Server Tools are built-in tools hosted and executed automatically by MiniMax on the server side. Unlike traditional Function Calls (client-side tools), you don’t need to implement the tool’s execution logic or manually return tool results across multiple turns—the model automatically invokes the tool, retrieves the result, and continues generating within a single API request.
This capability is currently in Beta; behavior and parameters may change.
Client-side tools (Function Call)
The model returns tool_use, your code executes it, and you pass tool_result back. Requires multiple round trips.
Server Tools
The model executes the tool and retrieves the result on MiniMax’s servers, all within a single request. You only read the final reply.
web_search lets the model search the web automatically while generating a reply, fetch real-time information, and answer based on the search results. It’s ideal for time-sensitive questions that require the latest facts (news, market data, documentation lookups, etc.).
web_search_20250305 is the versioned type identifier of this server tool, following Anthropic’s official naming convention: web_search is the tool name, and the 20250305 suffix (i.e. 2025-03-05) marks the tool’s release version. When the tool’s capabilities change, Anthropic ships a new version under a new date suffix — always use the type declared here.
Once web_search is enabled, the model executes the search on the server side and uses the results to generate its final reply. You don’t need to handle tool_use / tool_result round trips—just read the text content blocks in message.content to get the answer.message.content returns multiple content blocks in the order the model executed them. A complete search-and-answer flow typically includes the following types:
Block type
Description
text
Text generated by the model. Both the lead-in before searching and the final answer after searching use this type
server_tool_use
The tool call the model issued on the server side. name is web_search, and input.query is the actual search query
web_search_tool_result
The search results returned by the server. content is a list of web_search_result items with fields such as title, url, page_age, and content
Full response example
{ "id": "069d492820d3562155e88b67fe988b42", "type": "message", "role": "assistant", "model": "MiniMax-M3", "content": [ { "text": "Let me search for today's weather in Shanghai.", "type": "text" }, { "type": "server_tool_use", "id": "call_function_aa733q961ql2_1", "name": "web_search", "input": { "query": "Shanghai weather today" } }, { "type": "web_search_tool_result", "tool_use_id": "call_function_aa733q961ql2_1", "content": [ /// ... { "type": "web_search_result", "title": "Shanghai Weather Forecast", "url": "http://www.weather.com.cn/textFC/shanghai.shtml", "page_age": "2026-07-07 18:00:00", "content": "Map-based domestic city weather forecast > Domestic > Shanghai. Today Tue (Jul 7), Wed (Jul 8), Thu (Jul 9) ... Shanghai daytime/nighttime: weather, wind direction & force, high/low temperature. Shanghai - light rain, south wind <3, 28 ..." }, /// ... ] }, { "text": "Based on the latest search results, here's the weather in Shanghai today (July 8):\n\n## 🌤️ Shanghai Weather Today\n\n- **Conditions**: Mostly cloudy to overcast, with **brief showers or thunderstorms** in some areas\n- **Temperature**: Morning low around 30.3°C, daytime high up to **35–36°C**\n- **Wind**: South to southwest wind force 3–4 (4–5 along the river and coast), shifting to south-southeast at night\n- **Humidity**: Relative humidity 95%–60%, **feels muggy**\n- **Alert**: The Shanghai Meteorological Observatory has issued a **yellow high-temperature warning for the central urban area**\n\n## ⚠️ Tips\n\n1. **Beat the heat**: High temperature and humidity make it feel muggy; wear sunscreen and stay hydrated when heading out.\n2. **Rain & lightning**: Brief thundershowers in some areas—carry an umbrella for both sun and rain.\n3. **Typhoon update**: Typhoon No. 14 \"Bavi\" is extremely strong and is expected to bring noticeable wind and rain to Shanghai and nearby waters on the 11th–13th; keep an eye on later forecasts.\n\n## 📅 Coming days\n\n- **Tomorrow (July 9)**: Cloudy to overcast, brief thunderstorms in some areas, 28–34°C, slight relief\n- **From Friday**: Under the outer circulation of Typhoon \"Bavi,\" frequent showers, dropping temperatures with strong southeast winds\n\nFor a detailed hourly forecast, visit [Weather China – Shanghai](http://www.weather.com.cn/weather/101020100.shtml).", "type": "text" } ], "usage": { "input_tokens": 3206, "output_tokens": 365, "cache_creation_input_tokens": 0, "cache_read_input_tokens": 228, "service_tier": "standard" }, "stop_reason": "end_turn", "base_resp": { "status_code": 0, "status_msg": "" }}
Because the search runs entirely on the server, a single request may take longer than one without tools. Set your client timeout accordingly.
