Perplexity Deep Search

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.