---
title: "Exa Search Tool"
description: "Search the web using the Exa Search API to find the most relevant results for any query, with options for full page content, highlights, and summaries."
icon: "magnifying-glass"
mode: "wide"
---

The `EXASearchTool` lets CrewAI agents search the web using the [Exa](https://exa.ai/) search API. It returns the most relevant results for any query, with options for full page content and AI-generated summaries.

## Installation

Install the CrewAI tools package:

```shell
pip install 'crewai[tools]'
```

## Environment Variables

Set your Exa API key as an environment variable:

```bash
export EXA_API_KEY='your_exa_api_key'
```

Get an API key from the [Exa dashboard](https://dashboard.exa.ai/api-keys).

## Example Usage

Here's how to use the `EXASearchTool` within a CrewAI agent:

```python
import os
from crewai import Agent, Task, Crew
from crewai_tools import EXASearchTool

# Initialize the tool
exa_tool = EXASearchTool()

# Create an agent that uses the tool
researcher = Agent(
    role='Research Analyst',
    goal='Find the latest information on any topic',
    backstory='An expert researcher who finds the most relevant and up-to-date information.',
    tools=[exa_tool],
    verbose=True
)

# Create a task for the agent
research_task = Task(
    description='Find the top 3 recent breakthroughs in quantum computing.',
    expected_output='A summary of the top 3 breakthroughs with source URLs.',
    agent=researcher
)

# Form the crew and kick it off
crew = Crew(
    agents=[researcher],
    tasks=[research_task],
    verbose=True
)

result = crew.kickoff()
print(result)
```

## Configuration Options

The `EXASearchTool` accepts the following parameters during initialization:

- `type` (str, optional): The search type to use. Defaults to `"auto"`. Options: `"auto"`, `"instant"`, `"fast"`, `"deep"`.
- `content` (bool, optional): Whether to include full page content in results. Defaults to `False`.
- `summary` (bool, optional): Whether to include AI-generated summaries of each result. Requires `content=True`. Defaults to `False`.
- `api_key` (str, optional): Your Exa API key. Falls back to the `EXA_API_KEY` environment variable if not provided.
- `base_url` (str, optional): Custom API server URL. Falls back to the `EXA_BASE_URL` environment variable if not provided.

When calling the tool (or when an agent invokes it), the following search parameters are available:

- `search_query` (str): **Required**. The search query string.
- `start_published_date` (str, optional): Filter results published after this date (ISO 8601 format, e.g. `"2024-01-01"`).
- `end_published_date` (str, optional): Filter results published before this date (ISO 8601 format).
- `include_domains` (list[str], optional): A list of domains to restrict the search to.

## Advanced Usage

You can configure the tool with custom parameters for richer results:

```python
# Get full page content with AI summaries
exa_tool = EXASearchTool(
    content=True,
    summary=True,
    type="deep"
)

# Use it in an agent
agent = Agent(
    role="Deep Researcher",
    goal="Conduct thorough research with full content and summaries",
    tools=[exa_tool]
)
```

## Features

- **Semantic Search**: Find results based on meaning, not just keywords
- **Full Content Retrieval**: Get the full text of web pages alongside search results
- **AI Summaries**: Get concise, AI-generated summaries of each result
- **Date Filtering**: Limit results to specific time periods with published date filters
- **Domain Filtering**: Restrict searches to specific domains
