parallel-research

name	parallel-research
description	Sub-agent delegation and parallel research patterns. Use when researching frameworks, analyzing codebases, or delegating discrete tasks to multiple sub-agents for maximum efficiency.

Parallel Research Patterns

Patterns for delegating work to multiple sub-agents for maximum parallel efficiency.

Core Principle

NEVER do work that can be parallelized - delegate to multiple sub-agents simultaneously.

Research Phase (Always First)

Before any implementation, launch parallel research:

Technology Detection

Scan project files to identify ALL frameworks, libraries, and tools:

• package.json - Node.js dependencies
• requirements.txt - Python dependencies
• Cargo.toml - Rust dependencies
• go.mod - Go dependencies
• Existing code patterns and conventions

Parallel Research Launch

Deploy 5-8 sub-agents simultaneously:

Agent	Focus Area	Example Prompt
1	Framework docs	"Research Express.js v4.18 official docs for middleware patterns"
2	Codebase patterns	"Analyze backend/src/routes/ for established routing patterns"
3	Testing patterns	"Research Jest patterns for API testing with Supertest"
4	Language idioms	"Research TypeScript best practices for error handling"
5	Security	"Research OWASP security practices for Express.js APIs"
6+	Specialized	Additional research as needed

Research Prompt Templates

Framework Documentation

Research [framework] v[version] official documentation for [feature] implementation patterns

Codebase Analysis

Analyze codebase in [directory] to identify established patterns for [functionality]

Testing Approach

Research [testing framework] best practices and patterns for [test type] with [libraries]

Integration Research

Find best practices for [library] integration with [other tools] in [language]

Security Research

Research security best practices for [framework] when implementing [feature type]

Delegation Categories

Research & Analysis (Always First)

• Framework documentation research
• Codebase pattern analysis
• Testing approach research
• Security and performance research
• Language idiom research

Implementation (After Research)

• Component implementation following researched patterns
• Test suite creation using discovered patterns
• Configuration following framework best practices
• Utility functions following language idioms

Quality & Review (Continuous)

• Implementation review against best practices
• Code validation against project standards
• Security review for feature type
• Test coverage verification

Documentation (Parallel)

• Technical documentation updates
• Pattern documentation
• Reference documentation

Parallel Execution Phases

Phase 1: Simultaneous Research (ALL in parallel)

Sub-agent 1: Framework/library documentation research
Sub-agent 2: Codebase pattern analysis
Sub-agent 3: Testing approach research
Sub-agent 4: Security and performance research
Sub-agent 5: Language idiom research

Phase 2: Parallel Implementation (after research)

Sub-agent 1: Test implementation following discovered patterns
Sub-agent 2: Core functionality implementation
Sub-agent 3: Configuration and setup
Sub-agent 4: Documentation updates
Sub-agent 5: Quality validation

Phase 3: Parallel Validation

Sub-agent 1: Integration testing
Sub-agent 2: Performance and security review
Sub-agent 3: Documentation completeness
Sub-agent 4: Code quality review

Research Synthesis

After parallel research completes:

1. Compile findings from all sub-agents
2. Identify patterns that apply to current task
3. Resolve any conflicting recommendations
4. Document key decisions for implementation

Benefits

• Maximum parallelization: 5-8 agents working simultaneously
• Comprehensive research: All tools/frameworks thoroughly researched
• Specialized expertise: Each agent focused on specific domain
• Reduced time: Parallel work dramatically speeds development
• Higher quality: Independent research from multiple perspectives
• Framework mastery: Deep understanding of actual tools being used

Anti-Patterns

• Sequential research: Doing one research task at a time
• Skipping research: Implementing without understanding framework patterns
• Incomplete coverage: Only researching some tools/libraries
• Ignoring findings: Not applying researched patterns to implementation
• Duplicate work: Multiple agents researching the same thing

When to Use Parallel Research

• Starting new feature implementation
• Working with unfamiliar frameworks
• Implementing complex integrations
• Establishing new patterns
• Major refactoring efforts

When NOT to Use

• Simple bug fixes with known cause
• Minor changes to existing patterns
• Tasks in well-understood codebase areas