route-failed-searches-to-shell-agent

Route Failed Web Searches to Shell Agent

When to Use This Skill

Use this workflow when:

• Direct search_web tool calls consistently fail with 'unknown error' or similar failures
• You need to gather web-based information but the standard search tool is unreliable
• The task requires multi-step data collection that benefits from autonomous retry logic
• You need resilient data gathering that can adapt when initial approaches fail

Core Pattern

Instead of repeatedly calling search_web when it fails, delegate the entire search task to shell_agent. The shell_agent's internal capabilities provide:

• Automatic retry logic with error detection and recovery
• Multi-step approach - can try different methods (APIs, scraping, alternative sources)
• Code-based solutions - can write Python scripts, use curl, or other tools
• Autonomous adaptation - figures out the best approach without manual intervention

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Detect Search Tool Failure

When search_web returns errors like:

• "unknown error"
• Empty or incomplete results
• Consistent failures across multiple queries

Recognize this as a signal to switch strategies rather than retrying the same failing tool.

Step 2: Delegate to Shell Agent

Create a task for shell_agent with clear objectives:

shell_agent(
    task="Gather current energy market data including oil prices, gas prices, and bond market information. Search multiple sources and compile findings into a structured summary.",
    timeout=300
)

Key task formulation principles:

• Specify the what (data needed) not the how (specific tools to use)
• Include success criteria and output format expectations
• Allow sufficient timeout for multi-step execution (300+ seconds)
• Let shell_agent decide whether to use Python, curl, or other approaches

Step 3: Verify Results

Check shell_agent output for:

• Complete data collection (not partial results)
• Multiple sources cited (indicates thorough searching)
• Structured, usable output format
• Evidence of error handling (mentions of retry attempts, alternative approaches tried)