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How to Configure Web Search for a nanoinfra AI Agent

nanoinfra includes built-in web search and web fetch tools. Search uses DuckDuckGo by default and can be configured for API-backed or self-hosted providers.

What you will build​

  • web tools enabled in nanoinfra
  • one search provider selected in the WebUI or config.json
  • optional web fetch settings for page reading

When to use this​

Configure web search when the agent needs current information, public web research, source discovery, or page fetching during a task.

Install​

Quick Start ranks four install methods easiest first. This is the first of them. Use pip, Docker or a source checkout instead if you prefer, and come back here.

uv tool install nanoinfra
nanoinfra onboard --wizard
nanoinfra agent -m "Hello!"

Web tools are enabled by default. Configure them only when you want a specific provider, API key, proxy, fetch behavior, or SSRF allowlist.

Minimal working example​

For local interactive setup:

  1. Run nanoinfra webui.
  2. Open Settings → Web.
  3. Enable web search, choose a provider, and enter its API key if required.
  4. Save and restart when prompted.
  5. Ask a question that requires current information and inspect the cited sources.

For manual or deployment-managed config, use the default search provider:

{
  "tools": {
    "web": {
      "enable": true,
      "search": {
        "provider": "duckduckgo"
      }
    }
  }
}

Or use an API-backed provider:

{
  "tools": {
    "web": {
      "search": {
        "provider": "brave",
        "apiKey": "${BRAVE_API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Ask a question that requires current information and inspect the tool activity in the WebUI or logs.

Production notes​

  • Keep API keys in environment variables.
  • Set maxResults when you need fewer or more search results per query.
  • Set tools.web.proxy only to a proxy you trust.
  • Use fetch.useJinaReader: false if you need local page conversion.

Security notes​

  • Web fetch and HTTP MCP share an SSRF guard.
  • Private, loopback, link-local, and cloud metadata addresses are blocked by default.
  • Add tools.ssrfWhitelist only for narrow trusted CIDRs.
  • Do not give public chat users unrestricted web and shell access without review.

Troubleshooting​

  • If search returns no results, switch provider or check the provider API key.
  • If fetch is blocked, inspect the target URL and SSRF whitelist.
  • If a proxy changes network behavior, verify NO_PROXY and proxy settings.