> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.llmgrid.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Search Tools

> Configure and manage search providers that can be used by models and agents for retrieval and grounding.

## Overview

The **Search Tools** page allows administrators to configure external search providers that can be used by models, agents, and workflows. Search tools enable live or on‑demand retrieval of information to augment responses, support grounding, and improve answer quality.

Search tools are managed centrally and can be reused across the platform.

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## Search Tools List

The main page displays all configured search tools for the selected tenant.

### Primary Actions

* **Add New Search Tool**\
  Opens the configuration dialog to register a new search provider.

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### Search Tools Table

Each row represents a configured search tool.

**Columns include:**

* **Search Tool ID**\
  System‑generated identifier for the search tool.
* **Name**\
  Human‑friendly name assigned during creation.
* **Provider**\
  The search provider backing this tool.
* **Created At**\
  Date the search tool was created.
* **Updated At**\
  Date of the most recent update.
* **Actions**\
  Edit or remove the search tool.

If no search tools are configured, the table displays an empty state prompting you to add one.

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## Add New Search Tool

Select **Add New Search Tool** to register a new search provider.

### Required Fields

#### Search Tool Name

A unique, human‑friendly name used to identify this search tool across the platform.

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#### Search Provider

Select a search provider from the drop-down.

> The available providers depend on tenant configuration and supported integrations.

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### Authentication

#### API Key

Enter the API key required to authenticate requests to the selected provider.

The key is stored securely and masked in the UI after saving.

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### Optional Fields

#### Description

Optional text describing the purpose or usage of the search tool, such as:

* Knowledge lookup
* Web retrieval
* Internal or external search use cases

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## Test Connection

Select **Test Connection** to verify that:

* The API key is valid
* The provider is reachable
* Authentication is successful

Testing does not persist the configuration.

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## Add Search Tool

Select **Add Search Tool** to save the configuration.

Once created, the search tool becomes available for:

* Agents
* Prompt and workflow execution
* Retrieval‑augmented generation scenarios

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## How Search Tools Are Used

Search tools can be leveraged to:

* Retrieve up‑to‑date information
* Ground model responses with external context
* Support agent decision‑making
* Enable retrieval‑augmented generation flows

Search tools do not replace model knowledge but complement it with dynamic retrieval.

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## Best Practices

* Use descriptive names to reflect search purpose
* Validate connectivity before using search tools in production
* Limit search tools to trusted providers
* Rotate API keys according to organizational security policies
* Reuse search tools across agents and workflows where appropriate

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## Related Sections

* **Agents** – Attach search tools to agent workflows
* **Prompts** – Use search context in prompt execution
* **Models** – Combine search with model responses
* **Logs** – Inspect search‑augmented request behavior
* **Guardrails** – Apply safety checks to retrieved content