Hugging Face Smolagents framework for code-based agentic research with tool support. Supports multiple LLM providers and web search.
perplexity-sonar
Use Perplexity Sonar API for real-time, citation-backed answers. Ideal for up-to-date information and quick synthesis. Requires PERPLEXITY_API_KEY
jina-ai
Use Jina AI APIs for converting URLs to LLM-friendly Markdown (Reader) and searching the web (Search).
market-research
Conduct market research, competitive analysis, investor due diligence, and industry intelligence with source attribution and decision-oriented summaries. Use when the user wants market sizing, competitor comparisons, fund research, technology scans, or research that informs business decisions.
deep-research
Multi-source deep research using firecrawl and exa MCPs. Searches the web, synthesizes findings, and delivers cited reports with source attribution. Use when the user wants thorough research on any topic with evidence and citations.
deep-research
Run autonomous research tasks that plan, search, read, and synthesize information into comprehensive reports.