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

# Web Fetch

> Point Nito at a specific URL and have it read that page into the answer, controlled by a single flag on your ask command.

Web fetch reads a specific URL you name into the model's context while it answers. Where [web search](/features/server-side-tools/web-search) starts from a query and goes looking for sources, web fetch starts from a URL that is already in your prompt and pulls that one page in.

The everyday case: you paste a link and ask "summarize this," "what changed in this release," or "is this relevant to what I am building." Without fetch, the model can only guess from the URL text. With fetch, it reads the actual page and answers from its real contents.

## Turning On Web Fetch

Web fetch is controlled by the `--web-fetch` flag on your `ask` command. It takes `on` or `off`, and the default is `on`. Fetch runs when your prompt contains an explicit URL. With no URL in the prompt, there is nothing to fetch.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Claude Code">
    ```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"},"languages":{"custom":["typescript","python","curl"]}}
    /nito:ask --web-fetch on Fetch https://example.com and tell me the main heading text.
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Codex">
    ```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"},"languages":{"custom":["typescript","python","curl"]}}
    $nito:ask --web-fetch on Fetch https://example.com and tell me the main heading text.
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

You can also run this from your terminal with `nito ask --web-fetch on "Fetch https://example.com and tell me the main heading text."`. See [Ask and Fusion from the terminal](/cli/ask-and-fusion-from-terminal).

## Worked Example

Run the command above and Nito retrieves the page, then reports its main heading text: `Example Domain`. The answer comes from the page's real contents, not from the model guessing based on the URL.

For everyday use, paste any link and ask a question about it:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Claude Code">
    ```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"},"languages":{"custom":["typescript","python","curl"]}}
    /nito:ask --web-fetch on Summarize https://example.com/changelog and tell me what changed.
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Codex">
    ```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"},"languages":{"custom":["typescript","python","curl"]}}
    $nito:ask --web-fetch on Summarize https://example.com/changelog and tell me what changed.
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Web Fetch vs. Web Search

They solve different problems, and you pick based on what you start with.

|                  | Web fetch                            | Web search                       |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------- |
| **Starts from**  | A specific URL                       | A query                          |
| **What it does** | Reads that one page                  | Finds and reads relevant sources |
| **Runs when**    | Your prompt contains an explicit URL | Nito decides a search would help |

If your prompt names a page, reach for web fetch. If it asks a question that needs Nito to go discover sources, reach for [web search](/features/server-side-tools/web-search).

## Notes

* Fetch runs only on explicit URLs. If there is no link in your message, there is nothing to fetch; use [web search](/features/server-side-tools/web-search) for query-driven retrieval instead.
* Fetch reads public web content. Do not rely on it for authenticated or internal pages.
* Web fetch works with `ask` and inside a `session`, and in a [Fusion](/commands/fusion) all participants share the same web setting.

## Related Resources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Web Search" icon="searchengin" href="/features/server-side-tools/web-search">
    Query-driven retrieval when you do not have a specific link.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Server-Side Tools" icon="tools" href="/features/server-side-tools">
    How Nito's built-in tools work in general.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>