Large language models are limited by the timeliness of their training data. This prevents them from accurately answering real-time questions about topics such as stock prices or tomorrow's weather. When you enable the web search feature, the model uses real-time data retrieved from the web to provide responses.
Implementation guide
To use web search, pass the enable_search: true parameter when you call the model. The model then decides if a web search is needed for the user's question. If a search is needed, the model uses the search results to generate a response. If not, it uses its own knowledge to answer.
The following examples demonstrate how to enable the web search feature using the OpenAI compatible API and the DashScope Python SDK.
OpenAI compatible
# Import dependencies and create a client...
completion = client.chat.completions.create(
# Use a model that supports web search.
model="qwen3-max",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "What is the weather in Hangzhou tomorrow"}],
# Because enable_search is not a standard OpenAI parameter, you must pass it through extra_body when using the Python SDK. When using the Node.js SDK, pass it as a top-level parameter.
extra_body={"enable_search": True}
)DashScope
# Import dependencies...
response = dashscope.Generation.call(
# If the environment variable is not configured, replace the following line with your Model Studio API key: api_key="sk-xxx",
api_key=os.getenv("DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"),
# Use a model that supports web search.
model="qwen3-max",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "What is the weather in Hangzhou tomorrow"}],
# Enable web search using the enable_search parameter.
enable_search=True,
result_format="message"
)Model availability
International (Singapore)
Only the qwen3-max and qwen3-max-2025-09-23 models are supported. The search policy must be set to agent.
Getting started: Query stock information
Run the following code to quickly query stock information using the web search service.
OpenAI compatible
The OpenAI compatible protocol does not support returning search sources in the response.
Python
import os
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
# If the environment variable is not configured, replace the following line with your Model Studio API key: api_key="sk-xxx",
api_key=os.getenv("DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"),
base_url="https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1",
)
completion = client.chat.completions.create(
model="qwen3-max",
messages=[
{"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful assistant."},
{"role": "user", "content": "What is Alibaba's stock price"},
],
extra_body={
"enable_search": True,
"search_options": {
# Web search policy. Only agent is supported.
"search_strategy": "agent"
}
}
)
print(completion.choices[0].message.content)Example response
According to the latest market data, Alibaba's stock price performance in different markets is as follows:
* **US Stock (BABA)**: The latest stock price is approximately **$159.84**.
* **Hong Kong Stock (09988.HK)**: The latest stock price is approximately **HK$158.00**.
Note that stock prices fluctuate in real time. The information above is for reference only. According to the latest market data, Alibaba's stock price performance in different markets is as follows:
* **US Stock (BABA)**: The latest stock price is approximately **$159.84**.
* **Hong Kong Stock (09988.HK)**: The latest stock price is approximately **HK$158.00**.
Note that stock prices fluctuate in real time. The information above is for reference only.Node.js
import OpenAI from "openai";
const openai = new OpenAI({
apiKey: process.env.DASHSCOPE_API_KEY,
baseURL: "https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1"
});
async function main() {
const completion = await openai.chat.completions.create({
model: "qwen3-max",
messages: [
{ role: "user", content": "What is Alibaba's stock price" }
],
enable_search: true,
search_options: {
// Web search policy. Only agent is supported.
search_strategy: "agent"
}
});
console.log(completion.choices[0].message.content);
}
main();Example response
According to the latest market data, Alibaba's stock price performance in different markets is as follows:
* **US Stock (BABA)**: The latest stock price is approximately **$159.84**.
* **Hong Kong Stock (09988.HK)**: The latest stock price is approximately **HK$158.00**.
Note that stock prices fluctuate in real time. The information above is for reference only. According to the latest market data, Alibaba's stock price performance in different markets is as follows:
* **US Stock (BABA)**: The latest stock price is approximately **$159.84**.
* **Hong Kong Stock (09988.HK)**: The latest stock price is approximately **HK$158.00**.
Note that stock prices fluctuate in real time. The information above is for reference only.curl
curl -X POST https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "qwen3-max",
"messages": [
{
"role": "user",
"content": "What is Alibaba's stock price"
}
],
"enable_search": true,
"search_options": {
"search_strategy": "agent"
}
}'DashScope
The DashScope protocol lets you setenable_sourcetotrueto include search sources in the returned data.
Python
import os
import dashscope
dashscope.base_http_api_url = "https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/api/v1"
response = dashscope.Generation.call(
api_key=os.getenv("DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"),
model="qwen3-max",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Alibaba stock price"}],
enable_search=True,
search_options={
# Web search policy. Currently, only the agent policy is supported. It allows multiple calls to the web search tool and large models to achieve multi-round information retrieval and content integration.
