feat(web): add SearXNG as a native search-only backend

hermes_cli/config.py

@@ -1832,6 +1832,14 @@ def _ensure_hermes_home_managed(home: Path):
         "password": True,
         "category": "tool",
     },
+    "SEARXNG_URL": {
+        "description": "URL of your SearXNG instance for free self-hosted web search",
+        "prompt": "SearXNG URL (e.g. http://localhost:8080)",
+        "url": "https://searxng.github.io/searxng/",
+        "tools": ["web_search"],
+        "password": False,
+        "category": "tool",
+    },
     "BROWSERBASE_API_KEY": {
         "description": "Browserbase API key for cloud browser (optional — local browser works without this)",
         "prompt": "Browserbase API key",

hermes_cli/nous_subscription.py

@@ -255,6 +255,10 @@ def get_nous_subscription_features(
     terminal_cfg = config.get("terminal") if isinstance(config.get("terminal"), dict) else {}
 
     web_backend = str(web_cfg.get("backend") or "").strip().lower()
+    # Per-capability overrides: if set, they determine which backend is active for
+    # search/extract independently of web.backend.
+    web_search_backend = str(web_cfg.get("search_backend") or "").strip().lower()
+    web_extract_backend = str(web_cfg.get("extract_backend") or "").strip().lower()
     tts_provider = str(tts_cfg.get("provider") or "edge").strip().lower()
     browser_provider_explicit = "cloud_provider" in browser_cfg
     browser_provider = normalize_browser_cloud_provider(
@@ -280,6 +284,7 @@ def get_nous_subscription_features(
     direct_firecrawl = bool(get_env_value("FIRECRAWL_API_KEY") or get_env_value("FIRECRAWL_API_URL"))
     direct_parallel = bool(get_env_value("PARALLEL_API_KEY"))
     direct_tavily = bool(get_env_value("TAVILY_API_KEY"))
+    direct_searxng = bool(get_env_value("SEARXNG_URL"))
     direct_fal = fal_key_is_configured()
     direct_openai_tts = bool(resolve_openai_audio_api_key())
     direct_elevenlabs = bool(get_env_value("ELEVENLABS_API_KEY"))
@@ -323,10 +328,18 @@ def get_nous_subscription_features(
             or (web_backend == "firecrawl" and direct_firecrawl)
             or (web_backend == "parallel" and direct_parallel)
             or (web_backend == "tavily" and direct_tavily)
+            or (web_backend == "searxng" and direct_searxng)
+            # Per-capability overrides: search_backend or extract_backend may be set
+            # without web.backend (using the new split config from #20061)
+            or (web_search_backend == "searxng" and direct_searxng)
+            or (web_search_backend == "exa" and direct_exa)
+            or (web_search_backend == "firecrawl" and direct_firecrawl)
+            or (web_search_backend == "parallel" and direct_parallel)
+            or (web_search_backend == "tavily" and direct_tavily)
         )
     )
     web_available = bool(
-        managed_web_available or direct_exa or direct_firecrawl or direct_parallel or direct_tavily
+        managed_web_available or direct_exa or direct_firecrawl or direct_parallel or direct_tavily or direct_searxng
     )
 
     image_managed = image_tool_enabled and managed_image_available and not direct_fal
@@ -412,8 +425,8 @@ def get_nous_subscription_features(
             managed_by_nous=web_managed,
             direct_override=web_active and not web_managed,
             toolset_enabled=web_tool_enabled,
-            current_provider=web_backend or "",
-            explicit_configured=bool(web_backend),
+            current_provider=web_backend or web_search_backend or "",
+            explicit_configured=bool(web_backend or web_search_backend),
         ),
         "image_gen": NousFeatureState(
             key="image_gen",

hermes_cli/setup.py

@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ def _print_setup_summary(config: dict, hermes_home):
             label = f"Web Search & Extract ({subscription_features.web.current_provider})"
         tool_status.append((label, True, None))
     else:
-        tool_status.append(("Web Search & Extract", False, "EXA_API_KEY, PARALLEL_API_KEY, FIRECRAWL_API_KEY/FIRECRAWL_API_URL, or TAVILY_API_KEY"))
+        tool_status.append(("Web Search & Extract", False, "EXA_API_KEY, PARALLEL_API_KEY, FIRECRAWL_API_KEY/FIRECRAWL_API_URL, TAVILY_API_KEY, or SEARXNG_URL"))
 
     # Browser tools (local Chromium, Camofox, Browserbase, Browser Use, or Firecrawl)
     browser_provider = subscription_features.browser.current_provider

hermes_cli/tools_config.py

@@ -299,6 +299,15 @@ def _get_plugin_toolset_keys() -> set:
                     {"key": "FIRECRAWL_API_URL", "prompt": "Your Firecrawl instance URL (e.g., http://localhost:3002)"},
                 ],
             },
+            {
+                "name": "SearXNG",
+                "badge": "free · self-hosted · search only",
+                "tag": "Privacy-respecting metasearch engine — search only (pair with any extract provider)",
+                "web_backend": "searxng",
+                "env_vars": [
+                    {"key": "SEARXNG_URL", "prompt": "Your SearXNG instance URL (e.g., http://localhost:8080)", "url": "https://searxng.github.io/searxng/"},
+                ],
+            },
         ],
     },
     "image_gen": {