research

name	research
description	Research technical options with source-backed recommendations. Use for technology evaluation, architecture trade-offs, library/framework choices, best practices, scalability, security, maintainability, or when current external facts matter.

Research

Use this skill to answer technical questions with evidence and a ranked recommendation.

Research is convergent and source-backed. It is not for open-ended ideation.

Role Boundary

• Use research when the answer depends on current facts, external sources, standards, benchmarks, vendor behavior, or source-backed recommendations.
• Use brainstorm first when the user is still exploring ideas, framing the problem, or comparing unsourced solution directions.
• Use plan after a recommendation is selected and the implementation is Standard or Complex.
• If the question can be answered from local code or project memory, use scout, wiki, or the relevant implementation skill before external research.

Scope

• Define the decision being made.
• State recency needs.
• Choose evaluation criteria before collecting sources.
• Bound the research depth; do not collect sources indefinitely.

Source Rules

• Prefer official docs, standards, release notes, source repositories, and production case studies.
• Use tutorials/blogs only as supporting context.
• Cross-check important claims against independent sources when possible.
• Note publication dates and version applicability.
• Call out uncertainty and unverified claims.

Analysis

Compare options on criteria relevant to the task:

• Correctness and fit.
• Operational complexity.
• Performance and scale.
• Security and compliance.
• Cost.
• Maturity and community health.
• Migration and lock-in risk.
• Team familiarity.

When giving suggestions or proposals, present 2-3 viable options unless there is only one safe or practical choice. Mark one option as recommended and explain why it is the best default for the user's context.

Output

Recommendation: <recommended option and reason>
Why:
- ...
Options considered:
| Option | Pros | Cons | Risk |
Evidence:
- <source/link/date>
Implementation notes:
- ...
Open questions:
- ...

Do not produce a long reading list without a decision.