Private agent search / Guide 1 of 6

Plan the search connection

Understand the request path and check the tools you need.

Before you start

SearXNG sits between your agent and the search engines. Your agent calls your local service, and receives structured results it can use.

Docker with Compose available.
OpenClaw installed on the host where you create the skill.
curl, jq, and openssl.
Internet access: SearXNG forwards search queries to the engines you configure.

Self-hosting gives you control over the endpoint and settings. It does not mean queries stay on your machine or that upstream engines are always available.

It’s working if

Docker is running, OpenClaw is installed, and curl, jq, and openssl are available in your terminal.