---
title: "Stack Exchange"
description: "Search and read public question metadata with source attribution and shared backoff."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.tooluse.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Stack Exchange

<p>Search and read public question metadata with source attribution and shared backoff.</p>

<details data-command-index><summary>What you can do (2)</summary>
<h2>What you can do</h2>
<p>Available commands: 2 (2 read, 0 write). Enable only the commands your application needs.</p>
<div class="nb-table-scroll"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Command</th>
<th>Effect</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody><tr>
<td><a href="https://help.tooluse.net/integrations/stackexchange#command-stackexchange-questions-search">Search public question summaries</a> — <code>stackexchange.questions.search</code></td>
<td>Read</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://help.tooluse.net/integrations/stackexchange#command-stackexchange-questions-get">Get public question summary</a> — <code>stackexchange.questions.get</code></td>
<td>Read</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</details>
<h2>Connect and use</h2>

<p><a href="https://www.tooluse.net/tools/integrations/stackexchange">Connect and use</a></p>
<p>Open the integration&#39;s connection form to check the available credential source. The source has not been resolved for this documentation export. The instructions below apply when using your own provider account.</p>
<h2>Get your provider credentials</h2>
<p>Follow these steps for Stack Exchange, then enter the issued values in the connection form below.</p>
<ol>
<li>These commands read public Stack Exchange questions without a user OAuth token. In My tools &gt; Stack Exchange &gt; Use my provider credentials enter the API site identifier, for example stackoverflow or superuser, select reads and save. No API key is required. If you want your own application key, sign in at <a href="https://stackapps.com/apps/oauth/register">https://stackapps.com/apps/oauth/register</a>, register your application and copy its Key (not client ID or client secret) into Optional Stack Apps API key in that same form. Never enter your Stack Exchange password or an OAuth access token here. Tooluse.net encrypts the key and clears the form after saving. Search using intitle=example, page=1, pagesize=20, or read a returned question_id. Continue pages explicitly and preserve each question link and content_license when using results. These summaries do not contain bodies, answers or personal owner data. Existing PostgreSQL coordinates source backoff across runtime processes. A duplicate normalized read is deferred for at least 60 seconds; a small shared burst gate avoids excessive requests, and an exhausted key is deferred for 24 hours. A deferred invocation sends no source request and returns retryAfterSeconds; wait before making a new invocation. No queue or automatic retry is created. Disconnect here and revoke an optional key in Stack Apps when finished.</li>
</ol>
<p><a href="https://stackapps.com/apps/oauth/register">Official credential setup</a></p>
<h2>Where to enter credentials</h2>
<p>In the integration page, sign in, choose your workspace and open Connect. If a <strong>Credentials</strong> choice is shown, select <strong>Use my credentials</strong>. Fill the following connection fields and save. Provider credentials belong in this form, never in an MCP configuration or tool input.</p>
<div class="nb-table-scroll"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Connection field</th>
<th>Requirement</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody><tr>
<td>Stack Exchange API site (for example stackoverflow)</td>
<td>Required</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Optional Stack Apps API key</td>
<td>Optional</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div><p>Open API keys and create a Tooluse.net key for the enabled commands.</p>
<p>Set TOOLUSE_API_KEY in your client and use the shared MCP configuration.</p>
<p><a href="https://help.tooluse.net/clients">Configure Claude Code, Codex or Cursor once</a></p>

<h2>Permissions and results</h2>

<p>If you have more than one workspace, check the selected workspace in the connection or API-key dialog before saving. Roles, enabled commands, expiry and revocation use Tooluse.net&#39;s existing permissions. Disabling a connection or revoking a key immediately prevents new calls.</p>

<p>Send one Claude tool_use block per request. Keep the same Idempotency-Key when retrying the same request; use a new key for a new call. The response includes the shared Tooluse.net receipt and Claude tool_result. Check both HTTP status and the returned tool result before treating a call as successful.</p>

<p>Your connection&#39;s daily allowance and key permissions also apply. Adding a connection does not make a provider request.</p>

<p>Calls return the shared execution receipt and a Claude tool_result. Provider output varies by operation; consult the provider documentation for its response fields. Unconfirmed calls should be checked before retrying.</p>

<h2>Call from your client</h2>

<p>Use the shared MCP configuration. Refresh your client&#39;s tool list after saving the connection or changing key permissions, then call the returned tool name with the example input below.</p>

<p><a href="https://help.tooluse.net/clients">Configure Claude Code, Codex or Cursor once</a></p>

<h2>Discover your enabled tools</h2>

<p>List permitted tools in Claude format. Read every page using page and size (maximum 100) until all results have been received. Use the returned name, not a catalog capability identifier, in the tool_use block.</p>

<pre><code class="language-bash">curl 'https://api.tooluse.net/v1/tools' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOOLUSE_API_KEY"
</code></pre>

<p>Find this command in the tool list permitted by your key. Replace svc_FROM_YOUR_TOOL_LIST with its returned name. Use a new Idempotency-Key for each new call and retain it when retrying that same call.</p>

