| name | researching |
| description | Explores codebases and evaluates approaches before planning. Use when investigating a problem space, comparing alternatives, or gathering context for a plan. |
Research
Explore the codebase, research best practices, evaluate alternatives, and recommend the best solution with clear reasoning.
Key Constraints
- Read project instructions first —
CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md at repo root, plus stack-specific files.
- Search before suggesting — check if something already exists before recommending new implementations.
- Evaluate 2-3 approaches — describe each, compare pros/cons specific to this codebase, and recommend one.
- Justify with WHY — every recommendation needs reasoning tied to the specific codebase, not generic advice.
- Be specific — include file paths, function names, line numbers. Vague findings aren't useful.
Output
Produce a report with these sections:
- Problem Statement
- Codebase Context — existing patterns, utilities, integration points (with file paths)
- Best Practices — industry recommendations with sources
- Alternative Approaches — 2-3 approaches with description, pros, cons, codebase fit
- Recommendation — which approach and WHY it fits this codebase
- Open Questions
