Serpapi

An OpenCode plugin that connects your agent to SerpApi's hosted MCP server for Google, Amazon, Walmart, eBay, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Scholar, and 100+ other engines.

Quick Start

1. Get an API key

Sign up at serpapi.com and set the key:

Free tier – 250 searches/month, no credit card required.

export SERPAPI_API_KEY="your_serpapi_key"

2. Install the plugin

Add the npm package name to the plugin list in opencode.json. OpenCode automatically installs npm plugins at startup:

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "plugin": ["opencode-serpapi"]
}

Restart OpenCode (or start a new session). OpenCode downloads the published package and the plugin registers SerpApi as a remote MCP server automatically.

3. Use it

Ask in natural language and the agent picks the tool and engine on its own:

Search Google for the best Python web frameworks

Compare prices for AirPods Pro on Amazon, Walmart, and eBay

Find academic papers about transformer architectures published after 2020

Find well-reviewed coffee shops near Times Square

How it works

This is an OpenCode MCP integration with a native HTTPS fallback. The plugin:

1. Registers the hosted SerpApi MCP server at https://mcp.serpapi.com/mcp.
2. Reads SERPAPI_API_KEY from the OpenCode process and resolves it into the MCP Authorization: Bearer ... header.
3. Exposes a native serpapi_search tool that calls https://serpapi.com/search.json with the runtime's built-in fetch.
4. Registers the bundled serpapi-web-search skill for engine selection, routing, credential safety, and response guidance.

The MCP server is the preferred route. When its tools are unavailable or the server is disabled, the native tool remains available as the direct HTTPS route. An existing user-defined mcp.serpapi configuration is preserved.

Features

• MCP-native search — OpenCode receives the search tool from the serpapi MCP server.
• All SerpApi engines — the MCP server supports Google, Bing, Amazon, Walmart, eBay, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Scholar, and other engines.
• MCP header authentication — the key is read from SERPAPI_API_KEY and sent in the MCP Authorization header, not embedded in the MCP URL or source code.
• Structured results — the MCP server supports JSON, compact responses, Markdown output, and engine-specific parameter validation.
• Local search guidance — the bundled skill helps the model choose engines and use engine-specific parameters without owning credentials or making API requests.
• Portable fallback — serpapi_search uses the runtime's built-in fetch, with no CLI, shell, or cURL dependency.
• Engine-aware queries — the native tool maps its generic q argument to engine-specific fields such as Amazon's k, Walmart's query, eBay's _nkw, and YouTube's search_query.

Supported Engines

Category	Engines
Web Search	Google, Google Light, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, Yandex, Baidu, Naver
AI Search	Google AI Mode, Google AI Overview, Bing Copilot, Brave AI Mode
Shopping	Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Google Shopping, Home Depot
Local / Maps	Google Maps, Google Local, Yelp, TripAdvisor, OpenTable
Research	Google Scholar, Google Patents, Google Trends
News	Google News
Media	Google Images, Google Videos, YouTube, Google Lens
Travel	Google Flights, Google Hotels, Google Travel Explore
Jobs	Google Jobs
Finance	Google Finance
Apps	Google Play, Apple App Store

Engines not listed in the plugin's query-field map still pass through with q. See the full, current list at serpapi.com/search-engine-apis. Detailed engine, MCP, CLI, REST, credential, and response guidance is bundled under skills/serpapi-web-search/references/.

Troubleshooting

• "Tool not showing up" — confirm opencode-serpapi is listed under plugin in opencode.json, confirm SERPAPI_API_KEY is available to OpenCode, and restart OpenCode.
• "Invalid API key" — replace SERPAPI_API_KEY with the current key from the SerpApi dashboard, then restart OpenCode so the MCP header is rebuilt.
• MCP connection problems — run opencode mcp list; the serpapi entry should report connected.
• Native request failure — the tool returns SerpApi search failed: ... with the configured key redacted.

If MCP is unavailable, ask the agent to use serpapi_search. Confirm that SERPAPI_API_KEY is available to the OpenCode process.

Development

npm install
npm test
npm run typecheck

The test suite mocks fetch and covers request parameter mapping, trusted-key enforcement, HTTP failures, missing credentials, and resolved MCP header configuration. The plugin configures the serpapi MCP server, whose primary tool is search, and also exposes serpapi_search as a native HTTPS route. The bundled skill provides routing and operational guidance; engines.ts supplies query-field mapping for native requests.

Related

• SerpApi MCP Server — for Claude Desktop, VS Code, and Cursor
• SerpApi Docs — full API reference
• SerpApi Playground — interactive API explorer
• OpenCode Plugin Docs

License

MIT License — see LICENSE file for details.