{"name":"WebSearch","slug":"websearch","family":"tool","title":"Tools","noun":"tool","description":"WebSearch can now be disabled or gated entirely without needing a host list.","description_source":"entry","described_by":{"version":"2.1.260","anchor":"built-in-web-search-can-now-be-disabled-or-gated-via-policy"},"presence":{"first_seen":"2.1.138","removed_in":null,"in_current_build":true,"newest_mined":"2.1.308","builds":149,"mined_builds":149,"first_cited":{"version":"2.1.260","released_at":"2026-09-03 22:32:02","spans":3}},"aliases":[],"entries":[{"version":"2.1.295","anchor":"websearch-tool-prompt-switches-on-claude-code-websearch-cita","heading":"Web search can stop asking Claude to write its own list of sources","line":"With CLAUDE_CODE_WEBSEARCH_CITATIONS set, Claude is no longer told to end web search answers with a written \"Sources:\" list","released_at":"2026-10-08 18:22:58","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.295","anchor":"websearch-result-schema-gains-optional-snippet-for-posttoolu","heading":"Web search results can include page text for PostToolUse hooks","line":"Each web search hit can now carry an optional snippet of page text, passed to PostToolUse hooks but not into the tool result","released_at":"2026-10-08 18:22:58","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.292","anchor":"websearch-ccr-proxy-check-simplified","heading":"Web search in remote sessions no longer skips the proxy when web fetch is disabled","line":"Whether web search goes through the remote-session proxy no longer depends on web fetch being disabled","released_at":"2026-10-06 17:10:31","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.292","anchor":"websearch-gated-by-new-check-taskstop-aliases-artifact-too","heading":"Web search needs an extra check, and the artifact tool's wording changes","line":"WebSearch is now only available when a new check passes, and the artifact tool lists items most recently opened or updated first","released_at":"2026-10-06 17:10:31","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.290","anchor":"websearch-gets-a-refilling-token-bucket-budget","heading":"WebSearch now uses a budget that refills every hour","line":"WebSearch is limited by an hourly refilling budget instead of a simple count, adjustable with CLAUDE_CODE_WEB_SEARCH_REFILLS_PER_HOUR","released_at":"2026-10-05 18:12:44","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.290","anchor":"chrome-disabled-session-notice-tells-the-model-not-to-use-br","heading":"Claude stops trying Chrome tools when the browser connection has failed","line":"When Claude in Chrome is on but its connection failed, Claude is told to skip the browser tools and use WebFetch and WebSearch","released_at":"2026-10-05 18:12:44","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.287","anchor":"stream-json-tool-use-result-documents-detachedtoolcall","heading":"Web fetches and searches can now report that they stepped aside for your message","line":"In stream-json output, a WebFetch or WebSearch result can now carry detachedToolCall: true, meaning it is still running","released_at":"2026-10-01 16:59:25","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.284","anchor":"websearch-tool-description-no-longer-states-the-current-mont","heading":"The web search tool's description no longer names the current month","line":"The WebSearch tool's description now says the month is provided in the conversation instead of naming a month and year","released_at":"2026-09-28 17:11:59","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.284","anchor":"projects-sessions-lock-down-webfetchwebsearch-permissions","heading":"In Projects sessions, web fetch and search can't be allowed permanently","line":"In a Projects session, permission to fetch web pages or search the web can only be granted for that session, and plugins cannot grant it","released_at":"2026-09-28 17:11:59","reason":"found in this entry's text"},{"version":"2.1.284","anchor":"always-allow-for-webfetchwebsearch-is-downgraded-to-sessi","heading":"Always allow for web fetches and searches lasts only for the session in some cases","line":"In certain sessions, choosing to always allow WebFetch or WebSearch now lasts only for that session and is not saved to your settings","released_at":"2026-09-28 17:11:59","reason":"found in this entry's text"}],"entries_total":28,"docs":[{"source":"api","path":"agents-and-tools\/tool-use\/advisor-tool","title":"advisor-tool","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"agents-and-tools\/tool-use\/overview","title":"overview","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"agents-and-tools\/tool-use\/server-tools","title":"server-tools","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"agents-and-tools\/tool-use\/web-fetch-tool","title":"web-fetch-tool","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"agents-and-tools\/tool-use\/web-search-tool","title":"web-search-tool","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"api\/beta","title":"Beta","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"api\/beta\/agents","title":"Agents","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"api\/beta\/agents\/archive","title":"Archive Agent","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"api\/beta\/agents\/create","title":"Create Agent","documented":false},{"source":"api","path":"api\/beta\/agents\/list","title":"List Agents","documented":false}],"docs_total":12,"gates":[],"related":[],"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/reference\/tool\/websearch","family_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/reference\/tool.json"}