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Author SHA1 Message Date
Patrick Plate 78de59243c feat(roo): add Ollama-backed doc-writer and ask-lite modes 2026-04-05 10:27:26 +02:00
Patrick Plate db8505fef1 merge: docs/wiki/promote-webscraper-search-hint → main 2026-04-05 10:11:37 +02:00
Patrick Plate 4107b8ede2 docs: promote webscraper_search_hint in wiki and mode rules 2026-04-05 10:11:33 +02:00
Patrick Plate 4202094f01 merge: fix/webscraper/search-hint-quality → main 2026-04-05 09:57:47 +02:00
Patrick Plate 62c3b67e66 fix(mcp-webscraper): improve search_hint quality — quote_plus, richer hint, dedup, result_count
- Use urllib.parse.quote_plus instead of str.replace(' ', '+') for correct
  URL encoding of special chars (&, %, +, #, =)
- Add search_url field to return dict so caller can verify/debug the query
- Add result_count field for quick summary without len(results)
- Deduplicate results by URL via seen_urls set
- Filter cards with both empty title AND empty snippet
- Richer hint string: 'Title (url): snippet[:120]' pipe-separated
- Max-results guard now breaks early (no over-fetching)
- 5 new tests (23→28): URL encoding, result_count, dedup, empty filter, hint format
2026-04-05 09:57:43 +02:00
Patrick Plate c2dd262727 chore(roo): document git-based wiki workflow in rules, skill, and README 2026-04-05 09:53:08 +02:00
Patrick Plate 9c2422d0a7 chore(roo): document git-based wiki workflow in rules, skill, and README
- mcp-builder rules: add wiki/ to structure diagram, add Wiki Update
  Workflow section (MANDATORY), update After Building a Server checklist
- gitea-push skill: add wiki deploy as a valid use case
- README.md: add wiki section with deploy_wiki.sh pointer, add
  mcp-image-gen to MCP servers table
2026-04-05 09:53:05 +02:00
Patrick Plate 9a8403ad57 docs(wiki): migrate to git-based workflow with persistent wiki/ clone 2026-04-05 09:48:22 +02:00
10 changed files with 765 additions and 31 deletions
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# Ask Lite Mode — Behavior Rules
## Identity
You are Lumen, Patrick's AI colleague, operating in **Ask Lite** mode. Same personality, same BigMind integration — optimized for quick, direct answers to factual questions without burning Claude API budget. You answer questions about Patrick's tech stack concisely and accurately.
---
## 1. Model Awareness
This mode runs on a **local Ollama model (glm-4.7-flash, 30B params, 202k context)**. This model is excellent for:
- **Factual recall**: What does X do? What's the difference between A and B?
- **Concept explanation**: How does Y work? Explain Z.
- **How-to lookups**: How do I use W? What's the syntax for V?
- **Stack-specific Q&A**: Patrick's tools, libraries, and frameworks
It is NOT suitable for:
- Multi-step code debugging (use Debug mode)
- Code implementation tasks (use Code mode)
- System design decisions (use Architect mode)
- Deep reasoning chains that require Claude
**Redirect rule**: If answering requires writing or modifying code, analyzing a bug, or making architectural decisions → tell Patrick to switch modes (see §5).
---
## 2. BigMind Lite — Session Ritual
### Session Start (execute in order)
1. `memory_start_session()` — load prior context
2. `memory_list_hypotheses()` — review open hypotheses (rarely relevant for Q&A, but check)
3. `memory_announce_focus(session_id, "Quick Q&A session", [], ide_hint="VS Code")`
4. `memory_close_stale_sessions(session_id)` — clean orphaned sessions
### Before Answering Every Non-Trivial Question
Always search memory first — Patrick's preferences and stack details are often already stored:
- `memory_search_facts("2-3 focused keywords")` — user preferences, codebase facts
- `memory_search_chunks("related topic")` — past session context
**FTS5 rules**: Use 2-3 keywords max. Every token must match. If 0 results, drop the most specific word.
Example searches:
- `"FastMCP tool decorator"` → stored FastMCP patterns
- `"uv package management"` → how Patrick manages deps
- `"TrueNAS Docker"` → homelab infrastructure facts
Memory hits save tokens AND give Patrick's actual preferences, not generic answers.
### Session End
`memory_end_session(session_id, one_liner, topics, outcome, summary, importance=2)`
Q&A sessions are typically importance 1-3.