"search_strategy": "agent",
"enable_source": True # Specifies whether to return search sources.
},
result_format="message",
)
print("="*20 + "Search results" + "="*20)
for web in response.output.search_info["search_results"]:
print(f"[{web['index']}]: [{web['title']}]({web['url']})")
print("="*20 + "Response content" + "="*20)
print(response.output.choices[0].message.content)Example response
====================Search results====================
[1]: [Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price_Quotes_Chart - East Money](https://wap.eastmoney.com/quote/stock/106.BABA.html)
[2]: [Alibaba (BABA)_US Stock Quotes_Today's Price and Chart_Sina Finance](https://gu.sina.cn/quotes/us/BABA)
[3]: [Alibaba (BABA) Stock Latest Price, Real-time Chart, Price Analysis and Prediction](https://cn.investing.com/equities/alibaba)
[4]: [ALIBABA-SW (9988.HK) Stock Price, News, Quote & History - Yahoo Finance](https://hk.finance.yahoo.com/quote/9988.HK/)
[5]: [Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price_Quotes_Discussion - Xueqiu](https://xueqiu.com/S/BABA)
[6]: [Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price, Market Cap, Real-time Quotes, Chart, Financials - Moomoo](https://www.moomoo.com/hans/stock/BABA-US)
[7]: [Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) Stock Price, News, Quote ...](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BABA/)
[8]: [Alibaba - Tencent Securities](https://gu.qq.com/usBABA.N)
[9]: [W(09988) Stock Price, Market Cap, Real-time Quotes, Chart, Financials - Alibaba - Moomoo](https://www.moomoo.com/hans/stock/09988-HK)
====================Response content====================
According to the latest market data, Alibaba's stock price information is as follows:
* **US Stock (BABA)**:
* Today's opening price: $160.98
* Yesterday's closing price: $160.80
* Today's high: $161.19
* Today's low: $156.20
* **Hong Kong Stock (09988.HK)**:
* Latest quote: approximately HK$158.00 - HK$158.10
* Today's opening price: HK$156.50
* Previous trading day's closing price: HK$162.00
* Today's trading range: HK$156.30 - HK$158.40Java
import com.alibaba.dashscope.aigc.generation.Generation;
import com.alibaba.dashscope.aigc.generation.GenerationParam;
import com.alibaba.dashscope.aigc.generation.GenerationResult;
import com.alibaba.dashscope.aigc.generation.SearchOptions;
import com.alibaba.dashscope.common.Message;
import com.alibaba.dashscope.utils.Constants;
import com.alibaba.dashscope.common.Role;
import java.util.Arrays;
public class Main {
static {Constants.baseHttpApiUrl="https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/api/v1";}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Generation gen = new Generation();
Message userMsg = Message.builder()
.role(Role.USER.getValue())
.content("Alibaba's stock price")
.build();
SearchOptions searchOptions = SearchOptions.builder()
// Web search policy. Only agent is supported.
.searchStrategy("agent")
// Return search sources.
.enableSource(true)
.build();
GenerationParam param = GenerationParam.builder()
.apiKey(System.getenv("DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"))
.model("qwen3-max")
.messages(Arrays.asList(userMsg))
.resultFormat(GenerationParam.ResultFormat.MESSAGE)
.enableSearch(true)
.searchOptions(searchOptions)
.build();
try {
GenerationResult result = gen.call(param);
System.out.println("=".repeat(20)+"Search results"+"=".repeat(20));
System.out.println(result.getOutput().getSearchInfo().getSearchResults());
System.out.println("=".repeat(20)+"Response content"+"=".repeat(20));
System.out.println(result.getOutput().getChoices().get(0).getMessage().getContent());
} catch (Exception e) {
System.out.println("Error: " + e.getMessage());
}
}
}Example response
====================Search results====================
[SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=1, title=Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price_Quotes_Chart - East Money, url=https://wap.eastmoney.com/quote/stock/106.BABA.html), SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=2, title=Alibaba (BABA)_US Stock Quotes_Today's Price and Chart_Sina Finance, url=https://gu.sina.cn/quotes/us/BABA), SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=3, title=Alibaba (BABA) Stock Latest Price, Real-time Chart, Price Analysis and Prediction, url=https://cn.investing.com/equities/alibaba), SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=4, title=Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price_Quotes_Discussion - Xueqiu, url=https://xueqiu.com/S/BABA), SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=5, title=ALIBABA-SW (9988.HK) Stock Price, News, Quote & History - Yahoo Finance, url=https://hk.finance.yahoo.com/quote/9988.HK/), SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=6, title=Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price, Market Cap, Real-time Quotes, Chart, Financials - Moomoo, url=https://www.moomoo.com/hans/stock/BABA-US), SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=7, title=Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) - Yahoo Finance, url=https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BABA/), SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=8, title=Alibaba - Tencent Securities, url=https://gu.qq.com/usBABA.N), SearchInfo.SearchResult(siteName=null, icon=null, index=9, title=W(09988) Stock Price, Market Cap, Real-time Quotes, Chart, Financials - Alibaba - Moomoo, url=https://www.moomoo.com/hans/stock/09988-HK)]
====================Response content====================
According to the latest market data, Alibaba's stock price is as follows:
* **US Stock (BABA)**: The latest stock price is approximately **$159.84**.
