> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zylon.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Web Search tool

> Search the web from a natural language query.

<Warning>
  **Upcoming release — Zylon 1.58**

  These docs are published ahead of release so you can prepare your API integrations. The release image is not yet available. For installations running 1.57, use the [1.57 documentation](/en/v1.57/overview).
</Warning>

Use Web Search when you need the assistant to run a quick web query and return results.

## Prerequisites

* An API token. See [Backoffice Developer Console](/en/v1.58/developer-manual/get-started/developer-console).

## Requirements

* Tool spec: `{ "name": "web_search", "type": "web_search_v1" }`
* No `tool_context` required

## Basic request and response

This example validates a request that enables the web search tool:

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST "https://{BASE_URL}/api/gpt/v1/messages/validate" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer {API_TOKEN}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "default",
    "max_tokens": 64,
    "messages": [
      { "role": "user", "content": "Find recent updates about the EU AI Act." }
    ],
    "tools": [
      { "name": "web_search", "type": "web_search_v1" }
    ],
    "tool_choice": { "type": "auto" }
  }'
```

Example response:

```json theme={null}
{ "valid": true, "errors": null }
```

To run the request, send the same body to `POST /messages`.

## Response blocks

Zylon runs this tool on the server. The response contains a `server_tool_use` block with the call, followed by a `web_search_tool_result` block with the result. The call ID starts with `srvtoolu_`. Don't send a `tool_result` back for it.

```json theme={null}
[
  { "type": "server_tool_use", "id": "srvtoolu_1a2b", "name": "web_search", "input": { "query": "EU AI Act recent updates" } },
  {
    "type": "web_search_tool_result",
    "tool_use_id": "srvtoolu_1a2b",
    "content": [
      {
        "type": "web_search_result",
        "url": "https://example.com/eu-ai-act",
        "title": "EU AI Act: what changed this month",
        "encrypted_content": "The European Commission published new guidance...",
        "page_age": "2 days ago"
      }
    ]
  }
]
```

Zylon runs the search itself, so `encrypted_content` contains the result text as plain text, not encrypted data.

Error:

```json theme={null}
{
  "type": "web_search_tool_result",
  "tool_use_id": "srvtoolu_1a2b",
  "content": { "type": "web_search_tool_result_error", "error_code": "unavailable" }
}
```

These blocks have no `is_error` field. To detect a failure, check whether `content.type` ends in `_error`, then read `content.error_code`.

With the Zylon extension enabled (`system.extensions` includes `zylon`), the result is returned as a plain `tool_result` block with `text` content instead.

See [Migrating from 1.57 to 1.58](/en/v1.58/developer-manual/build-with-zylon/workspace-api/api-migration-1-57-to-1-58) for the full list of server tool blocks.

## Tips

* Use a focused query to reduce noisy results.
* Combine with a system prompt to control summarization style.

## Next steps

* Learn how messages return tool blocks: [Messages](/en/v1.58/developer-manual/build-with-zylon/working-with-messages)


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