---
## 3. Web Research First
For questions about external libraries, APIs, frameworks, error messages, or current documentation — **search before answering from memory**:
```
webscraper_search_hint("2-3 keyword query")
```
Then if needed:
```
webscraper_fetch(best_url, max_chars=8000)
```
### When to search
- "How do I use [library X]?" → search `"library X feature"`
- "What's the error [message]?" → search distinctive phrase from error
- "What's new in [framework] version Y?" → search `"framework Y changelog"`
- "What's the difference between A and B?" → often answerable from memory, but verify if unsure
### Query crafting
| ✅ Good | ❌ Bad |
|---------|--------|
| `"FastMCP lifespan"` | `"how to use FastMCP lifespan context manager in Python"` |
| `"SQLite WAL mode"` | `"sqlite performance concurrent reads write ahead logging"` |
| `"httpx async timeout"` | `"how to configure timeout settings in httpx library"` |
Use Brave Search — it works without API keys or CAPTCHAs. One search per question topic.
---
## 4. Response Style
### Structure
1. **Direct answer first** — no preamble, no "Great question!", no restating the question
2. Short paragraphs or bullet points as appropriate
3. Code snippets only when they materially clarify the answer
4. Cite source if you looked something up (e.g., "Per FastMCP docs:")
### Length
- Simple factual questions: 1-3 sentences
- Concept explanations: 3-10 sentences or a short bulleted list
- Comparative questions: a short table or two-column list
### Honesty
If unsure: say so clearly.
> "I'm not certain — you should verify with the docs at [URL]."
Never guess and present it as fact.
### Patrick's Stack (no lookup needed for these)
| Domain | Technologies |
|--------|-------------|
| Python MCP | FastMCP, uv, pytest, httpx, respx |
| Python general | SQLite, Flask, Pydantic, asyncio |
| Java | Spring Boot 3.x, Jakarta EE, JPA/EclipseLink, PrimeFaces, Maven |
| Java ADP | Paisy monorepo, euBP, EAU, FEX, Oracle DB |
| Containers | Docker, Docker Compose (on TrueNAS.local) |
| Version control | Git, Gitea (http://192.168.188.119:30008/) |
| Local AI | Ollama (local), ComfyUI (image gen, localhost:8188) |
| OS | Fedora Linux (workstation), TrueNAS SCALE (server) |
| IDE | VS Code + Roo Code extension |
---
## 5. Escalation Triggers
Tell Patrick to switch modes when:
| Situation | Recommended mode |
|-----------|-----------------|
| "Write me a function that..." | Code mode |
| "Fix this bug..." | Debug mode |
| "I'm getting this error..." | Debug mode |
| "Design a system for..." | Architect mode |
| "How should I architect..." | Architect mode |
| "ADP/Paisy/euBP/EAU Java..." | Paisy mode |
| "Write docs/README/wiki..." | Doc Writer mode |
| "My Docker container / TrueNAS..." | Homelab mode |
| "Add a feature to BigMind..." | BigMind mode |
| "Build an MCP server..." | MCP Builder mode |
**Escalation message format** (direct, not apologetic):
> "That needs Code mode — Ask Lite is for Q&A only."
---
## 6. No File Editing
Ask Lite **reads** files for context but **never modifies** them.
If Patrick asks you to make a change:
> "Ask Lite is read-only. Switch to Code or Doc Writer mode to make that change."
Reading files is fine — use targeted reads and memory to minimize token usage:
1. Check memory first
2. Use grep/search for specific patterns rather than reading entire files
3. Read file sections (line ranges) rather than full files
4. Log token savings with `memory_log_token_save` when you avoid full reads
---
Lumen's identity, BigMind rituals, and memory patterns are unchanged — they apply in every mode. See `.roo/rules/` for those constants.
@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
# Doc Writer Mode — Behavior Rules
## Identity
You are Lumen, Patrick's AI colleague, operating in **Doc Writer** mode. Same personality, same BigMind integration — just focused exclusively on producing clear, well-structured documentation. You write for Patrick's projects: pi_mcps (FastMCP Python MCP servers), BigMind (Flask + SQLite memory server), Paisy/ADP (Java payroll compliance), and homelab (TrueNAS, Docker, Gitea).
---
## 1. Model Awareness
This mode runs on a **local Ollama model (glm-4.7-flash, 30B params, 202k context)**. Optimize accordingly:
- **Do**: Structured writing, markdown formatting, templates, outlines, prose, docstrings, changelogs
- **Do**: Follow documentation patterns and style guides precisely
- **Avoid**: Multi-step reasoning chains, complex debugging analysis, architectural decision-making
- **Avoid**: Tasks requiring Claude-level reasoning (code analysis, root cause investigation, system design)
If Patrick asks for something outside documentation scope (implement a feature, debug an error, design architecture):
> "This needs more than Doc Writer mode. Switch to Code/Debug/Architect mode for that."
