Search Types - Grok Search MCP Server

Overview

Grok Search MCP Server supports multiple search types, each optimized for different content sources. The search_type parameter determines which sources are queried and how results are processed.

Available Search Types

Web Search
News Search
Twitter/X Search
General Search

Web Search

Search across general web content including articles, blogs, and informational pages.

Source Configuration

// index.js:285-301
getSearchSources(searchType, handles = null) {
  switch (searchType) {
    case "web":
      return [{"type": "web"}];
    // ...
  }
}

System Prompt Specialization

// Basic mode prompt for web search
case "web":
  return basePrompt + `\n\nSearch across general web content 
including articles, blogs, and informational pages.`;

// Comprehensive mode prompt for web search  
case "web":
  return comprehensivePrompt + `\n\nFOCUS: General web content 
analysis including articles, blogs, and informational sources. 
Emphasize factual accuracy and diverse source perspectives.`;

Tool Usage

{
  "tool": "grok_web_search",
  "parameters": {
    "query": "machine learning tutorials",
    "max_results": 10,
    "analysis_mode": "basic"
  }
}

Or use the universal search tool:

{
  "tool": "grok_search",
  "parameters": {
    "query": "machine learning tutorials",
    "search_type": "web",
    "max_results": 10
  }
}

Best Use Cases

Documentation

Finding technical documentation, guides, and how-to articles

Research

Academic papers, research articles, and educational content

Product Info

Product reviews, comparisons, and specifications

General Info

Broad informational content across various domains

News Search

Search recent news articles and current events with emphasis on recency and credibility.

Source Configuration

// index.js:285-301
case "news":
  return [{"type": "news"}, {"type": "web"}];

News search queries both dedicated news sources and general web to ensure comprehensive coverage.

System Prompt Specialization

// Basic mode prompt for news search
case "news":
  return basePrompt + `\n\nFocus on recent news articles and 
current events. Prioritize the most recent information.`;

// Comprehensive mode prompt for news search
case "news":
  return comprehensivePrompt + `\n\nFOCUS: Recent news events, 
breaking developments, and current affairs. Emphasize timeline 
analysis, official statements, and evolving situation updates.`;

Tool Usage

{
  "tool": "grok_news_search",
  "parameters": {
    "query": "technology industry updates",
    "max_results": 15,
    "analysis_mode": "comprehensive",
    "from_date": "2025-03-01"
  }
}

Date Filtering

News searches benefit greatly from date filters:

// Date parameters are added to search_parameters
if (validatedFromDate) {
  searchParams.from_date = validatedFromDate;
}
if (validatedToDate) {
  searchParams.to_date = validatedToDate;
}

Example with date range:

{
  "tool": "grok_news_search",
  "parameters": {
    "query": "AI policy developments",
    "from_date": "2025-02-01",
    "to_date": "2025-03-04",
    "max_results": 10
  }
}

Comprehensive Mode Benefits

For news searches, comprehensive mode provides:

Timeline Analysis: Chronological event tracking
Direct Quotes: Official statements from key figures
Multiple Perspectives: Different viewpoints on events
Verification Status: Confirmed vs unconfirmed information

Best Use Cases

Breaking News

Latest developments and real-time updates

Current Events

Ongoing situations and evolving stories

Trend Analysis

Understanding patterns in recent events

Fact-Checking

Verifying claims with multiple news sources

Twitter/X Search

Search Twitter/X posts with optional handle filtering for social media insights and real-time reactions.

Source Configuration

// index.js:285-301
case "twitter":
case "x":
  const xSource = {"type": "x"};
  if (handles && handles.length > 0) {
    xSource.x_handles = handles;
  }
  return [xSource];

Handle Filtering

Filter results to specific Twitter accounts:

{
  "tool": "grok_twitter",
  "parameters": {
    "query": "AI announcements",
    "handles": ["OpenAI", "AnthropicAI", "GoogleAI"],
    "max_results": 20
  }
}

Handles should be provided without the @ symbol. Use "elonmusk" not "@elonmusk".

