search-first

name	search-first
description	Use when research-before-coding for external dependency, integration, or custom utility decisions. Searches npm/PyPI, MCP servers, GitHub, web. Decision matrix: adopt → extend → compose → build. Not for every small code edit.

/search-first — Research Before You Code

Adapted from ECC's search-first skill (MIT).

Systematizes the "search for existing solutions before implementing" workflow.

Trigger

Use this skill when:

• Starting a new feature that likely has existing solutions
• Adding a dependency or integration
• The user asks "add X functionality" and you're about to write code
• Before creating a new utility, helper, or abstraction

Workflow

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  0. TOOL AVAILABILITY PREFLIGHT             │
│     Check search channels before relying on │
│     them; report skipped channels honestly   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  1. NEED ANALYSIS                           │
│     Define what functionality is needed      │
│     Identify language/framework constraints  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  2. PARALLEL SEARCH (researcher agent)      │
│     ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐  │
│     │  npm /   │ │  MCP /   │ │  GitHub / │  │
│     │  PyPI    │ │  Skills  │ │  Web      │  │
│     └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  3. EVALUATE                                │
│     Score candidates (functionality, maint, │
│     community, docs, license, deps)         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  4. DECIDE                                  │
│     ┌─────────┐  ┌──────────┐  ┌─────────┐  │
│     │  Adopt  │  │  Extend  │  │  Build   │  │
│     │ as-is   │  │  /Wrap   │  │  Custom  │  │
│     └─────────┘  └──────────┘  └─────────┘  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  5. IMPLEMENT                               │
│     Install package / Configure MCP /       │
│     Write minimal custom code               │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘

General research mode

For open-ended research (not dependency-focused): spin up a background agent to investigate against primary sources — official docs, source code, specs, first-party APIs. Write findings to a single Markdown file, cite each claim's source.

Same workflow as above but skip the Adopt/Extend/Compose/Build decision matrix.

For full workflow details, examples, and anti-patterns, see REFERENCE.md.

REFERENCE.md Contents

Section	Description
Workflow	Full research workflow diagram
Decision Matrix	Adopt vs Extend vs Compose vs Build
Preflight	Channel availability checklist
Quick Mode	Inline mental checklist
Full Mode	Researcher agent prompt template
Shortcuts	Per-category search targets
Examples	Dead link check, HTTP client, config linter
Anti-Patterns	Common mistakes