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 SERPAPI_API_KEY=your-key-here
Optionally set default location in <workspace>/TOOLS.md:
```
## 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, reviews
yelp — Deep reviews and ratings for restaurants/services
opentable — Restaurant-specific, dining reviews

Shopping/Products:

google_shopping — Compare prices across merchants
amazon — Amazon-specific search with Prime info
walmart — Walmart inventory and prices
ebay — Used items, auctions, collectibles

General research:

google — Web pages, articles, general info
google_news — Current events, news articles
google_images — Finding images

Examples

Find restaurants near a location

serp.py google_maps "italian restaurants" --location "Pittsburgh, PA" --num 5

Compare product prices

serp.py google_shopping "sony wh-1000xm5" --num 10

Check Amazon reviews and pricing

serp.py amazon "standing desk" --num 10

Get Yelp reviews for local services

serp.py yelp "plumber" --location "15238"

Search news on a topic

serp.py google_news "AI regulation" --num 5

Output 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

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