> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.roe-ai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Research Agent

> Performs AI-powered web research to gather and synthesize information on any topic.

## Research Agent Engine Overview

The Research Agent Engine leverages AI-powered search providers to conduct comprehensive web research. It can search the web, synthesize information from multiple sources, and return structured insights with source citations.

## Engine Inputs

The Research Agent Engine Configuration has the following parameters:

* **prompt**: *required.* The research query or question to investigate.
* **provider**: *optional.* The search provider to use (default: `perplexity`). Options:
  * `perplexity`: Perplexity AI search (general web, conversational)
  * `exa`: Exa AI-powered semantic search (structured/academic)
* **use\_deep\_search**: *optional.* Enable deep search for more comprehensive results (default: False). Higher cost but more thorough.
* **include\_sources**: *optional.* Include source URLs in the response (default: True).
* **output\_schema**: *optional.* JSON schema for structured response format. For Exa, providing a schema routes to the Research API; for Perplexity, schemas work with standard or deep search.

See [Template Strings](/agents/input-definition#template-strings) for dynamic parameter configuration.

## Engine Output

The output includes researched information with optional source citations. When an output schema is defined, the response will match that structure.

## Example Usage

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an Agent">
    Click on the "Add Agent" button in the top right corner of the Agents page.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/roeai/qeWYCF2quzHQHhsD/images/add-agent.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=qeWYCF2quzHQHhsD&q=85&s=b3e1ec9b816ed1e57cb1ecfa53ff4288" width="1920" height="1045" data-path="images/add-agent.png" />
    </Frame>

    Enter a name and an optional description of your Agent.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the Research Agent Engine" />

  <Step title="Configure the engine">
    <Info>\$ starts a template string</Info>

    * **prompt**: \$prompt
    * **provider**: perplexity
    * **use\_deep\_search**: False
    * **include\_sources**: True
    * **output\_schema**: Copy and paste the JSON schema below:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "title": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Main title or heading"
        },
        "summary": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Brief summary of the research findings"
        },
        "key_points": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": { "type": "string" },
          "description": "List of key points from the research"
        }
      },
      "required": ["title", "summary"]
    }
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the Agent">
    Hit the **Create** button.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run a job">
    Create a new job and provide a research prompt like:

    * "What are the latest developments in AI-powered document processing?"
    * "Research the competitive landscape for enterprise data warehouses"
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Search Providers

| Provider   | Description                        | Best For                                       |
| ---------- | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Perplexity | Conversational AI search (default) | General research, complex questions            |
| Exa        | AI-powered semantic search         | Structured/academic research, technical topics |

## Use Cases

* **Market research**: Gather competitive intelligence and market trends
* **Due diligence**: Research companies, products, or individuals
* **Content creation**: Gather source material for articles and reports
* **Fact-checking**: Verify claims with web sources
* **Technical research**: Find documentation, tutorials, and best practices