| name | research |
| description | Launch a research-only agent that investigates a topic and returns findings (no implementation) |
| user-invocable | true |
| disable-model-invocation | false |
| argument-hint | <research question or topic> |
Research Agent
Launch a research-only investigation. This agent gathers information but does NOT implement anything.
Input
Research topic: $ARGUMENTS
If no arguments, ask the user what to research.
Process
Step 1: Scope the Research
Before launching agents, determine:
- What specifically needs to be answered?
- What sources are relevant? (codebase, web, specific files, databases)
- What does the user need to decide based on this research?
Step 2: Launch Research Agent(s)
Use the Agent tool with subagent_type=Explore for codebase research, or subagent_type=general-purpose for broader research.
The agent prompt should:
- State the research question clearly
- List specific things to look for
- Specify the output format (findings, options, recommendations)
- Explicitly instruct: "Do NOT make any changes. Read-only research."
For broad topics, launch multiple agents in parallel targeting different aspects.
Step 3: Synthesize
After agents return, synthesize findings into:
- Key Facts — what we now know
- Options — if the research was to inform a decision, list options with tradeoffs
- Recommendation — if appropriate, suggest a path forward
- Unknowns — what we still don't know
Rules
- Research agents must NOT edit files, write code, or make changes
- Present findings neutrally — don't bias toward a conclusion
- If research reveals the task is more complex than expected, say so
- Record important findings in project MEMORY.md if they'll be needed later