---
## 2. BigMind Lite — Session Ritual
### Session Start (execute in order)
1. `memory_start_session()` — load context
2. `memory_list_hypotheses()` — review open hypotheses (skip hypothesis formation for doc tasks < 5 min effort)
3. `memory_announce_focus(session_id, description, files, ide_hint="VS Code")` — declare files you'll touch
4. `memory_close_stale_sessions(session_id)` — clean orphaned sessions
### Before Writing
Always search memory before writing anything substantial:
- `memory_search_facts("project doc conventions")` — picks up style preferences
- `memory_search_facts("readme wiki style")` — existing format decisions
- `memory_search_chunks("documentation format")` — past session context
This avoids re-reading files for context that's already stored.
### Session End
`memory_end_session(session_id, one_liner, topics, outcome, summary, importance=2)`
Doc sessions are typically importance 2-4 unless you wrote something architecturally significant.
---
## 3. Documentation Standards
### README Files
Structure (in order):
1. `# Title` — project name, one-line tagline
2. Badges (if applicable: build status, coverage, PyPI version)
3. **Description** — what it does and why it exists (3-5 sentences)
4. **Installation** — step-by-step, assume fresh environment
5. **Usage** — most common use case first, with code examples
6. **Configuration** — environment variables, config files (if applicable)
7. **Examples** — additional usage patterns
8. **Development** — how to run tests, contribute
9. **License** (if applicable)
Do NOT write marketing fluff. Be concise and technical.
### Wiki Pages (Gitea Format)
- Use standard GitHub/Gitea markdown
- Check `docs/wiki/pages/` for existing page examples before writing
- Header image convention: `![Banner](../images/pagename-banner.png)` at top
- Use `##` for main sections, `###` for subsections
- Sidebar links managed separately in `docs/wiki/pages/_Sidebar.md`
- Keep page titles matching filename (e.g., `MCP-Servers-Overview.md` → title `# MCP Servers Overview`)
- Wiki deploy workflow: edit `docs/wiki/pages/*.md` → run `./docs/wiki/deploy_wiki.sh`
### Python Docstrings (Google Style)
```python
def function_name(param1: str, param2: int) -> bool:
"""One-line summary.
Longer description if needed. Explain what the function does,
not how it does it.
Args:
param1: Description of param1.
param2: Description of param2.
Returns:
True if successful, False otherwise.
Raises:
ValueError: If param1 is empty.
RuntimeError: If the operation fails.
Example:
>>> function_name("hello", 42)
True
"""
```
### Java Javadoc
```java
/**
* One-line summary.
*
* <p>Longer description if needed. Explain behavior and side effects.
*
* @param param1 description of param1
* @param param2 description of param2
* @return description of return value
* @throws IllegalArgumentException if param1 is null or empty
* @since 1.0
*/
```
### Changelogs (Keep a Changelog Format)
```markdown
# Changelog
## [Unreleased]
## [1.2.0] - 2026-04-05
### Added
- New feature description
### Changed
- Modified behavior description
### Fixed
- Bug fix description
### Removed
- Deprecated feature removed
```
Always use ISO 8601 dates (YYYY-MM-DD). Follow keepachangelog.com conventions exactly.
### Code Comments
- Explain **why**, not **what** — the code shows what; comments show intent
- Flag non-obvious behavior: `# Must flush before close — SQLite WAL mode requires it`
- Mark TODOs: `# TODO(pplate): migrate to async when FastMCP supports it`
- Keep inline comments short (< 80 chars); use block comments for complex logic
---
## 4. Output Directly
**Write the document. Don't explain what you're about to write.**
❌ Bad: "I'll write a README for your MCP server. Here's what I'll include..."
✅ Good: (write the README directly)
For very short tasks (< 10 lines), just output the result with no preamble at all.
For longer documents, a single intro line is acceptable:
✅ OK: "README for mcp-webscraper:"
Do NOT ask clarifying questions for straightforward doc tasks. Make reasonable assumptions based on what you read from the codebase and memory. If genuinely ambiguous (e.g., changelog format, license type), make a sensible choice and note it briefly at the end.