<h2>HTTP call</h2>

<pre><code class="language-bash">curl 'https://api.tooluse.net/v1/tool-calls' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOOLUSE_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Idempotency-Key: replace-with-a-new-call-id' \
  --data '{
  "type": "tool_use",
  "id": "toolu_example",
  "name": "svc_FROM_YOUR_TOOL_LIST",
  "input": {
    "query": {
      "intitle": "example",
      "page": 1,
      "pagesize": 20
    }
  }
}'
</code></pre>

<p>Send one Claude tool_use block per request. Keep the same Idempotency-Key when retrying the same request; use a new key for a new call. The response includes the shared Tooluse.net receipt and Claude tool_result. Check both HTTP status and the returned tool result before treating a call as successful.</p>

<h2>Commands</h2>

<details id="command-stackexchange-questions-search">
<summary><span>Search public question summaries — <code>stackexchange.<wbr>questions.<wbr>search</code></span></summary>
<p>Search one explicit page by words in the title on the saved Stack Exchange site. Returns question metadata and attribution links, not bodies or personal owner data. Identical queries are deferred for at least 60 seconds; obey retryAfterSeconds when admission is deferred. No automatic pagination or retries.</p>

<p>This is a read operation. Provider rate limits and data access rules still apply.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.tooluse.net/tools/integrations/stackexchange?command=stackexchange.questions.search">Connect and use</a></p>

<p><strong>Parameters</strong></p>

<p>Requiredness is local to the containing object. A required child is required only when its parent object or array item is provided. Alternative schemas are identified in the Constraints column; the linked full JSON Schema is authoritative.</p>

<div class="nb-table-scroll"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Parameter</th>
<th>Type</th>
<th>Required in parent</th>
<th>Description</th>
<th>Constraints</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody><tr>
<td><code>query</code></td>
<td>object</td>
<td>Required</td>
<td></td>
<td><code>additionalProperties: false</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>query.intitle</code></td>
<td>string</td>
<td>Required</td>
<td>Words to find in the title.</td>
<td><code>minLength: 1; maxLength: 200; pattern: &quot;^\\S(?:.*\\S)?$&quot;</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>query.page</code></td>
<td>integer</td>
<td>Required</td>
<td>Explicit source page.</td>
<td><code>minimum: 1; maximum: 100000</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>query.pagesize</code></td>
<td>integer</td>
<td>Required</td>
<td>Results requested on this page.</td>
<td><code>minimum: 1; maximum: 100</code></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<p><strong>Full JSON Schema</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://api.tooluse.net/v1/integrations/stackexchange/commands/stackexchange.questions.search">Full JSON Schema</a></p>

<p><strong>Example input</strong></p>

<pre><code class="language-json">{
  "query": {
    "intitle": "example",
    "page": 1,
    "pagesize": 20
  }
}
</code></pre>

<p>At most 1 provider requests per invocation; timeout: 30 seconds.</p>

</details>
<details id="command-stackexchange-questions-get">
<summary><span>Get public question summary — <code>stackexchange.<wbr>questions.<wbr>get</code></span></summary>
<p>Read a known public question on the saved site. A missing or deleted question is an empty questions array. Preserves the public link and license for attribution; excludes question/answer bodies and owner profiles. Identical requests and provider backoff are enforced without retry.</p>

<p>This is a read operation. Provider rate limits and data access rules still apply.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.tooluse.net/tools/integrations/stackexchange?command=stackexchange.questions.get">Connect and use</a></p>

<p><strong>Parameters</strong></p>

<p>Requiredness is local to the containing object. A required child is required only when its parent object or array item is provided. Alternative schemas are identified in the Constraints column; the linked full JSON Schema is authoritative.</p>

<div class="nb-table-scroll"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Parameter</th>
<th>Type</th>
<th>Required in parent</th>
<th>Description</th>
<th>Constraints</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody><tr>
<td><code>path</code></td>
<td>object</td>
<td>Required</td>
<td></td>
<td><code>additionalProperties: false</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>path.question_id</code></td>
<td>integer</td>
<td>Required</td>
<td>Known question ID on the saved site.</td>
<td><code>minimum: 1; maximum: 9007199254740991</code></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<p><strong>Full JSON Schema</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://api.tooluse.net/v1/integrations/stackexchange/commands/stackexchange.questions.get">Full JSON Schema</a></p>

<p><strong>Example input</strong></p>

<pre><code class="language-json">{
  "path": {
    "question_id": 1234
  }
}
</code></pre>

<p>At most 1 provider requests per invocation; timeout: 30 seconds.</p>

</details>
<h2>Errors</h2>

<p>Check the key&#39;s expiry, revocation, workspace and allowed operations.</p>

<p>Reuse the same idempotency key only for the same request.</p>

<p>The connection or provider limit has been reached. Check the receipt before retrying.</p>

<h2>Test the connection</h2>

<p>Open the integration&#39;s commands below to inspect parameters and examples. Start with a read command for an account or resource you can access. Refresh your client&#39;s tool list, use the returned tool name, and check the execution result and usage. Provider charges and permissions still apply. Never test a write against production data without reviewing it.</p>

<p><a href="https://api.stackexchange.com/docs">Official provider documentation</a></p>

Source: https://help.tooluse.net/integrations/stackexchange/index.mdx