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

# Introduction to Broad Search

Some questions have more than one angle.
Comparisons, research tasks, and surveys require sources spread across many different subtopics, and a single query only reaches a few of them.

Broad Search closes that gap. It expands the query into several relevant sub-queries from different angles and searches them at the same time, instead of running them one by one.

For the full list of parameters, see the [Broad Search API reference](/api-reference/broad-search).

## Why Broad Search

* **Wider coverage.** Several sub-queries from one query, each covering a different part of the topic.
* **No query rewriting.** Pass the original query as is, and Octen generates the sub-queries from it.
* **Still fast.** Sub-queries run concurrently, so broader coverage does not mean a longer wait.
* **Made for LLMs and agents.** Results arrive grouped by sub-query, ready for a model to ground a complete answer.

## Scenarios

### Compare options

Comparisons across many sources, such as pricing, products, or vendors.

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.octen.ai/broad-search \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "query": "compare cloud GPU pricing across major providers",
    "max_queries": 5
  }'
```

* The response includes the generated `queries` and the ranked `search_results` for each one.

### Research a topic

For surveys and deeper research, raise `max_queries` so more angles are covered.

```json theme={null}
{
  "query": "state of solid-state battery technology in 2026",
  "max_queries": 12
}
```

* `max_queries: 12` widens coverage; lower it for a tighter search.

### Full page content

When you need the original text of each result, turn on full content through `search_options`.

```json theme={null}
{
  "query": "compare cloud GPU pricing across major providers",
  "max_queries": 8,
  "search_options": {
    "full_content": { "enable": true, "max_tokens": 2048 }
  }
}
```

### Filter every sub-query

Apply topic, domain, or time filters to all sub-queries at once through `search_options`.

```json theme={null}
{
  "query": "latest central bank interest rate decisions globally",
  "max_queries": 8,
  "search_options": {
    "topic": "news",
    "include_domains": ["reuters.com", "bloomberg.com"],
    "time_range": "week"
  }
}
```

## Parameter cheatsheet

| Parameter        | Default             | Change it when                                                       |
| ---------------- | ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `max_queries`    | `5`                 | Raise (up to `30`) for broader coverage; lower for a tighter search. |
| `search_options` | Web Search defaults | Pass Web Search option to control every sub-query.                   |

`search_options` takes the same parameters as Web Search. For per-scenario examples, see [Tailor Your Search](/examples/guides/tailor-your-search).