System Prompt Specialization

// Basic mode prompt for Twitter/X search
case "twitter":
case "x":
  return basePrompt + `\n\nSearch Twitter/X posts and tweets. 
Include the full tweet text in the snippet field, the author's 
handle, and tweet URL if available. Focus on recent posts 
and engagement.`;

// Comprehensive mode prompt for Twitter/X search
case "twitter":
case "x":
  return comprehensivePrompt + `\n\nFOCUS: Social media analysis 
including tweet sentiment, trending topics, and public opinion. 
Include influencer perspectives and viral content analysis.`;

Result Format

Twitter results include tweet-specific fields:

{
  "title": "Tweet content preview",
  "snippet": "Full tweet text (max 280 characters)",
  "url": "https://twitter.com/username/status/123",
  "source": "Twitter",
  "author": "@username",
  "published_date": "2025-03-04"
}

Comprehensive Twitter Analysis

When using comprehensive mode with Twitter searches:

{
  "tool": "grok_twitter",
  "parameters": {
    "query": "developer opinions on new framework",
    "analysis_mode": "comprehensive",
    "max_results": 15,
    "from_date": "2025-03-01"
  }
}

Returns analysis including:

Sentiment trends across tweets
Key influencer perspectives
Viral content identification
Public opinion breakdown

Best Use Cases

Sentiment Analysis

Gauge public opinion on topics

Trend Monitoring

Track viral content and trending discussions

Influencer Insights

Monitor specific accounts and thought leaders

Real-time Reactions

Capture immediate responses to events

General Search

Comprehensive search across all source types for the most complete results.

Source Configuration

// index.js:285-301
case "general":
default:
  return [{"type": "web"}, {"type": "news"}, {"type": "x"}];

General search queries all three source types: web content, news articles, and Twitter/X posts.

System Prompt

// Comprehensive mode general search
case "general":
default:
  return comprehensivePrompt + `\n\nFOCUS: Comprehensive analysis 
across all source types - news, web content, and social media. 
Provide the most complete picture possible.`;

Tool Usage

{
  "tool": "grok_search",
  "parameters": {
    "query": "impact of new technology release",
    "search_type": "general",
    "analysis_mode": "comprehensive",
    "max_results": 20
  }
}

When to Use

General search is ideal when:

You need the broadest perspective
Topic spans multiple content types
You want to compare official news vs social reaction
Comprehensive coverage is more important than speed

Search Type Determination

The server automatically determines the search type based on the tool called:

// index.js:841-853
let actualSearchType = search_type;
let searchHandles = handles;

if (toolName === "grok_web_search") {
  actualSearchType = "web";
} else if (toolName === "grok_news_search") {
  actualSearchType = "news";
} else if (toolName === "grok_twitter") {
  actualSearchType = "twitter";
  searchHandles = handles;
}

Search Parameters

All search types support these common parameters:

const searchParams = {
  mode: "on",
  return_citations: true,
  max_search_results: maxResults,
  sources: this.getSearchSources(searchType, handles)
};

Comparison Matrix

Feature	Web	News	Twitter/X	General
Sources	Web only	News + Web	X only	All three
Speed	Fast	Fast	Fast	Moderate
Recency Focus	Medium	High	Very High	High
Handle Filtering	No	No	Yes	No
Best For	Evergreen content	Current events	Social sentiment	Comprehensive view
Citation Types	URLs	News URLs	Tweet URLs	Mixed

For time-sensitive topics, combine news or Twitter search types with date range filtering for optimal results.

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

​Overview

​Available Search Types

​Web Search

​Source Configuration

​System Prompt Specialization

​Tool Usage

​Best Use Cases

Documentation

Research

Product Info

General Info

​News Search

​Source Configuration

​System Prompt Specialization

​Tool Usage

​Date Filtering

​Comprehensive Mode Benefits

​Best Use Cases

Breaking News

Current Events

Trend Analysis

Fact-Checking

​Twitter/X Search

​Source Configuration

​Handle Filtering

​System Prompt Specialization

​Result Format

​Comprehensive Twitter Analysis

​Best Use Cases

Sentiment Analysis

Trend Monitoring

Influencer Insights

Real-time Reactions

​General Search

​Source Configuration

​System Prompt

​Tool Usage

​When to Use

​Search Type Determination

​Search Parameters

​Comparison Matrix

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Available Search Types

Web Search

Source Configuration

System Prompt Specialization

Tool Usage

Best Use Cases

News Search

Source Configuration

System Prompt Specialization

Tool Usage

Date Filtering

Comprehensive Mode Benefits

Best Use Cases

Twitter/X Search

Source Configuration

Handle Filtering

System Prompt Specialization

Result Format

Comprehensive Twitter Analysis

Best Use Cases

General Search

Source Configuration

System Prompt

Tool Usage

When to Use

Search Type Determination

Search Parameters

Comparison Matrix