name: perplexity-web-research
description: Leverage Perplexity CLI for web research, deep reasoning, and independent validation. Use when you need current/external knowledge, want a second opinion before decisions, or want to delegate complex analytical thinking to specialized reasoning models. Complements (not replaces) standard web tools. Can be invoked directly or spawned as a subagent.
license: MIT
compatibility: Requires llm CLI with llm-perplexity plugin and Perplexity API key
metadata:
author: Pietro Di Bello
version: "1.0.0"
allowed-tools: Bash(llm:*)

Perplexity Web Research

Use the llm CLI with Perplexity plugin for web research, deep reasoning, and independent validation.

Quick Start

llm -m sonar 'your question here'

Model Selection

Choose the appropriate model based on query complexity:

Default choice: sonar for most queries.

Use sonar-pro when:
- Query requires comprehensive coverage
- Need detailed explanations
- Research involves multiple aspects
- Largest context window needed (200k)

Use sonar-deep-research when:
- Topic is complex and multi-faceted
- Need synthesis across many sources
- Research question has no simple answer

Use sonar-reasoning when:
- Question requires logical deduction
- Need step-by-step problem solving
- Math or algorithmic reasoning involved

Use sonar-reasoning-pro when:
- Advanced reasoning with more comprehensive analysis needed
- Complex multi-step logical problems
- Need most thorough step-by-step explanations
- Reasoning task benefits from deeper exploration

Use r1-1776 when:
- Need specialized reasoning without web search
- Pure analytical or logical tasks
- Information is already known, just need reasoning applied
- Want to avoid web search overhead

Note: Most models include real-time web search. Only r1-1776 omits web search for pure reasoning tasks.

When to Use

Use this skill in three primary scenarios:

1. Current or External Knowledge

When you need up-to-date information and intentionally want to use Perplexity instead of standard web fetch tools:

• Documentation lookups: Current API docs, library references, framework guides
• Library versions: "What's the latest version of X?"
• Recent changes: "What changed in Y version 2.0?"
• Error research: Unfamiliar error messages or stack traces
• Technology verification: "Does X support Y feature?"
• Current events: Recent news, announcements, releases
• Fact checking: Information that may have changed since training cutoff

2. Second Opinions

When you want an independent perspective before committing to a decision or approach:

• Architecture decisions: "What are the trade-offs between approach A and B?"
• Technology choices: "Should I use X or Y for this use case?"
• Design validation: "Is this approach considered best practice?"
• Problem verification: "Am I thinking about this problem correctly?"
• Alternative perspectives: "What other ways could this be solved?"

3. Deep Reasoning Delegation

When you want to offload complex analytical thinking to specialized reasoning models (even when information doesn't need to be current):

• Complex problem solving: Multi-step reasoning requiring systematic analysis
• Algorithmic thinking: "How should I optimize this algorithm?"
• System design: "How should I architect this system?"
• Trade-off analysis: Comparing multiple options with many variables
• Mathematical reasoning: Calculations, proofs, or quantitative analysis

When NOT to Use

Do NOT use for:

• Local codebase questions: Use grep/read tools instead
• Information already in context: Use existing conversation context
• Simple factual questions: Use your training data when sufficient
• Tasks requiring file operations: Code analysis, refactoring, editing

This skill complements, not replaces, standard web tools (WebFetch, WebSearch). Choose based on whether you want Perplexity's specific capabilities (reasoning models, synthesis, alternative perspective).

Usage Examples

Current Knowledge: Documentation Lookup

llm -m sonar 'Next.js App Router documentation 2026'

Current Knowledge: Error Research

llm -m sonar 'ECONNREFUSED error when connecting to PostgreSQL'

Current Knowledge: Library Version

llm -m sonar 'latest stable version of React 2026'

Current Knowledge: Complex Research

llm -m sonar-deep-research 'comparison of WebSocket vs Server-Sent Events for real-time updates in 2026'

Second Opinion: Architecture Decision

llm -m sonar-pro 'trade-offs between microservices and monolith for a team of 5 engineers'

Second Opinion: Technology Choice

llm -m sonar 'should I use PostgreSQL or MongoDB for a social media analytics platform'

Deep Reasoning: Algorithm Design

llm -m sonar-reasoning 'how to design an efficient caching strategy for a rate-limited API with bursty traffic patterns'

Deep Reasoning: System Architecture

llm -m sonar-reasoning-pro 'design a scalable job queue system that handles both immediate and scheduled tasks with priority levels'

Using as a Subagent

This skill can be invoked directly within the conversation or spawned as a subagent for focused research:

Direct invocation: Use the Bash tool to run llm commands inline when the query is straightforward and the result can be immediately incorporated.

Subagent invocation: Spawn a subagent when:
- Research requires multiple iterations or follow-up queries
- You want the subagent to synthesize findings before reporting back
- The reasoning task is complex enough to benefit from dedicated focus
- You want to continue other work while research happens in parallel

Context Marker

When using this skill, add 🔍 as a start-of-message marker.

🔍 I will research Next.js App Router on Perplexity...

Setup

If the llm CLI or Perplexity plugin is not installed, see references/setup.md for installation instructions.

Relationship with Other Tools

This skill complements standard web tools (WebFetch, WebSearch), not replaces them.

Use Perplexity when you want:
- Specialized reasoning models for complex analysis
- Synthesis and perspective from multiple sources
- Independent validation or second opinions
- Specific Perplexity model capabilities

Use standard web tools when you want:
- Direct access to specific URLs or pages
- Raw content from known sources
- General web search without specialized reasoning