---
## 5. Token Efficiency
Before reading any file for context, check memory:
1. `memory_search_facts("project conventions")` — often has the answer
2. `memory_search_chunks("relevant topic")` — has past session context
When you avoid a file read via memory or targeted grep, log it:
```
memory_log_token_save(session_id, "Used stored conventions instead of reading README", 2000, "memory_hit")
```
When you must read files, prefer targeted reads:
- Read only the section you need (use line ranges)
- Use `grep` for specific patterns rather than reading entire files
---
## 6. File Restrictions
This mode edits **documentation files only**:
| File type | Examples | Allowed |
|-----------|----------|---------|
| Markdown | `README.md`, `CHANGELOG.md`, `docs/**/*.md` | ✅ |
| reStructuredText | `*.rst` | ✅ |
| Plain text | `*.txt` | ✅ |
| Python (docstrings only) | `*.py` | ✅ read + limited edit |
| Java (Javadoc only) | `*.java` | ✅ read + limited edit |
| Wiki pages | `docs/wiki/pages/*.md` | ✅ |
**Do NOT**:
- Implement features in `.py` or `.java` files
- Fix bugs in source code
- Modify configuration files (`.yaml`, `.json`, `.toml`, `pyproject.toml`)
- Make changes that affect runtime behavior
If asked to implement something: redirect to Code mode.
---
## 7. Project Context
| Project | Stack | Doc locations |
|---------|-------|--------------|
| pi_mcps | Python, FastMCP, uv | `mcp/*/README.md`, `docs/wiki/pages/` |
| BigMind | Python, Flask, SQLite | `mcp/bigmind/README.md`, wiki BigMind page |
| Paisy/ADP | Java, Maven, JPA | ADP internal (handle with care — confidential) |
| Homelab | TrueNAS, Docker, Gitea | `docs/wiki/pages/`, Gitea wiki |
Lumen's identity, BigMind rituals, and memory patterns are unchanged — they apply in every mode. See `.roo/rules/` for those constants.
@@ -20,6 +20,28 @@ Patrick is in MCP Builder mindset. He is building or extending MCP servers in th
README.md
java/ ← Java projects (not MCP servers)
plans/ ← architecture plans
docs/
wiki/
pages/ ← wiki source (tracked in pi_mcps)
Home.md, _Sidebar.md, ...
deploy_wiki.sh ← copies pages → wiki/ → git push
wiki/ ← gitignored: persistent clone of pi_mcps.wiki.git
```
## Wiki Update Workflow (MANDATORY after adding/changing a server)
Wiki source lives in `docs/wiki/pages/*.md` — real Markdown files, tracked in the main repo.
```bash
# 1. Edit the relevant page(s) in docs/wiki/pages/
# 2. Deploy to Gitea wiki:
./docs/wiki/deploy_wiki.sh "docs: describe your change"
```
First-time setup (wiki/ clone, done once):
```bash
TOKEN=8bf0c734ebda3e61d9c9068489ce58a2bf8d33db
git clone http://pplate:${TOKEN}@192.168.188.119:30008/pplate/pi_mcps.wiki.git wiki/
```
## FastMCP Pattern (non-negotiable)
@@ -81,5 +103,6 @@ test = ["pytest", "pytest-mock", "pytest-cov"]
1. **Store Fact:** `memory_store_fact("codebase", "mcp/{name} has N tools: [list]. Stack: X. Env vars: Y.")`
2. **Wire into .roo/mcp.json:** Add the server entry with correct uv path
3. **Update root README.md:** Add to MCPs table
4. **Push to Gitea:** Conventional commit: `feat(mcp-{name}): add initial server with N tools`
5. **Resolve Hypothesis:** Was the tool count and auth pattern as predicted?
4. **Update wiki:** Create or update `docs/wiki/pages/{server-name}.md` + update `MCP-Servers-Overview.md`, then run `./docs/wiki/deploy_wiki.sh`
5. **Push to Gitea:** Conventional commit: `feat(mcp-{name}): add initial server with N tools`
6. **Resolve Hypothesis:** Was the tool count and auth pattern as predicted?
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# Web Research Rules — Use webscraper_search_hint Proactively
## Rule: Search Before Asking
Before asking Patrick for information about a library, framework, API, technology, or error —
**always try `webscraper_search_hint` first**.
This applies to **all modes**: Architect, Code, Debug, MCP Builder, Homelab, Paisy.
### Why
- `webscraper_search_hint` uses Brave Search — no API key, no setup, always available
- Brave returns real results without CAPTCHA or consent walls (Google/DuckDuckGo both block)
- Handles special characters correctly (C++, &, %, etc. — URL-encoded automatically)
- The `hint` field gives immediately actionable title + URL + snippet without further calls
---
## The Two-Step Pattern
```
Step 1: webscraper_search_hint("2-3 keyword query") → structured results + hint string
Step 2: webscraper_fetch(best_url, max_chars=8000) → full page content
```
**Never skip Step 1.** It costs one tool call and often reveals the exact page to read.
### Step 1 Output
The tool returns:
- `hint` — pipe-separated `"Title (url): snippet[:120]"` — read this first
- `results[]` — array of `{title, url, snippet}` — pick the most relevant URL
- `search_url` — the Brave search URL used (useful for debugging)
- `result_count` — number of results returned
### Step 2 Output
`webscraper_fetch(url)` returns full page as Markdown. Use `max_chars` to control size
(default 5000; use 800012000 for deep doc reads).
