# NousResearch/hermes-agent · DuckDuckGo search skill deprecated -k flag fix

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

Multiple reports and fixes addressing the duckduckgo-search skill's use of the deprecated \`-k\` flag, which should be replaced with \`-q\` in current versions of the \`ddgs\` CLI tool.

## TL;DR

- 7 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 5 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #12980. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #12980 (and any competing PRs below) before filing. Confirm the merged change covers your symptom.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `resolved` · deciding PR(s): `pr-12980`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.
- Pairwise link density `0.29`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #7361: \[Bug\]: duckduckgo-search skill uses deprecated \`-k\` flag, causing CLI path to fail on current \`ddgs\` versions

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#7363: fix(skills): duckduckgo-search: Use the correct parameter -q (instead of the deprecated/non-working -k)**. closed without merge · fix tier `suggested`
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `d41ca86f7`, `d41ca86f741fd4921c9d084b3e56b16be319e0ac`, `b68bc0ad3`, `b68bc0ad33eaa9ef8b7b2f1b86e07693e2f6204c`
  - _suggested-tier fix detail withheld; re-request with `?tier=all` to include it._
- **#12980: fix(skills): duckduckgo-search — replace deprecated ddgs -k flag with -q**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `optional-skills/research/duckduckgo-search/SKILL.md`, `optional-skills/research/duckduckgo-search/scripts/duckduckgo.sh`, `scripts/release.py`
- **#7381: fix(skills): replace deprecated ddgs \`-k\` flag with \`-q\`**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#12980`
- **#7463: fix(skill): update duckduckgo-search to use \`-q\` flag (deprecated \`-k\`)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#12980`
- **#7499: fix(skills): replace deprecated ddgs -k flag with -q in duckduckgo-search**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#12980`
- **#11519: fix(skill/duckduckgo-search): use \`-q\` instead of deprecated \`-k\` flag**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `silent_close`; implication `active`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #12980 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-04-20`. This confirmation is old and may be out of date (a revert/reopen would not have invalidated it here); re-verify.