Searching Deeply

What this skill does

# Searching Deeply

## Core Strategy

**Search in parallel. Learn from failures. Keep iterating.**

Never give up after one search round. Launch new searches based on what worked and what didn't.

## Available Tools

- **WebSearch** - General info, news, tutorials, overviews (free, fast)
- **mcp__exa__get_code_context_exa** - Code examples, implementations ($0.01/query)
- **mcp__exa__web_search_exa** - Academic papers, technical docs ($0.01/query)

## Related Skills & Snippets

- **google-scholar** skill - For academic paper research with citation tracking
- **DOWNLOAD** snippet - For downloading PDFs from Anna's Archive
- **document-skills:pdf** - For extracting text from downloaded papers

## Iterative Workflow

### Round 1: Launch Parallel Searches

Start with 3-5 searches from different angles:

**General topics:**
- WebSearch with variations of query
- Different phrasings, synonyms, related terms
- Add context: year "2024 2025", tech stack, keywords

**Code/implementation:**
- WebSearch for overview/tutorial
- mcp__exa__get_code_context_exa for real examples

**Academic/research:**
- WebSearch for overview
- mcp__exa__web_search_exa for papers
- Use google-scholar skill for deeper research

### Round 2: Analyze & Iterate

**What did you learn?**
- New terminology discovered?
- Specific authors/sources mentioned?
- Related topics to explore?

**What's missing?**
- Gaps in understanding
- Unanswered questions
- Need more examples/evidence

**Launch next round:**
- Reformulate queries with new terms
- Search for specific gaps
- Try broader or narrower scope
- 3-5 new parallel searches

### Round 3+: Keep Going

**Don't stop until:**
- Question fully answered
- Multiple sources confirm findings
- Examples found and verified
- All gaps identified and filled

**If stuck:**
- Try different keywords/synonyms
- Split complex query into parts
- Search related topics first
- Switch tools (WebSearch ↔ Exa)
- Check alternative sources

## Query Optimization

**Make queries specific:**
- ❌ "authentication"
- ✅ "JWT authentication Express.js tutorial 2025"

**Add context:**
- Technology: "Node.js", "Python", "React"
- Timeframe: "2024 2025" for recent
- Type: "tutorial", "example", "production", "best practices"

**Use domain filtering:**
- Academic: `allowed_domains: ["*.edu", "arxiv.org"]`
- Developer: `allowed_domains: ["github.com", "dev.to"]`

## Persistence Rules

**Never give up after one failed search.**

If results are poor:
1. Try different keywords
2. Broaden or narrow scope
3. Split into smaller questions
4. Switch tools
5. Search related topics first

**Keep iterating until satisfied.**

## Common Research Patterns

### Quick Answer
Single focused WebSearch with specific query

### General Research
- 3-5 parallel WebSearch with different angles
- Iterate based on results

### Code Research
- WebSearch for overview
- mcp__exa__get_code_context_exa for examples
- Iterate for edge cases, error handling

### Academic Research
- WebSearch for overview
- mcp__exa__web_search_exa for papers
- Use **google-scholar** skill for citations
- Use **DOWNLOAD** snippet for PDFs
- Use **document-skills:pdf** to extract content

## Example: Iterative Search

**Round 1:**
```
WebSearch: "Python async programming"
→ Learned: asyncio is the main library
```

**Round 2:**
```
WebSearch: "Python asyncio tutorial 2025"
WebSearch: "asyncio vs threading when to use"
mcp__exa__get_code_context_exa: "Python asyncio examples"
→ Learned: Good basics, but need error handling
```

**Round 3:**
```
WebSearch: "asyncio error handling best practices"
WebSearch: "asyncio common mistakes"
mcp__exa__get_code_context_exa: "asyncio exception handling"
→ Complete understanding achieved
```

## Validation

Cross-reference findings:
- Check multiple sources
- Verify recent dates (2024-2025)
- Look for authoritative sources
- Test code examples
- Confirm consistency

## Quick Reference

**Default:** 3-5 parallel WebSearch with different angles

**For code:** Add mcp__exa__get_code_context_exa

**For papers:** Add mcp__exa__web_search_exa or use google-scholar skill

**For PDFs:** Use DOWNLOAD snippet

**When stuck:** Reformulate, try new terms, iterate

**Remember:** Keep going until you find complete answers