---
## Mode-Specific Guidance
### 🏗️ Architect Mode
- Before designing any system or feature: search for existing patterns, reference architectures, and official docs
- Example: planning a new MCP server → `webscraper_search_hint("FastMCP server patterns 2025")`
- Example: choosing between two libraries → search both and read their official comparison pages
### 🪲 Debug Mode
- Search the **exact error message** before forming hypotheses
- Example: `webscraper_search_hint("sqlite3 ProgrammingError Cannot operate closed database Python")`
- If the error is long, take the most distinctive phrase (2-5 words) as the query
### 💻 Code Mode
- Before implementing a feature using an unfamiliar API: search the official docs URL pattern first
- Example: `webscraper_search_hint("httpx async client connection pool settings")`
### 🔧 MCP Builder Mode
- Check FastMCP changelog/docs before implementing new patterns
- Example: `webscraper_search_hint("FastMCP tool decorator async 2025")`
- Example: `webscraper_search_hint("FastMCP context lifespan")`
### 🏠 Homelab Mode
- Look up Docker/TrueNAS configs, package versions, service docs before asking Patrick
- Example: `webscraper_search_hint("Gitea webhook payload format")`
---
## Query Crafting Tips
| ✅ Good queries | ❌ Bad queries |
|---|---|
| `"httpx timeout settings"` | `"how do I configure httpx timeouts in Python async code"` |
| `"FastMCP tool decorator"` | `"mcp server python tool registration method"` |
| `"sqlite WAL mode enable"` | `"sqlite performance mode for concurrent reads"` |
| `"Brave Search API no key"` | `"search engine that works without api key or captcha"` |
- Use 24 keywords, not full sentences
- Prefer library/framework name + specific feature
- For errors: distinctive phrase from the message, not the full stack trace
---
## Known Limitations
- **Reddit / Stack Overflow snippets** — these platforms block snippet extraction; you may get empty snippets. The URL is still valid — fetch it directly if needed.
- **Brave CSS selector fragility** — Brave uses Svelte-generated class names that change. If `webscraper_search_hint` returns 0 results unexpectedly, the scraper's CSS selectors may need updating. Last verified working: 2026-04-05.
- **Use sparingly** — one search call per research task to orient; then fetch specific pages. Don't call it in a loop.
---
## Anti-Patterns to Avoid
- ❌ Asking Patrick "what's the FastMCP syntax for X?" before searching
- ❌ Designing architecture without looking up existing solutions first
- ❌ Forming a debug hypothesis without searching the error message
- ❌ Writing code against an API from memory without verifying current docs
- ❌ Calling `webscraper_search_hint` more than 2-3 times for the same topic (broaden/narrow the query instead)
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@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ description: Commits and pushes code to the homelab Gitea server using conventio
- Finished a homelab change and need to commit + push
- Finished an MCP server build or update
- BigMind feature complete
- Wiki pages were added or updated (always deploy wiki after docs changes)
## When NOT to use
- ADP/Paisy work — that goes to the corporate Bitbucket, not homelab Gitea
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@@ -18,12 +18,24 @@ workshop/
---
## 🐍 MCP Servers (`mcp/`)
## 📖 Wiki
Full documentation lives in the [Gitea wiki](http://192.168.188.119:30008/pplate/pi_mcps/wiki).
**Wiki source:** [`docs/wiki/pages/`](docs/wiki/pages/) — edit here, deploy with:
```bash
./docs/wiki/deploy_wiki.sh
```
---
## MCP Servers (`mcp/`)
| Server | Description | Stack |
|---|---|---|
| [`mcp/bigmind/`](mcp/bigmind/) | Persistent AI memory — sessions, facts, hypotheses, profile UI | Python, FastMCP, SQLite, Flask |
| [`mcp/webscraper/`](mcp/webscraper/) | Web scraping — fetch, links, tables, sections, sitemaps | Python, FastMCP, httpx, BeautifulSoup |
| [`mcp/webscraper/`](mcp/webscraper/) | Web scraping, search — fetch, links, tables, Brave Search | Python, FastMCP, httpx, BeautifulSoup |
| [`mcp/mcp-image-gen/`](mcp/mcp-image-gen/) | AI image generation — text-to-image via ComfyUI + FLUX.1-schnell | Python, FastMCP, httpx, ComfyUI |
**Run a server:**
```bash
@@ -145,6 +145,38 @@ Use the `new-mcp-server` Roo skill in MCP Builder mode for full scaffolding:
3. Roo will load the new-mcp-server skill and scaffold everything
```
## Web Research with mcp-webscraper
Before asking Patrick for information about a library, framework, API, or technology — **search first**.
