> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/charmbracelet/crush/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fetch

> Fetch raw content from URLs without AI processing

## Overview

The Fetch tool retrieves raw content from URLs and returns it in a specified format (text, markdown, or HTML) without any AI processing or interpretation. Use this for simple, fast content retrieval when you need direct access to web resources.

<ParamField path="url" type="string" required>
  The URL to fetch content from. Must start with `http://` or `https://`
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="format" type="string" required>
  The format to return the content in. Options: `text`, `markdown`, or `html`
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="timeout" type="number">
  Optional timeout in seconds (max 120). If not specified, uses a default timeout.
</ParamField>

## Features

* **Three output formats** - Text, Markdown, or HTML
* **Automatic redirects** - Handles HTTP redirects transparently
* **Fast and lightweight** - No AI processing overhead
* **Configurable timeout** - Prevent hanging on slow sites
* **Input validation** - Validates parameters before making requests

## Usage

### Fetch Plain Text Content

```json theme={null}
{
  "url": "https://api.example.com/status",
  "format": "text"
}
```

Returns the raw text content from the URL.

### Fetch as Markdown

```json theme={null}
{
  "url": "https://example.com/blog/post",
  "format": "markdown"
}
```

Converts HTML content to Markdown format for easier reading.

### Fetch with Custom Timeout

```json theme={null}
{
  "url": "https://slow-site.example.com/data",
  "format": "text",
  "timeout": 60
}
```

Sets a 60-second timeout for the request.

## Format Options

| Format     | When to Use                                     | Example Use Case                             |
| ---------- | ----------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| `text`     | Plain text content or simple API responses      | Fetching API status, text files, simple data |
| `markdown` | Content that should be rendered with formatting | Documentation, blog posts, articles          |
| `html`     | Raw HTML structure needed                       | Parsing HTML, template analysis              |

## When to Use

<Tip>
  Use the Fetch tool for simple, direct content retrieval. For content that needs analysis or extraction, consider using higher-level tools instead.
</Tip>

Use the Fetch tool when you need:

* Raw, unprocessed content from a URL
* Direct access to API responses or JSON data
* HTML/text/markdown content without interpretation
* Simple, fast content retrieval
* To save tokens by avoiding AI processing

**Do NOT use** the Fetch tool when you need to:

* Extract specific information from a webpage (use specialized extraction tools)
* Answer questions about web content (use agentic tools)
* Analyze or summarize web pages (use agentic tools)

## Limitations

<Warning>
  The Fetch tool has a maximum response size of 5MB. Attempting to fetch larger files will result in an error.
</Warning>

* Max response size: 5MB
* Only supports HTTP and HTTPS protocols
* Cannot handle authentication or cookies
* Some websites may block automated requests
* Returns raw content only - no analysis or extraction
* No JavaScript execution (fetches static HTML only)

## Tips

* Use `text` format for plain text content or simple API responses
* Use `markdown` format for content that should be rendered with formatting
* Use `html` format when you need the raw HTML structure
* Set appropriate timeouts for potentially slow websites
* For authenticated APIs, ensure the endpoint doesn't require authentication or use appropriate headers

## Common Use Cases

### Fetching API Data

```json theme={null}
{
  "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/charmbracelet/crush",
  "format": "text"
}
```

Retrieves JSON data from a REST API.

### Reading Documentation

```json theme={null}
{
  "url": "https://docs.example.com/getting-started",
  "format": "markdown"
}
```

Converts documentation HTML to readable Markdown.

### Downloading Configuration Files

```json theme={null}
{
  "url": "https://example.com/config.json",
  "format": "text",
  "timeout": 30
}
```

Downloads a configuration file with a 30-second timeout.

## Error Handling

Common errors and solutions:

* **Invalid URL format** - Ensure URL starts with `http://` or `https://`
* **Invalid format** - Use one of: `text`, `markdown`, `html`
* **Timeout** - Increase the timeout value or check network connectivity
* **403 Forbidden** - Site may be blocking automated requests
* **Response too large** - File exceeds 5MB limit

## See Also

* [Bash Tool](/tools/bash) - Execute curl/wget commands for advanced use cases
* [Grep Tool](/tools/grep) - Search fetched content
* [Write Tool](/tools/write) - Save fetched content to files