SKILL.md
SerpAPI - Unified Search
SerpAPI provides structured data from Google, Amazon, Yelp, OpenTable, and 20+ other search engines through a single API.
Setup
- Get an API key from https://serpapi.com (free tier: 100 searches/month)
- Set environment variable:
export SERPAPIAPIKEY=your-key-here - Optionally set default location in
<workspace>/TOOLS.md:
``markdown ## SerpAPI Default location: Pittsburgh, PA ``
Usage
# General syntax
<skill>/scripts/serp.py <engine> "<query>" [options]
# Examples
serp.py google "best coffee shops"
serp.py google_maps "restaurants near me" --location "15238"
serp.py amazon "mechanical keyboard" --num 10
serp.py yelp "pizza" --location "New York, NY"
serp.py google_shopping "standing desk"Engines
| Engine | Use for | Key features |
|---|---|---|
google |
General web search | Organic results, knowledge graph, local pack |
google_maps |
Local places/businesses | Ratings, reviews, hours, GPS coordinates |
google_shopping |
Product search | Prices, merchants, reviews |
google_images |
Image search | Thumbnails, sources |
google_news |
News articles | Headlines, sources, dates |
amazon |
Amazon products | Prices, ratings, reviews, Prime status |
yelp |
Local businesses | Reviews, ratings, categories |
opentable |
Restaurant reviews | Dining reviews, ratings |
walmart |
Walmart products | Prices, availability |
ebay |
eBay listings | Prices, bids, conditions |
tripadvisor |
Travel/attractions | Hotels, restaurants, things to do |
Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--location, -l |
Location for local results (city, zip, address) |
--num, -n |
Number of results (default: 10) |
--format, -f |
Output format: json (default) or text |
--type, -t |
Google search type: shop, isch, nws, vid |
--page, -p |
Page number for pagination |
--gl |
Country code (e.g., us, uk, de) |
--hl |
Language code (e.g., en, es, fr) |
When to Use Which Engine
Finding local businesses/restaurants:
google_maps— Best for discovering places, hours, reviewsyelp— Deep reviews and ratings for restaurants/servicesopentable— Restaurant-specific, dining reviews
Shopping/Products:
google_shopping— Compare prices across merchantsamazon— Amazon-specific search with Prime infowalmart— Walmart inventory and pricesebay— Used items, auctions, collectibles
General research:
google— Web pages, articles, general infogoogle_news— Current events, news articlesgoogle_images— Finding images
Examples
Find restaurants near a location
serp.py google_maps "italian restaurants" --location "Pittsburgh, PA" --num 5Compare product prices
serp.py google_shopping "sony wh-1000xm5" --num 10Check Amazon reviews and pricing
serp.py amazon "standing desk" --num 10Get Yelp reviews for local services
serp.py yelp "plumber" --location "15238"Search news on a topic
serp.py google_news "AI regulation" --num 5Output Formats
JSON (default): Full structured data from SerpAPI. Best for programmatic use or when you need all details.
Text (--format text): Human-readable summary. Best for quick answers.
Integration Notes
- Results are structured JSON — parse and extract what you need
- Local results include GPS coordinates for mapping
- Shopping results include extracted prices for comparison
- Knowledge graph provides entity information when available
- Rate limits: 100/month on free tier, check your plan at serpapi.com/dashboard