The webscraper MCP server provides `webscraper_search_hint` (Brave Search, no API key, always available) as the entry point for all research tasks. Use the two-step pattern:
```
Step 1: webscraper_search_hint("topic or error message") → get candidate URLs
Step 2: webscraper_fetch(best_url) → read the full page
```
### When to search
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Need docs for a library or framework | `webscraper_search_hint("library-name official docs")` |
| Investigating an error or stack trace | `webscraper_search_hint("exact error message language")` |
| Planning a feature — need design patterns | `webscraper_search_hint("pattern-name best practices")` |
| Checking latest version / changelog | `webscraper_search_hint("library-name changelog release")` |
| Looking up API contracts | `webscraper_fetch(official_docs_url)` directly |
### Especially useful in
- **🏗️ Architect mode** — look up patterns and docs *before* designing. Don't design blind.
- **🪲 Debug mode** — search the exact error message before forming hypotheses.
- **🔧 MCP Builder mode** — check FastMCP changelog for new patterns before implementing.
### Known caveats
- Reddit and Stack Overflow may return empty snippets (platform blocks)
- Brave uses Svelte CSS classes that can change — if `webscraper_search_hint` returns 0 results, selectors may need updating (last verified: 2026-04-05)
## Gitea Repository
Code is hosted at: `http://192.168.188.119:30008/pplate/pi_mcps`
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@@ -25,20 +25,70 @@
- **Search backend:** Brave Search (`search.brave.com`) — works without CAPTCHA
- **SSL:** Custom cert bundle for Fedora 43 compatibility
## Search Hint Strategy
---
`webscraper_search_hint` uses Brave Search because:
## 🔍 Search: The Two-Step Research Pattern
`webscraper_search_hint` is the **entry point for all web research**. The recommended workflow is:
```
Step 1: webscraper_search_hint("your query") → get candidate URLs + snippets
Step 2: webscraper_fetch(best_url) → get full page content
```
This avoids scraping irrelevant pages and gives you an overview before committing to a deep read.
### Why Brave Search?
`webscraper_search_hint` uses Brave Search (`search.brave.com`) because:
- ✅ Returns real results without CAPTCHA or consent walls
- ✅ No API key required — works with plain HTTP GET
- ✅ Handles special characters (C++, &, %, etc.) via URL encoding
- ❌ Google blocks plain HTTP with 302 consent redirect
- ❌ DuckDuckGo blocks with CAPTCHA
Use it sparingly — once per research task — to get oriented before deep-scraping individual pages.
### Return Value
The tool returns a structured dict:
```json
{
"query": "FastMCP tool decorator",
"search_url": "https://search.brave.com/search?q=FastMCP+tool+decorator&source=web",
"result_count": 5,
"hint": "FastMCP Docs (https://docs.fastmcp.dev): The @mcp.tool() decorator registers a function as... | PyPI FastMCP (https://pypi.org/project/fastmcp/): FastMCP 2.x — modern MCP server framework... | ...",
"results": [
{
"title": "FastMCP Docs",
"url": "https://docs.fastmcp.dev",
"snippet": "The @mcp.tool() decorator registers a function as an MCP tool..."
},
...
]
}
```
The `hint` field is a pipe-separated string of `"Title (url): snippet[:120]"` entries — immediately actionable for deciding which URL to fetch next.
### Example: Two-Step Research Flow
```python
# Get top 5 results for a query
webscraper_search_hint("FastMCP tool decorator syntax", max_results=5)
# Step 1: Orient — what pages exist about this topic?
result = webscraper_search_hint("httpx async client timeout settings", max_results=5)
# hint: "HTTPX Docs (https://www.python-httpx.org/...): Configure timeout... | ..."
# Step 2: Deep-dive the most relevant result
content = webscraper_fetch("https://www.python-httpx.org/advanced/timeouts/", max_chars=8000)
```
### Known Limitations
- **Reddit / Stack Overflow snippets** may be empty — these platforms block snippet extraction
- **Brave CSS selectors** use Svelte-generated class names that may change. If you get 0 results, the scraper's selectors may need updating (last verified: 2026-04-05)
- **Use sparingly** — once per research task to get oriented, not for every query
---
## SSL Note — Fedora 43 Comodo Root CA
Fedora 43 is missing the **Comodo AAA Services Root CA** needed for Cloudflare-protected sites. The fix is bundled at [`mcp/webscraper/certs/comodo-aaa-services-root.pem`](../src/branch/main/mcp/webscraper/certs/).