* **Hong Kong Stock (09988.HK)**: The latest stock price is approximately **HK$158.00**.
Note that stock prices fluctuate in real time with market trading. The information above is for reference only.curl
curl -X POST https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/api/v1/services/aigc/text-generation/generation \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "qwen3-max",
"input":{
"messages":[
{
"role": "user",
"content": "Alibaba's stock price"
}
]
},
"parameters": {
"enable_search": true,
"search_options": {
"search_strategy": "agent",
"enable_source": true
},
"result_format": "message"
}
}'Example response
{
"output": {
"choices": [
{
"finish_reason": "stop",
"message": {
"content": "According to the latest market data, Alibaba's stock price varies because it is listed on both the US and Hong Kong stock exchanges:\n\n* **US Stock (BABA)**: The latest stock price is approximately **$160.40**.\n * Today's opening price: $160.98\n * Today's trading range: $156.20 - $161.19\n\n* **Hong Kong Stock (09988.HK)**: The latest stock price is approximately **HK$158.10**.\n * Today's opening price: HK$156.50\n * Today's trading range: HK$156.30 - HK$158.40\n\nPlease note that stock prices fluctuate in real time with market trading. The information above is for reference only.",
"role": "assistant"
}
}
],
"search_info": {
"search_results": [
{
"index": 1,
"title": "Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price_Quotes_Chart - East Money",
"url": "https://wap.eastmoney.com/quote/stock/106.BABA.html"
},
{
"index": 2,
"title": "Alibaba (BABA)_US Stock Quotes_Today's Price and Chart_Sina Finance",
"url": "https://gu.sina.cn/quotes/us/BABA"
},
{
"index": 3,
"title": "ALIBABA-SW (9988.HK) Stock Price, News, Quote & History - Yahoo Finance",
"url": "https://hk.finance.yahoo.com/quote/9988.HK/"
},
{
"index": 4,
"title": "Alibaba (BABA) Stock Latest Price, Real-time Chart, Price Analysis and Prediction",
"url": "https://cn.investing.com/equities/alibaba"
},
{
"index": 5,
"title": "Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price_Quotes_Discussion - Xueqiu",
"url": "https://xueqiu.com/S/BABA"
},
{
"index": 6,
"title": "Alibaba (BABA) Stock Price, Market Cap, Real-time Quotes, Chart, Financials - Moomoo",
"url": "https://www.moomoo.com/hans/stock/BABA-US"
},
{
"index": 7,
"title": "W(09988) Stock Price, Market Cap, Real-time Quotes, Chart, Financials - Alibaba - Moomoo",
"url": "https://www.moomoo.com/hans/stock/09988-HK"
},
{
"index": 8,
"title": "Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) Stock Price, News, Quote & History",
"url": "https://hk.finance.yahoo.com/quote/BABA/"
},
{
"index": 9,
"title": "Alibaba - Tencent Securities",
"url": "https://gu.qq.com/usBABA.N"
}
]
}
},
"usage": {
"input_tokens": 2004,
"output_tokens": 203,
"plugins": {
"search": {
"count": 1,
"strategy": "agent"
}
},
"prompt_tokens_details": {
"cached_tokens": 0
},
"total_tokens": 2207
},
"request_id": "45c231d2-811e-4e04-a361-f2c1909f1dd9"
}Billing
Billing involves two aspects:
Model call fees: The content of web pages from web searches is added to the prompt, which increases the input tokens for the model. You are charged based on the standard pricing for the model. For pricing details, see Models.
Search policy fees:
For the
agentpolicy, the fee per 1,000 calls is: $0.57341 for China (Beijing). $10.00 for International (Singapore).
Error messages
If an error occurs, see Error messages for solutions.