---
name: Brave Search
slug: brave-search
category: Automation
description: Brave Search searches the web and extracts readable page content through the Brave Search API. Use it for documentation, facts, current information, or pulling content from a specific URL without a browser.
github: "https://github.com/SawyerHood/middleman/tree/main/apps/backend/src/swarm/skills/builtins/brave-search"
language: TypeScript
stars: 181
forks: 21
install: "npx degit https://github.com/SawyerHood/middleman/tree/main/apps/backend/src/swarm/skills/builtins/brave-search ~/.claude/skills/brave-search"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/brave-search
source_path: apps/backend/src/swarm/skills/builtins/brave-search/SKILL.md
collection_size: 4
category_size: 2109
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/SawyerHood/middleman"
added: 2026-09-07T05:20:18.842Z
last_synced: 2026-09-07T05:20:18.842Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/brave-search"
---

# Brave Search

Brave Search searches the web and extracts readable page content through the Brave Search API. Use it for documentation, facts, current information, or pulling content from a specific URL without a browser.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/SawyerHood/middleman/tree/main/apps/backend/src/swarm/skills/builtins/brave-search ~/.claude/skills/brave-search
```

## README

# Brave Search

Web search and content extraction using the official Brave Search API. No browser required.

## Setup

Requires a Brave Search API account with a free subscription. A credit card is required to create the free subscription (you won't be charged).

1. Create an account at https://api-dashboard.search.brave.com/register
2. Create a "Free AI" subscription
3. Create an API key for the subscription
4. Configure `BRAVE_API_KEY` in the app Settings → Environment Variables.
   (Fallback for standalone usage: export `BRAVE_API_KEY` in your shell.)
5. Dependencies are installed via the backend workspace package.
   If running this skill standalone, install once from this skill directory:
   ```bash
   npm install
   ```

## Search

```bash
middleman brave-search search "query"                         # Basic search (5 results)
middleman brave-search search "query" -n 10                   # More results (max 20)
middleman brave-search search "query" --content               # Include page content as markdown
middleman brave-search search "query" --freshness pw          # Results from last week
middleman brave-search search "query" --freshness 2024-01-01to2024-06-30  # Date range
middleman brave-search search "query" --country DE            # Results from Germany
middleman brave-search search "query" -n 3 --content          # Combined options
```

### Options

- `-n <num>` - Number of results (default: 5, max: 20)
- `--content` - Fetch and include page content as markdown
- `--country <code>` - Two-letter country code (default: US)
- `--freshness <period>` - Filter by time:
  - `pd` - Past day (24 hours)
  - `pw` - Past week
  - `pm` - Past month
  - `py` - Past year
  - `YYYY-MM-DDtoYYYY-MM-DD` - Custom date range

## Extract Page Content

```bash
middleman brave-search content https://example.com/article
```

Fetches a URL and extracts readable content as markdown.

## Output Format

```
--- Result 1 ---
Title: Page Title
Link: https://example.com/page
Age: 2 days ago
Snippet: Description from search results
Content: (if --content flag used)
  Markdown content extracted from the page...

--- Result 2 ---
...
```

## When to Use

- Searching for documentation or API references
- Looking up facts or current information
- Fetching content from specific URLs
- Any task requiring web search without interactive browsing