Add an opt-in Parallel Search MCP provider

.env.example

@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ OFFICEQA_DOC_MODE=parsed
 FRONTIER_AGENT_DATASETS_DIR=
 
 # Optional: web search and page fetching.
+# Serper remains the default. Set WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER=parallel to use the free,
+# keyless Parallel Search MCP for web_search (up to 10 results per query);
+# this does not change web_fetch.
+WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER=serper
 # Support any Serper.dev-compatible endpoint (like litescrape.com, serpbase.dev,
 # and others): set SERPER_BASE_URL and a provider-issued SERPER_API_KEY.
 SERPER_API_KEY=

README.md

@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://your-openai-compatible-endpoint/v1
 OPENAI_MODEL=your-model-name
 
 # Optional web research tools
+WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER=serper
 SERPER_API_KEY=
 SERPER_BASE_URL=https://google.serper.dev
 JINA_API_KEY=
@@ -154,6 +155,14 @@ JINA_API_KEY=
 Support any Serper.dev-compatible endpoint (like litescrape.com, serpbase.dev,
 and others) by setting `SERPER_BASE_URL` and a provider-issued `SERPER_API_KEY`.
 
+Set `WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER=parallel` to use the free, keyless
+[Parallel Search MCP](https://docs.parallel.ai/integrations/mcp/search-mcp) for
+`web_search`. Serper remains the default, so existing keys and missing-key
+errors keep their current behavior. Parallel MCP does not support the tool's
+custom region, language, or time filters, or counts above 10 per query; choose
+Serper when those are needed.
+`web_fetch` continues to use its existing fetch provider.
+
 Start the TUI:
 
 ```bash

apodex/README.md

@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ cp .env.example .env
 #   OPENAI_API_KEY=...
 #   OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.openai.com/v1
 #   OPENAI_MODEL=gpt-4o
-# research mode additionally wants SERPER_API_KEY / JINA_API_KEY
+# For keyless Parallel search set WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER=parallel; it returns up
+# to 10 results per query. Serper remains the default and uses SERPER_API_KEY.
+# Page fetch uses JINA_API_KEY.
 
 # Interactive TUI, Stateful ReAct, against another repository
 frontier-agent --mode react --cwd /path/to/your/repo

apodex/config.py

@@ -222,7 +222,18 @@ def inspect_runtime_config(
         mode=active_mode,
         env=env,
     )
-    if "web_search" in tool_names and not _configured(env.get("SERPER_API_KEY")):
+    search_provider = (env.get("WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER") or "serper").strip().lower()
+    if "web_search" in tool_names and search_provider not in {"serper", "parallel"}:
+        issues.append(RuntimeConfigIssue(
+            code="invalid_web_search_provider",
+            message="WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER must be set to 'serper' or 'parallel'.",
+            env_var="WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER",
+        ))
+    if (
+        "web_search" in tool_names
+        and search_provider == "serper"
+        and not _configured(env.get("SERPER_API_KEY"))
+    ):
         issues.append(RuntimeConfigIssue(
             code="missing_serper_api_key",
             message=(

apodex/tests/test_config_preflight.py

@@ -111,6 +111,22 @@ def test_search_credentials_are_checked_when_the_profile_binds_the_web_tools():
     assert with_search.ok
     assert [issue.code for issue in with_search.warnings] == ["missing_jina_api_key"]
 
+    parallel = inspect_runtime_config(
+        cfg,
+        profile=_profile(tool_names=_WEB_TOOLS),
+        environ={"WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER": "parallel"},
+    )
+    assert parallel.ok
+    assert [issue.code for issue in parallel.warnings] == ["missing_jina_api_key"]
+
+    invalid_provider = inspect_runtime_config(
+        cfg,
+        profile=_profile(tool_names=_WEB_TOOLS),
+        environ={"WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER": "unknown"},
+    )
+    assert not invalid_provider.ok
+    assert "invalid_web_search_provider" in {issue.code for issue in invalid_provider.errors}
+
     no_web_tools = inspect_runtime_config(
         cfg, profile=_profile(tool_names=("bash", "read_file")), environ={},
     )

apodex/tests/test_userenv.py

@@ -322,7 +322,11 @@ def test_resolution_never_carries_a_value(launch, user_file) -> None:
 
 
 def test_forwarded_names_are_names_only_and_only_when_set(launch, user_file, monkeypatch) -> None:
-    _write(user_file, f"OPENAI_API_KEY={_SECRET}\nCUSTOM_PROVIDER_TOKEN=abc\n")
+    _write(
+        user_file,
+        f"OPENAI_API_KEY={_SECRET}\nCUSTOM_PROVIDER_TOKEN=abc\n"
+        "WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER=parallel\n",
+    )
     monkeypatch.setenv("SERPER_API_KEY", "serper-secret")
     monkeypatch.delenv("JINA_API_KEY", raising=False)
 
@@ -331,19 +335,22 @@ def test_forwarded_names_are_names_only_and_only_when_set(launch, user_file, mon
 
     assert "OPENAI_API_KEY" in names  # from the file
     assert "CUSTOM_PROVIDER_TOKEN" in names  # file-defined, even if unlisted
+    assert "WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER" in names  # provider selected in the user file
     assert "SERPER_API_KEY" in names  # well-known and exported
     assert "JINA_API_KEY" not in names  # well-known but not set
     assert _SECRET not in " ".join(names)
 
 
 def test_empty_resolution_forwards_only_exported_well_known_names(monkeypatch) -> None:
     monkeypatch.setenv("OPENAI_MODEL", "m")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER", "parallel")
     monkeypatch.delenv("OPENAI_API_KEY", raising=False)
 
     names = EnvResolution.empty().forwarded_names()
 
     assert "OPENAI_MODEL" in names
     assert "OPENAI_API_KEY" not in names
+    assert "WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER" not in names
 
 
 # ── the CLI: --cwd, --model, and where .env is looked up ──────────────────

docs/install/global-install.md

@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ chmod 600 "$config_dir/env"
 ```
 
 Optional web tools take `SERPER_API_KEY` and `JINA_API_KEY` in the same file.
+Add `WEB_SEARCH_PROVIDER=parallel` to this file to use the keyless Parallel
+Search MCP for `web_search`; it supports up to 10 results per query. Serper
+remains the default. Exporting the setting also works for native runs.
+`web_fetch` keeps its existing provider.
 `APODEX_ENV_FILE=/path/to/file` points the CLI at a different file.
 
 Rules for the file: