# dsh-web-search-free

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> [**中文**](README.md) | **English** — DSH plugin ([`dsh-plugin`](https://github.com/topics/dsh-plugin)) · free web search provider + settings toggle + **MCP server (Claude Code / Codex compatible)**

One-click switch from DeepSeek's **paid, token-billed web search** to the
**same free search OpenCode uses** (anonymous, no API key) — and the **same free
backend doubles as an MCP server** for Claude Code, Codex, or any MCP client.

- 🆓 **Free backends**: Parallel (default) / Exa (backup) — the same free MCP
  endpoints OpenCode's built-in `websearch` tool uses. Anonymous, no key, no
  balance deducted.
- 🔄 **DSH settings toggle**: official ↔ free, auto-maintains the profile patch.
- 🔌 **MCP server**: zero-dependency, dual transport (**stdio + HTTP/SSE port**),
  drop-in via `claude mcp add` / `codex mcp add`.

## Quick start

Published on npm: **[@sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free)**

**MCP server (no clone needed, one command):**

```bash
claude mcp add dsh-web-search -- npx -y @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free
codex mcp add dsh-web-search -- npx -y @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free
```

**DSH plugin (official install method, default recommendation)**: use the
`dsh plugin` CLI (official entry point, forwards to pnpm inside the profile
directory), then declare the package in bundles:

```bash
# Install the dependency (equivalent to pnpm add inside ~/.dsh/profiles/web/)
dsh plugin --profile web add @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free
```

Then add the package name to `dsh.profile.bundles` in
`~/.dsh/profiles/web/package.json` (an ordered patch-layer stack; order = apply
order) and restart DSH:

```jsonc
{
  "dsh": { "profile": { "bundles": [
    "@deepseek-ai/dsh-base",
    "@deepseek-ai/dsh-web-app",
    // ...other bundles...
    "@sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free"
  ]}},
  "dependencies": {
    "@sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free": "^0.3.0"
  }
}
```

> Use `dsh plugin --profile web install` to re-install missing deps, and
> `dsh --profile web --dump-config` to verify your layer/row made it into the
> composed tree.

Other install options (hot mount / local link / tgz) are described under
「Install」 below.

## Background: why the default uses the DeepSeek key

DSH's `web_search` tool goes through the `ctx.web` seam. The default provider is
`@deepseek-ai/dsh-web-search-deepseek` (id = `deepseek-official`, pulled in by the
`dsh-base` dependency): every search calls DeepSeek's Anthropic-compatible API
(`https://api.deepseek.com/anthropic/v1/messages`) with the native
`web_search_20250305` server tool, reuses `DEEPSEEK_API_KEY`, and is **billed per
token**.

## Features

### Free backends (inside DSH)

Registers two free search providers into `ctx.web`; the model-facing `web_search`
tool call stays unchanged:

| provider id | backend | endpoint | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| `parallel-free` (**default**) | Parallel Web Search | `https://search.parallel.ai/mcp` | anonymous, no key |
| `exa-free` (backup) | Exa | `https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp` | anonymous, no key; set `EXA_API_KEY` for higher limits |

### Settings toggle (DSH Settings → Plugins → Configurable → Free Web Search)

- **enabled switch** (default **off** = official search): on → free; off → official.
- **Free backend picker**: Parallel (default) / Exa (backup), single choice.
- Changes auto-maintain the `web` row `config.searchProvider` in the profile user
  patch `~/.dsh/profiles/web/cordis.patch.yml` (on → writes the selected provider
  id; off → removes the override block).
  > Do **not** write `~/.dsh/.env`: dsh-app-boot rejects any `DSH_*` variable in
  > `.env` (bootstrap-only environment guard, fails loud at startup).
- **Restart DSH to apply** (`WebRuntime` reads the `web` row config at startup).

### MCP server (Claude Code / Codex / any MCP client)

A standalone zero-dependency MCP server (`lib/mcp-server.js`, independent of DSH)
exposing the `web_search` tool (params: `query` required, `provider` optional
`parallel`/`exa`, `numResults` optional). **Dual transport**: **stdio** (default)
and **HTTP/SSE** (listening port; Streamable HTTP `POST /` plus legacy
`GET /sse` + `POST /messages`).

