zavianx/vela/tavily

Tavily Tools

When to use which tool

web_search

Tavily powers this automatically when selected as the search provider. Use for straightforward queries where you don't need Tavily-specific options.

tavily_search

Use when you need fine-grained control over search behavior.

Search depth

Tips

• Keep queries under 400 characters — think search query, not prompt.
• Break complex queries into sub-queries for better results.
• Use `include_domains` to focus on trusted sources.
• Use `time_range` for recent information (news, current events).
• Use `include_answer` when you need a quick synthesized answer.

tavily_extract

Use when you have specific URLs and need their content. Handles JavaScript-rendered pages and returns clean markdown. Supports query-focused chunking for targeted extraction.

Extract depth

Tips

• Max 20 URLs per request — batch larger lists into multiple calls.
• Use `query` + `chunks_per_source` to get only relevant content instead of full pages.
• Try `basic` first, fall back to advanced if content is missing or incomplete.
• If tavily_search results already contain the snippets you need, skip the extract step.

Choosing the right workflow

Follow this escalation pattern — start simple, escalate only when needed:

1. `web_search` — Quick lookup, no special options needed.
2. `tavily_search` — Need depth control, topic filtering, domain filters, time ranges, or AI answers.
3. `tavily_extract` — Have specific URLs, need their full content or targeted chunks.

Combine search + extract when you need to find pages first, then get their full content.