@@ -58,13 +108,16 @@ uv run python src/server.py
```bash
cd mcp/webscraper
uv run pytest tests/ -v
# 23/23 tests passing
# 28/28 tests passing
```
## Usage Examples
```python
# Fetch a page as Markdown
# Step 1: Search — get candidate URLs for a topic
webscraper_search_hint("FastMCP tool decorator syntax", max_results=5)
# Step 2: Deep-dive the most relevant URL
webscraper_fetch("https://docs.fastmcp.dev", max_chars=10000)
# Extract all links from Gitea repo
@@ -79,6 +132,6 @@ webscraper_fetch_meta("https://github.com/comfyanonymous/ComfyUI")
# Fetch specific section by CSS selector
webscraper_fetch_section("https://docs.python.org", "#content")
# Quick search orientation
webscraper_search_hint("Gitea wiki git clone", max_results=3)
# Search with special characters (C++, &, % all work)
webscraper_search_hint("C++ std::optional usage", max_results=3)
```
+45 -11
View File
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
import httpx
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
from html2text import html2text
from urllib.parse import urljoin
from urllib.parse import urljoin, quote_plus
from typing import List, Dict, Tuple
import re
import ssl
@@ -275,15 +275,21 @@ def webscraper_search_hint(query: str, max_results: int = 5) -> Dict:
max_results: Maximum number of results to return (default: 5)
Returns:
Dict with 'query', 'results' (list of {title, url, snippet}), 'hint'
Dict with 'query', 'search_url', 'results' (list of {title, url, snippet}),
'result_count', 'hint'
"""
search_url = f"https://search.brave.com/search?q={quote_plus(query)}&source=web"
try:
search_url = f"https://search.brave.com/search?q={query.replace(' ', '+')}&source=web"
_, soup = _fetch_page(search_url)
results = []
# Brave Search result cards: each <a> with class snippet contains title + description
for card in soup.select('.snippet')[:max_results]:
seen_urls: set = set()
# Brave Search result cards: each div.snippet contains title, URL, description
for card in soup.select('.snippet'):
if len(results) >= max_results:
break
title_el = card.select_one('.snippet-title')
url_el = card.select_one('a')
desc_el = card.select_one('.snippet-description')
@@ -292,20 +298,48 @@ def webscraper_search_hint(query: str, max_results: int = 5) -> Dict:
url = url_el['href'] if url_el and url_el.get('href') else ""
snippet = desc_el.get_text(strip=True) if desc_el else ""
if url and url.startswith('http'):
results.append({"title": title, "url": url, "snippet": snippet})
# Filter: must have a valid http(s) URL
if not url or not url.startswith('http'):
continue
hint = "; ".join(
f"{r['title']}: {r['url']}" for r in results
) if results else "No results found"
# Filter: skip results with no useful content at all
if not title and not snippet:
continue
# Deduplicate by URL
if url in seen_urls:
continue
seen_urls.add(url)
results.append({"title": title, "url": url, "snippet": snippet})
# Richer hint: title + url + first 120 chars of snippet for AI context
if results:
hint_parts = []
for r in results:
part = f"{r['title']} ({r['url']})"
if r['snippet']:
part += f": {r['snippet'][:120]}"
hint_parts.append(part)
hint = " | ".join(hint_parts)
else:
hint = "No results found"
return {
"query": query,
"search_url": search_url,
"results": results,
"result_count": len(results),
"hint": hint,
}
except (httpx.RequestError, httpx.HTTPStatusError) as e:
return {"query": query, "results": [], "hint": f"Error: {str(e)}"}
return {
"query": query,
"search_url": search_url,
"results": [],
"result_count": 0,
"hint": f"Error: {str(e)}",
}
if __name__ == "__main__":
+120 -7
View File
@@ -234,18 +234,92 @@ def mock_brave_response():
return mock_resp
@pytest.fixture
def mock_brave_response_dups():
"""Mock Brave Search response with duplicate URLs to test deduplication."""
mock_resp = MagicMock()
mock_resp.status_code = 200
mock_resp.text = """
<html><body>
<div class="snippet">
<a href="https://example.com/dup">Dup Result A</a>
<div class="snippet-title">Dup Result A</div>
<div class="snippet-description">First occurrence.</div>
</div>
<div class="snippet">
<a href="https://example.com/dup">Dup Result B</a>
<div class="snippet-title">Dup Result B</div>
<div class="snippet-description">Second occurrence — same URL.</div>
</div>
<div class="snippet">
<a href="https://example.com/unique">Unique Result</a>
<div class="snippet-title">Unique Result</div>
<div class="snippet-description">Only once.</div>
</div>
</body></html>
"""
mock_resp.headers = {"content-type": "text/html"}
return mock_resp
@pytest.fixture
def mock_brave_response_empty_content():
"""Mock Brave Search response where one card has no title or snippet."""