#### Transport 1: stdio (default, no port)

```bash
# Local path (after clone)
claude mcp add dsh-web-search -- node /abs/path/dsh-web-search-free/lib/mcp-server.js
codex mcp add dsh-web-search -- node /abs/path/dsh-web-search-free/lib/mcp-server.js

# Or via npx (npm install -g @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free first)
claude mcp add dsh-web-search -- npx -y @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free
codex mcp add dsh-web-search -- npx -y @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free
```

#### Transport 2: HTTP/SSE (listening port, dual-port mode)

```bash
# Start the MCP server (default http://127.0.0.1:3100; tune with --host/--port)
node /abs/path/dsh-web-search-free/lib/mcp-server.js --http --port 3100
```

- **Claude Code (Streamable HTTP)**:

  ```bash
  claude mcp add --transport http dsh-web-search http://127.0.0.1:3100
  ```

- **Codex (OpenAI Codex CLI)**:

  ```bash
  codex mcp add --transport http dsh-web-search http://127.0.0.1:3100
  ```

- **Legacy SSE clients** (point the URL at the SSE channel):

  ```bash
  # Client config: http://127.0.0.1:3100/sse  (GET /sse opens the channel, POST /messages sends requests)
  ```

- **Verify**: open `http://127.0.0.1:3100/` in a browser — it returns
  `{"name":"dsh-web-search-free","version":"0.3.0","transport":"http/sse","port":3100}`.

#### Other MCP clients

Any MCP client supporting **stdio** or **HTTP/SSE** transport works (command/URL
as above). Optional env: `EXA_API_KEY` (higher Exa anonymous limits).

## Install (the DSH plugin itself)

> ⚠️ **Why don't others see the card in Settings?** For the settings card to show
> all of these must hold:
> 1. The package is declared in `dsh.profile.bundles` (just adding it to
>    node_modules is **not** enough);
> 2. **Restart DSH** after install (host assembly and the client graph are both
>    resolved at startup);
> 3. **Refresh the browser** before opening Settings;
> 4. The profile is `web` (`tui`/`headless` have no browser UI);
> 5. Install via local path / `link:` / tgz / `npm i -g @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free`
>    (`npx @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free` also works for the MCP server).
> After install, confirm with `dev_plugin_status` (`client ✓`), or open
> Settings → Plugins → Configurable.

**UI preview** (Settings → Plugins → Configurable → Free Web Search):

![Free Web Search settings card](assets/settings-card.jpg)

**Option 1: official dsh install (default recommendation)**

```bash
dsh plugin --profile web add @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free
```

Then add `"@sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free"` to `dsh.profile.bundles` in
`~/.dsh/profiles/web/package.json` (format under 「Quick start」) and restart
DSH. Verify with `dsh --profile web --dump-config` — the plugin row should
appear in the output.

```bash
npm i -g @sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free   # optional: global install (for link: or the MCP npx flow)
```

**Option 2: hot mount on this machine (dsh-super-injector, no restart)**

```bash
dev_install_package   # dir = plugin dir (package.json + lib/)
```

**Option 3: local path link (local development)**

Declare in `~/.dsh/profiles/web/package.json`:

```jsonc
{
  "dsh": { "profile": { "bundles": [
    "@deepseek-ai/dsh-base",
    "@deepseek-ai/dsh-web-app",
    // ...other bundles...
    "@sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free"
  ]}},
  "dependencies": {
    "@sheep233_/dsh-web-search-free": "link:/abs/path/dsh-web-search-free"
  }
}
```

**Option 4: tgz (offline environments)**

```bash
npm run build && npm pack
# Add the tgz to profile deps and reinstall (pnpm install), then restart
```

## Verify

```bash
npm run verify   # patch sync + Parallel/Exa live search + provider matrix + MCP smoke (stdio & HTTP)
```

## Revert to official

Turn the enabled switch off in Settings (the override block is removed), restart
DSH. (Or manually delete the block between `# >>> web-search-free` and
`# <<< web-search-free` in `~/.dsh/profiles/web/cordis.patch.yml`.)

## Security / permissions

- DSH plugin: once enabled, `web_search` requests go only to `search.parallel.ai`
  / `mcp.exa.ai`; it modifies `~/.dsh/profiles/web/cordis.patch.yml` (a
  boundary-marked `web` row override, format above) and nothing else. No key, no
  data collection, no listening.
- MCP server: calls only the free endpoints above; reads none of your files/env
  (except optional `EXA_API_KEY`). stdio mode listens on no port; HTTP/SSE mode
  serves MCP endpoints only on your `--host:--port` (default `127.0.0.1:3100`),
  bound to the loopback address by default.

## Development

```bash
bash scripts/build.sh   # tsc: host + core + mcp-server; copy client into lib/
npm run verify          # end-to-end verification
```

Layout:

```
src/core.ts           # zero-dep search core: Parallel + Exa (shared by host & MCP)
src/index.ts          # host: dual provider registration + settings toggle + profile patch sync
src/mcp-server.ts     # MCP server: stdio + HTTP/SSE dual transport (bin: dsh-web-search-mcp)
src/client/client.js  # client: "Free Web Search" settings card (with backend picker)
scripts/build.sh      # build (auto-detects DSH_CHECKOUT)
scripts/verify.mjs    # end-to-end verification script
cordis.patch.yml      # bundle assembly layer (incl. web-row searchProvider unpin)
```

## License

MIT © sheep-programmer