Perplexity Deep Search
AI-powered web search with three modes for different depth levels.
Quick Start
# Quick search (sonar) - facts, summaries, current events
{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh "latest AI news"
Reasoning (sonar-reasoning-pro) - complex analysis, multi-step
{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh --mode reason "compare React vs Vue for enterprise apps"
Deep Research (sonar-deep-research) - full reports, exhaustive analysis
{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh --mode research "market analysis of AI in healthcare 2025"
Modes
| Mode | Model | Best For | Cost |
|---|
search
(default) | sonar-pro
| Quick facts, summaries, current events | Low |
reason
| sonar-reasoning-pro
| Complex analysis, comparisons, problem-solving | Medium |
research
| sonar-deep-research
| In-depth reports, market analysis, literature reviews | High |
Options
| Flag | Description | Default |
|---|
--mode
| search
, reason
, research
| search
|
--recency
| hour
, day
, week
, month
| — |
--domains
| Comma-separated domain filter | — |
--lang
| Language code (pt
, en
, es
, etc.) | — |
--json
| Raw JSON output | off |
Examples
# Search with recency filter
{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh --recency week "OpenAI latest announcements"
Search restricted to specific domains
{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh --domains "arxiv.org,nature.com" "transformer architecture advances"
Search in Portuguese
{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh --lang pt "inteligência artificial no Brasil"
Deep research with JSON output
{baseDir}/scripts/search.sh --mode research --json "enterprise AI adoption trends"
API Key
Set
PERPLEXITY_API_KEY
env var, or store it in a file:
mkdir -p ~/.config/perplexity
echo "your_key_here" > ~/.config/perplexity/api_key
chmod 600 ~/.config/perplexity/api_key
The script checks the env var first, then falls back to the file.
Pricing Reference
- Search (sonar-pro): ~$0.01/query
- Reasoning (sonar-reasoning-pro): ~$0.02/query
- Deep Research (sonar-deep-research): ~$0.40/query (uses many searches + reasoning)
Use
search
for everyday queries. Reserve
research
for when you truly need exhaustive analysis.
