external-docs

name	external-docs
description	Verify external libraries, APIs, and frameworks against current documentation before writing code. Use when about to implement features using external dependencies, when writing import statements for third-party libraries, when unsure if a pattern or method is current, or when the user mentions grounding or verification. Use when this capability is needed.
metadata	{"author":"eaasxt"}

External Docs

Verify external dependencies against current documentation before implementation.

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When to Ground

Signal	Action
About to write import for external lib	Ground first
Using API/SDK methods	Verify current syntax
Framework-specific patterns	Check version compatibility
Auth/security code	Always verify current best practices
User says "ground" or "verify"	Run full grounding check

Default: When uncertain, ground.

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Decision Tree

Where does truth live?

CODEBASE ────► Warp-Grep
              "How does X work in our code?"

WEB ─────────► Exa
              "What's the current API for X?"

HISTORY ─────► cm context → cass search
              "How did we do this before?"

TASKS ───────► bv --robot-*
              "What should I work on?"

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Exa Query Patterns

Template:

{library} {feature} {version} 2024 2025

Good queries:

FastAPI Pydantic v2 model_validator 2024 2025
Next.js 14 app router server components
React useOptimistic hook 2024

Tools:

• web_search_exa(query) — Documentation search
• get_code_context_exa(query) — Code examples from GitHub
• crawling(url) — Specific doc page

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Verification

After grounding, check:

Criterion	Pass If
Source	Official docs or reputable repo
Freshness	Updated within 12 months
Version	Matches your dependency
Completeness	Full import + usage pattern
Status	Not deprecated

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Record in Bead

Add grounding status table:

## Grounding Status
| Pattern | Query | Source | Status |
|---------|-------|--------|--------|
| `@model_validator` | "Pydantic v2 2024" | docs.pydantic.dev | ✅ Verified |
| `useOptimistic` | "React 19 2024" | react.dev | ✅ Verified |

Status: ✅ Verified | ⚠️ Changed | ❌ Deprecated | ❓ Unverified

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Failure Handling

Issue	Response
No results	Broaden query, try alternate terms
Conflicting info	Official docs > GitHub > tutorials
Only outdated info	Mark ❓, proceed with caution, add TODO
Can't verify	Flag for human review

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See Also

• queries.md — Extended query examples
• patterns.md — Common grounding patterns by framework

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