research
Deep research into technical solutions by searching the web, examining GitHub repos, and gathering evidence. Use when the user explicitly says "use the research skill", "use a research agent", or asks for deep/thorough research into implementation options or technologies.
What this skill does
# Research Research technical solutions and gather evidence before implementation. ## Research Process ### 1. Web Search First Always start with web search to find: - Official documentation - GitHub repositories - Blog posts and tutorials - Protocol specifications (PDFs, RFCs) ### 2. Examine GitHub Repositories GitHub raw content is often blocked. Clone repos to examine them: ```bash cd /tmp git clone https://github.com/owner/repo.git cat /tmp/repo/README.md ``` Look for: - README documentation - Code examples - Architecture patterns - Dependencies and requirements ### 3. Handle Blocked Content If a website cannot be loaded: - Ask the user to paste the relevant content - Request PDFs or specification documents - Ask for screenshots if visual content is needed Example prompt: > "I found a relevant resource at [URL] but cannot access it. Could you paste the key content or provide the PDF?" ### 4. Local Research Workspace Store findings in `./scratch/research/` for review: ```bash mkdir -p ./scratch/research ``` Save: - Cloned repo summaries - Code snippets - Architecture diagrams - Comparison notes ### 5. Evidence Requirements **Minimum 2-3 datapoints required** before recommending a solution: - GitHub repo with active maintenance - Documentation or specification - Real-world usage examples - Community feedback (issues, discussions) If insufficient evidence, ask for guidance: > "I found only one reference to this approach. Can you point me to additional resources or clarify the requirements?" ## Output Format Always back up findings with sources: ```markdown ## Research: [Topic] ### Option 1: [Solution Name] - **Source**: [URL or repo link] - **Pros**: ... - **Cons**: ... - **Evidence**: [What confirms this works] ### Option 2: [Solution Name] ... ### Recommendation Based on [N] sources, I recommend [Option] because... ### Sources - [Title](URL) - [Repo](GitHub URL) - cloned and examined - [Spec](URL) - user provided ``` ## Example Usage User: "Research options for terminal recording in an MCP server" 1. Web search: "terminal recording library node typescript" 2. Find GitHub repos -> clone to /tmp and examine 3. Find asciinema, VHS, xterm.js 4. Compare approaches in ./scratch/research/terminal-recording.md 5. Present options with 2-3 sources each
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