docs: clarify Exa authentication options

README.md

@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ Twenty-five backends. Pin one, or let `auto` walk the chain in order.
 | `codex`      | oauth                  |
 | `xai`        | `XAI_API_KEY`          |
 | `zai`        | `ZAI_API_KEY`          |
-| `exa`        | `/login` / env / mcp   |
+| `exa`        | `EXA_API_KEY` (or mcp) |
 | `tinyfish`   | `TINYFISH_API_KEY`     |
 | `jina`       | `JINA_API_KEY`         |
 | `kagi`       | `KAGI_API_KEY`         |
@@ -393,6 +393,8 @@ Twenty-five backends. Pin one, or let `auto` walk the chain in order.
 | `mojeek`     | no key (browser)       |
 | `public`     | no key (all of the above, consolidated) |
 
+Exa also accepts a stored API key through `/login exa`; explicit keyless selection uses the public MCP fallback.
+
 ### Specialised handlers
 
 The agent gets structured content, not stripped HTML.

packages/coding-agent/src/web/search/types.ts

@@ -32,11 +32,7 @@ export const SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS = [
 	},
 	{ value: "xai", label: "xAI", description: "Grok web search via xAI Responses API (requires XAI_API_KEY)" },
 	{ value: "zai", label: "Z.AI", description: "Calls Z.AI webSearchPrime MCP" },
-	{
-		value: "exa",
-		label: "Exa",
-		description: "Uses Exa API with /login exa or EXA_API_KEY; explicit selection can fall back to public Exa MCP",
-	},
+	{ value: "exa", label: "Exa", description: "API via /login exa or EXA_API_KEY; explicit keyless fallback via MCP" },
 	{ value: "tinyfish", label: "TinyFish", description: "Requires TINYFISH_API_KEY" },
 	{ value: "jina", label: "Jina", description: "Requires JINA_API_KEY" },
 	{ value: "kagi", label: "Kagi", description: "Requires KAGI_API_KEY and Kagi Search API beta access" },