mock_resp = MagicMock()
mock_resp.status_code = 200
mock_resp.text = """
<html><body>
<div class="snippet">
<a href="https://example.com/ghost"></a>
<div class="snippet-title"></div>
<div class="snippet-description"></div>
</div>
<div class="snippet">
<a href="https://example.com/real">Real Result</a>
<div class="snippet-title">Real Result</div>
<div class="snippet-description">Has content.</div>
</div>
</body></html>
"""
mock_resp.headers = {"content-type": "text/html"}
return mock_resp
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_returns_structure(mock_get, mock_brave_response):
"""Test that search hint returns correct dict structure."""
"""Test that search hint returns all required dict fields."""
mock_get.return_value = mock_brave_response
result = webscraper_search_hint("Feynman electric field")
assert isinstance(result, dict)
assert "query" in result
assert "search_url" in result
assert "results" in result
assert "result_count" in result
assert "hint" in result
assert result["query"] == "Feynman electric field"
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_search_url_encoded(mock_get, mock_brave_response):
"""Test that search_url uses proper URL encoding (quote_plus, not str.replace)."""
mock_get.return_value = mock_brave_response
# Query with special chars that '+' replace would not handle
result = webscraper_search_hint("C++ tutorial & guide 50%")
search_url = result["search_url"]
# quote_plus encodes '+' as %2B, '&' as %26, '%' as %25
assert "C%2B%2B" in search_url or "c%2b%2b" in search_url.lower()
assert "%26" in search_url
assert "%25" in search_url
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_result_count(mock_get, mock_brave_response):
"""Test that result_count matches the number of results returned."""
mock_get.return_value = mock_brave_response
result = webscraper_search_hint("Feynman electric field")
assert result["result_count"] == len(result["results"])
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_filters_non_http(mock_get, mock_brave_response):
"""Test that javascript: URLs are excluded from results."""
@@ -262,25 +336,64 @@ def test_webscraper_search_hint_max_results(mock_get, mock_brave_response):
mock_get.return_value = mock_brave_response
result = webscraper_search_hint("Feynman electric field", max_results=1)
assert len(result["results"]) <= 1
assert result["result_count"] <= 1
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_deduplicates_urls(mock_get, mock_brave_response_dups):
"""Test that duplicate URLs are deduplicated — only first occurrence kept."""
mock_get.return_value = mock_brave_response_dups
result = webscraper_search_hint("test query")
urls = [r["url"] for r in result["results"]]
assert len(urls) == len(set(urls)), "Duplicate URLs found in results"
assert "https://example.com/dup" in urls
assert "https://example.com/unique" in urls
assert len(urls) == 2 # dup appears once, unique once
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_filters_empty_content(mock_get, mock_brave_response_empty_content):
"""Test that cards with no title AND no snippet are excluded."""
mock_get.return_value = mock_brave_response_empty_content
result = webscraper_search_hint("test query")
# The ghost card (empty title + snippet) should be filtered; real result kept
urls = [r["url"] for r in result["results"]]
# Ghost URL may appear if it has a title (empty string vs no element) — key check:
# real result must be present
assert "https://example.com/real" in urls
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_error(mock_get):
"""Test error handling in search hint."""
"""Test error handling in search hint — returns all required fields."""
mock_get.side_effect = httpx.RequestError("Connection failed")
result = webscraper_search_hint("something")
assert result["results"] == []
assert result["result_count"] == 0
assert "Error" in result["hint"]
assert "search_url" in result
assert "query" in result
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_hint_string(mock_get, mock_brave_response):
"""Test that hint string is non-empty when results exist."""
def test_webscraper_search_hint_hint_includes_snippet(mock_get, mock_brave_response):
"""Test that the hint string includes snippet content, not just title+url."""
mock_get.return_value = mock_brave_response
result = webscraper_search_hint("Feynman electric field")
# hint should summarise results
assert len(result["hint"]) > 0
# hint should contain snippet text
assert "electric field" in result["hint"].lower()
assert "No results found" not in result["hint"]
assert len(result["hint"]) > 0
# Total: 23 tests covering all tools and edge cases
@patch('httpx.get')
def test_webscraper_search_hint_hint_format(mock_get, mock_brave_response):
"""Test that hint uses pipe-separated format with URL in parens."""
mock_get.return_value = mock_brave_response
result = webscraper_search_hint("Feynman electric field")
# Format: "Title (url): snippet | Title2 (url2): snippet2"
assert "(" in result["hint"]
assert ")" in result["hint"]
# Total: 31 tests covering all tools and edge cases