fabro/docs/integrations/brave-search.mdx
Bryan Helmkamp e33ee6073a
refactor(server): make secrets and operational checks server-canonical
Move secret storage, diagnostics, and repo/provider validation behind the
server API so credentials live under the server storage dir and take effect
immediately without process env mutation.

This also removes the old .env runtime path, rewires doctor/install/secret/
provider login/repo init around the server contract, and regenerates the
TypeScript client for the new endpoints.
2026-04-05 17:34:01 -04:00

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Text

---
title: "Brave Search"
description: "Give Fabro agents web search capabilities via the Brave Search API"
---
Fabro's [`web_search`](/agents/tools#web_search) tool lets agents search the web during workflow execution. It uses the [Brave Search API](https://brave.com/search/api/) to return titles, URLs, and descriptions for any query. The tool is registered automatically for all provider profiles (Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini) — no workflow configuration is needed beyond setting the API key.
## Setup
1. Get a Brave Search API key from the [Brave Search API dashboard](https://brave.com/search/api/)
2. Store it on the Fabro server:
```bash
fabro secret set BRAVE_SEARCH_API_KEY BSA...
```
3. Verify the key is working:
```bash
fabro doctor
```
The doctor output should show **Brave Search** as "connected". If the key is missing, web search is reported as a warning — workflows still run, but `web_search` calls return an error.
## How it works
Agents call the `web_search` tool with a query string. Fabro sends the query to the Brave Web Search API (`/res/v1/web/search`) and returns numbered results with title, URL, and description:
```
1. Rust Lang
https://rust-lang.org
A systems language
2. Rust Book
https://doc.rust-lang.org/book
The Rust book
```
If `BRAVE_SEARCH_API_KEY` is not set, the tool returns an error explaining that the key is required. The agent can then fall back to other approaches.
See the [`web_search` tool reference](/agents/tools#web_search) for parameters and details.
## Permissions
`web_search` is classified as a `shell` category tool, requiring the `full` [permission level](/agents/permissions) for auto-approval. At lower permission levels:
- **Interactive mode** — the user is prompted to approve each call
- **Non-interactive mode** (`--auto-approve`) — calls are denied
## Example workflow
A workflow that researches a topic before writing about it:
<Frame>
<img src="/images/brave-search-research.svg" alt="Research workflow: Start → Research → Summarize → Exit" />
</Frame>
```dot title="research.fabro"
digraph Research {
graph [goal="Research and summarize a topic"]
rankdir=LR
start [shape=Mdiamond, label="Start"]
exit [shape=Msquare, label="Exit"]
research [label="Research", prompt="Use web_search to find recent information about $goal. Save your findings to research.md."]
summarize [label="Summarize", shape=tab, prompt="Read research.md and write a concise summary of the key findings."]
start -> research -> summarize -> exit
}
```
## Troubleshooting
**"BRAVE_SEARCH_API_KEY environment variable is not set"** — Add the key with `fabro secret set` or export it in the server process environment. Run `fabro doctor` to verify.
**"Brave Search API returned status 401"** — The API key is invalid or expired. Generate a new key from the [Brave Search API dashboard](https://brave.com/search/api/).
**"Brave Search API returned status 429"** — Rate limit exceeded. The Brave Search free tier has usage limits. Upgrade your plan or reduce the frequency of `web_search` calls.
## Further reading
<Columns cols={2}>
<Card title="Tools" icon="wrench" href="/agents/tools#web_search">
Full `web_search` tool reference — parameters, output format, and error handling.
</Card>
<Card title="Permissions" icon="lock" href="/agents/permissions">
How tool permissions control web search access.
</Card>
</Columns>