Introduction

In the plugin-based ecosystem of DeepSeek Harness (DSH), giving agents web capabilities is key to improving practicality. Developers often need to look up documentation, search code examples, analyze open-source projects, or debug error messages. The traditional approach—manually copying and pasting URLs into a browser—is inefficient.

xby-web-research-assistant is a comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides web research and discovery capabilities. Through 13 tools, it embeds the ability to search, crawl, and analyze web content directly into DSH’s conversational flow, eliminating manual navigation and text copying.

Feature Overview

This plugin provides the following core capabilities:

  1. set_xby_apikey: Sets an API key in the conversation. This key is automatically persisted and remains valid after restart.
  2. web_search: Gets fresh web search results through a local SearXNG instance.
  3. crawl_url: Uses crawl4ai to fetch the full text of a target page for citation or in-depth analysis.
  4. package_info: Queries package information from repositories such as npm, PyPI, and crates.io, including version, download count, dependencies, and security status.
  5. search_examples: Searches code examples, tutorials, and articles, with filtering by content type and time range.
  6. search_images: Searches royalty-free images (photos, illustrations, vector graphics) through Pixabay.
  7. package_search: Searches packages across multiple registries by keyword or description, suitable for discovering libraries.
  8. github_repo: Gets detailed information about a GitHub repository, including stars, issues, language, and recent activity.
  9. translate_error: Parses error messages or stack traces and automatically locates solutions on Stack Overflow or GitHub.
  10. api_docs: Automatically discovers and fetches official API documentation, providing examples and best practices.
  11. extract_data: Extracts structured data from HTML pages, supporting tables, lists, specific fields, or JSON-LD.
  12. compare_tech: Compares multiple technologies, frameworks, or libraries side by side.
  13. get_changelog and check_service_status: Fetches a package’s changelog and checks service status, respectively.

Installation and Enablement

Installing this plugin requires registering on the Xiao Ben Yang official website and obtaining an API key. Use the following command:

dsh plugin --profile web add github:xby_skill/xby-web-research-assistant

After installation, the plugin takes effect in the current DSH process, and its tools are automatically mapped to available MCP nodes.

Typical Usage

The following are examples of how this plugin can be applied in technical scenarios:

1. Query Package Information
Before introducing a new library, quickly evaluate its version, dependencies, and security status.

package_info("express", reasoning="Need web framework", registry="npm")

2. Search Code Examples
Look for specific API usage or tutorials, with filtering by code or article content.

search_examples("FastAPI dependency injection examples", content_type="code")

3. Error Debugging
When encountering errors, automatically translate the error message and find solutions.

translate_error("TypeError: Cannot read property 'map' of undefined", reasoning="Debugging React app crash")

4. Technology Selection Comparison
When deciding whether to use React, Vue, or Svelte, obtain side-by-side comparison data.

compare_tech(["React", "Vue", "Svelte"], reasoning="Choose framework for new project")

5. Extract Page Data
Extract structured data from a specified URL, such as product details or release lists.

extract_data("https://pypi.org/project/fastapi/", reasoning="Get package info")

Notes

  • API Key Dependency: All advanced features rely on the API key provided by Xiao Ben Yang. Some features may be restricted if the key is not configured.
  • Local Instance: The web_search feature depends on a locally running SearXNG instance. Ensure that this service is running properly.
  • Permissions and Sources: The plugin runs through the DSH process. When using it, ensure you understand its network request behavior. All tools are based on open-source or public interfaces. Refer to their license (MIT) before use.

Conclusion

xby-web-research-assistant encapsulates complex web operations into 13 concrete tool functions, greatly lowering the barrier for agents to obtain external information. By integrating search, documentation crawling, and data analysis capabilities, developers can focus on business logic while delegating tedious information retrieval work to the plugin.