# gsearch-mcp-cli

Google Search CLI and MCP server for AI agents. Search Google (regular + AI Mode), fetch web pages as Markdown, with time filtering. No Google account needed.

## Vibe Coding Alert

Full transparency: this project was built by a non-developer using AI coding assistants. If you're an experienced Python developer, you might look at this codebase and wince. That's okay.

The goal here was to learn — both about building CLI tools in Python and about how modern web applications work under the hood. The code works, but it's very much a learning project released solely for the purpose of research and education, not a polished product.

> [!WARNING]
> **Unofficial & Unsupported** — This project is **not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by Google**. It interacts with Google Search and Google AI Mode through unofficial, undocumented methods that may break at any time without notice if Google changes their internal behavior, DOM structure, or bot detection. Use at your own risk. The author(s) accept no responsibility for any consequences, including but not limited to rate limiting or IP blocking. This project is released strictly for **educational and research purposes only**.

**If you know better, teach us.** PRs, issues, and architectural advice are all welcome. This is open source specifically because human expertise is irreplaceable.

## Install

### pip

```bash
pip install gsearch-mcp-cli
```

### uv

```bash
uv tool install gsearch-mcp-cli
```

### pipx

```bash
pipx install gsearch-mcp-cli
```

### Run without installing (uvx)

```bash
uvx --from gsearch-mcp-cli gsearch "your query"
```

**Requirements:** A Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Brave, Edge, Chromium, Vivaldi, or Opera).

## Quick Start

```bash
gsearch setup                              # one-time profile warmup (~8s)
gsearch "what is kubernetes"               # search Google
gsearch "AI news" --time day               # last 24 hours
gsearch "breaking news" --time 1h          # last hour
gsearch ai "explain docker architecture"   # AI Mode (g.ai)
gsearch fetch "https://example.com"        # page to Markdown
```

## Time Filtering

Filter results by time period -- critical for news and recent events:

```bash
gsearch "query" --time hour      # last hour
gsearch "query" --time 12h       # last 12 hours
gsearch "query" --time day       # last 24 hours
gsearch "query" --time week      # last 7 days
gsearch "query" --time month     # last month
gsearch "query" --time year      # last year
gsearch "query" --after 2026-01-01 --before 2026-03-31  # custom range
```

## Commands

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `gsearch "query"` | Google Search (default) with AI Overview + organic results |
| `gsearch ai "query"` | Google AI Mode -- synthesized answer with citations |
| `gsearch fetch "url"` | Fetch URL and convert to clean Markdown |
| `gsearch setup` | Browser profile warmup (one-time) |
| `gsearch setup add <tool>` | Configure MCP server for an AI tool |
| `gsearch config show` | Show configuration |
| `gsearch doctor` | Run diagnostics |
| `gsearch skill install <tool>` | Install skill for AI tools |
| `gsearch --ai` | Print AI-optimized documentation |

## MCP Server

For AI agents via Model Context Protocol:

```bash
gsearch-mcp                       # start MCP server (stdio)
gsearch setup add cursor          # configure for Cursor
gsearch setup add claude-code     # configure for Claude Code
```

**MCP Tools:**

- `gsearch_search(query, time_filter="day", ...)` -- Google Search
- `gsearch_ai(query, time_filter="week", ...)` -- AI Mode
- `gsearch_fetch(url, format="md", ...)` -- Fetch page as Markdown

## How It Works

Uses headless Chrome via CDP (Chrome DevTools Protocol) with a persistent anonymous profile. Google's BotGuard requires a warmed-up browser session -- `gsearch setup` establishes this once. No Google account or login needed.

## Supported AI Tools

**MCP Setup** (`gsearch setup add`): Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Antigravity, Codex, OpenCode

**Skill Install** (`gsearch skill install`): Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, Antigravity, Cline, OpenClaw, CC-Claw

## License

MIT
