perplexity – OpenClaw Skill

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name: perplexity description: Use Perplexity API for web-grounded AI search and research. Use when user needs up-to-date information, multi-step reasoning with web citations, exhaustive research with source references, factual queries with current events, or competitive analysis. Default when user mentions Perplexity, needs current information, or requires source citations.

Perplexity AI Search

Overview

This skill provides access to the Perplexity API for web-grounded AI search and research. It combines the power of large language models with real-time web search, providing accurate, up-to-date answers with source citations.

When to Use Perplexity vs. Built-in Search

Use Perplexity when:

• You need current information (news, prices, events, recent developments)
• The user asks for source citations or references
• Complex multi-step reasoning is required
• The user specifically mentions Perplexity or wants research-style answers
• You need exhaustive analysis across multiple sources

Use built-in web search when:

• Simple factual queries
• Quick information lookup
• The user doesn't need AI-generated synthesis
• Basic URL or content retrieval is sufficient

Model Selection Guide

Choose the right model based on task complexity:

🔍 Search Models (Quick Facts)

Use for simple, factual queries where speed matters.

• sonar - Default search model with web access. Best for most queries.
• sonar-pro - Advanced search with deeper understanding.

🧠 Reasoning Models (Complex Analysis)

Use for complex, multi-step tasks requiring logical thinking.

• sonar-reasoning - Complex reasoning with web search.
• sonar-reasoning-pro - Advanced reasoning with deeper content understanding.

📚 Research Models (Exhaustive Analysis)

Use for comprehensive, in-depth research across multiple sources.

• sonar-research - Comprehensive research with in-depth analysis.
• sonar-research-pro - Advanced research with exhaustive analysis and detailed reports.

Quick Start

Basic Search

# Simple query (uses sonar by default)
scripts/perplexity_search.sh "What is the capital of Germany?"

# With custom model
scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Latest AI developments" -m sonar-pro

# Markdown format with citations
scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Tesla stock analysis" -f markdown

Advanced Research

# Deep research with comprehensive analysis
scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Market analysis for electric vehicles in 2025" \
  -m sonar-research-pro -c high -f markdown

# Pro search mode (multi-step reasoning)
scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Compare AI models performance benchmarks" \
  -m sonar-reasoning-pro -p pro -f markdown

# With custom system prompt
scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Analyze tech trends" \
  -s "You are a technology analyst. Focus on business implications and market trends."

Search Context Size

Control how much web information is retrieved:

• low - Faster, fewer sources. Good for simple queries.
• medium (default) - Balanced. Good for most use cases.
• high - Most comprehensive. Best for research and detailed analysis.

Pro Search Mode

Available for sonar-pro and reasoning models. Controls multi-step tool usage:

• fast (default) - Standard single-step search.
• pro - Automated multi-step reasoning with multiple web searches.
• auto - Automatic classification based on query complexity.

Setup Requirements

API Key Configuration

The skill requires Perplexity API key via environment variable:

export PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your-key-here"

To set it permanently (add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc):

echo 'export PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your-key-here"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Note: Do not store API key in Clawdbot config. The skill only reads from environment variable to avoid config conflicts.

Dependencies

The script uses bash and curl. Both are typically pre-installed on Linux systems.

Usage Patterns

News and Current Events

scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Latest news about AI regulation in Europe" -m sonar

Competitive Analysis

scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Compare iPhone 15 vs Samsung Galaxy S24 features" \
  -m sonar-reasoning-pro -c high -f markdown

Market Research

scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Electric vehicle market forecast 2025-2030" \
  -m sonar-research-pro -c high -p pro -f markdown

Technical Questions with Current Data

scripts/perplexity_search.sh "Latest Python frameworks for web development 2025" \
  -m sonar-reasoning -c medium

Output Formats

• text (default) - Plain text with citation references [1], [2], etc.
• markdown - Markdown formatted response with source links
• json - Raw API response in JSON format

Cost Awareness

Perplexity API is not free. Be mindful of usage costs:

• Simple queries: ~$0.005–$0.015 per query
• Deep research: ~$0.015–$0.03+ per query
• Pro users get $5/month credits in Perplexity Pro subscription

Use reasoning/research models judiciously. Default to sonar for most queries.

List Available Models

scripts/perplexity_search.sh --list-models

Troubleshooting

Error: PERPLEXITY_API_KEY environment variable not set

• Set up API key as described in "Setup Requirements" above

Error: curl command not found

• Install curl: apt install curl or equivalent for your system

Error: Unexpected API response

• Check your API key is valid and has not been revoked
• Verify your Perplexity account has API access

Resources

scripts/

• perplexity_search.sh - Main script for Perplexity API interactions
  • Supports all Perplexity models
  • Handles API key discovery from environment or config
  • Provides multiple output formats
  • Uses curl for API calls (no Python dependencies)

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Note: This skill uses external API calls. Be mindful of rate limits and costs. The API key should never be committed to version control or shared publicly.