Fact-Grounding with External Sources
Overview
Ground responses in verified, current information rather than relying solely on LLM knowledge. Use Perplexity MCP tools to search the web for facts.
Core principle: When in doubt, verify. When outdated, search. When complex, research.
When to Use
Error Resolution
- •Error codes/messages - Look up specific error codes to find working solutions
- •Stack traces - Search for others who encountered the same issue
- •Deprecation warnings - Find migration guides and updated approaches
Exploration & Discovery
- •New territory - Exploring unfamiliar frameworks, APIs, or domains
- •What's possible - Finding what others have tried, patterns that work
- •Best practices - Current recommendations (not outdated training data)
Verification
- •API signatures - Verify current method signatures, parameters
- •Version compatibility - Check which versions work together
- •Pricing/limits - Current pricing, rate limits, quotas
- •Release status - Is feature X stable? When was Y released?
Currency
- •Recent releases - Features in versions released after training cutoff
- •Current events - News, announcements, breaking changes
- •Documentation changes - APIs evolve, docs update
Tool Selection (by depth)
| Need | Tool | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Quick answer | perplexity_ask | Single factual question, error code lookup, conversational follow-up |
| Find sources | perplexity_search | Multiple sources needed, comparing solutions, finding alternatives |
| Deep dive | perplexity_research | Complex topic, synthesized analysis with citations, exploring new ground |
The Process
- •Recognize the trigger - Is this something I should verify externally?
- •Select depth - Quick answer, source search, or deep research?
- •Formulate query - Clear, specific, searchable
- •Execute search - Use appropriate Perplexity tool
- •Synthesize results - Present findings with source attribution
- •Acknowledge limitations - Note if information is incomplete or conflicting
Query Formulation Tips
For Error Lookups
- •Include the exact error message or code
- •Add technology context: framework, version, platform
- •Example:
"ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:5432" PostgreSQL Docker Windows
For Exploration
- •Be specific about what you're trying to achieve
- •Include constraints: language, framework, requirements
- •Example:
"real-time collaboration React alternatives to Yjs 2024"
For Verification
- •Include version numbers when relevant
- •Ask for current or latest explicitly
- •Example:
"Next.js 14 app router middleware current syntax"
Poor Queries (avoid)
- •Vague: "best framework"
- •Opinion-seeking: "should I use React"
- •Too broad: "how does authentication work"
Examples
Error Code Lookup
code
Query: "CS8602 possible null reference" C# nullable reference types fix Tool: perplexity_ask
Exploring Possibilities
code
Query: "PDF generation libraries .NET 8 comparison 2024" features pricing Tool: perplexity_search
Deep Research
code
Query: "implementing event sourcing with Azure Cosmos DB" patterns pitfalls production Tool: perplexity_research
Red Flags
- •Presenting outdated info as current - Always verify versions, dates, pricing
- •Skipping verification for technical claims - API signatures, library features change
- •Not citing sources - When using researched info, attribute it
- •Over-researching simple facts - Use
perplexity_askfor quick answers - •Under-researching complex topics - Use
perplexity_researchfor deep dives
Integration
Related workflows (shortcuts for specific depths):
- •
/ask- Quick questions (usesperplexity_ask) - •
/search- Find sources (usesperplexity_search) - •
/research- Deep investigation (usesperplexity_research)
Invoke with @fact-grounding when you need guidance on which approach to use.