x-research

id	x-research
name	X Research
version	1.0.0
layer	skill
runtime	nodejs
author	home23
description	Research X/Twitter discourse with live search, profile reads, thread follow-up, and watchlists when the user wants sourced, current sentiment or expert takes without posting.
category	research
keywords	["x research","twitter research","search x","what are people saying","profile","thread","watchlist","live reactions"]
triggers	["search x for","search twitter for","what are people saying on x","what's twitter saying","follow this x thread"]
capabilities	[{"search":"Search live X discourse with quality, recency, and engagement filters"},{"thread":"Pull a thread or conversation from a tweet URL or ID"},{"profile":"Read a user's recent posts"},{"tweet":"Fetch a single tweet by URL or ID"},{"watchlist_show":"Show watched accounts"},{"watchlist_add":"Add an account to the watchlist"},{"watchlist_remove":"Remove an account from the watchlist"},{"watchlist_check":"Check recent posts from watched accounts"},{"cache_clear":"Clear cached X research results"}]

X Research

Use this skill for read-only X/Twitter research. It is separate from x: use x for direct account operations like posting, replying, or checking the authenticated timeline.

For outreach workflows, this skill should find and qualify reply targets; it should not post. Produce a queue with candidate URL, why it fits, draft reply in the user's voice, include-link yes/no, priority, and posted/skipped/failed state. Then hand selected writes to the x skill.

For X API details and query/operator notes, read references/x-api.md only if needed.

When to use

Use x-research for:

• "what are people saying" questions
• live discourse around launches, products, APIs, libraries, companies, or cultural moments
• following a thread from a tweet URL into the full conversation
• checking recent posts from a specific account
• monitoring a short watchlist of relevant accounts

Actions

search

Search recent X posts with query shaping, recency filters, and optional markdown/json artifacts.

Input:

{
  "query": "home23 OR agent runtime",
  "quick": true,
  "sort": "likes",
  "limit": 10,
  "saveMarkdown": true
}

thread

Fetch the conversation around a tweet URL or tweet ID.

Input:

{
  "url": "https://x.com/user/status/123",
  "pages": 2
}

profile

Read recent posts from one account.

Input:

{
  "username": "frankdegods",
  "count": 10
}

tweet

Read one tweet by URL or ID.

watchlist_show / watchlist_add / watchlist_remove / watchlist_check

Manage and inspect the local X research watchlist.

cache_clear

Clear cached X research results.

Workflow

1. Break the question into 1-3 targeted queries, not one vague broad query.
2. Start with quick or one page unless there is a clear reason to go deeper.
3. Follow high-signal tweets with thread or profile.
4. Save markdown when the result should feed a synthesis or handoff.
5. Pair with source-validation before promoting social chatter into factual claims.

Gotchas

• This skill is read-only research, not posting or account management.
• X API auth is separate from the browser-cookie bird path used by x.
• In Home23, the preferred auth path is the Settings → Skills tab, which stores the bearer token host-wide in config/secrets.yaml.
• Search is recent-search oriented; it is not full archive research.
• A lot of X chatter is derivative. Validate primary sources before treating claims as facts.
• Broad queries get spammy fast. Use from, since, quality, and negative operators to tighten the search.
• Health and science queries return thin results. Specific terms ("infrared sauna health benefits") → 0-3 results. Broad terms ("cold plunge") → 97+ results but spam. If a query returns < 3 results, re-run with broader or alternative phrasing.
• Zero-result protocol: if first query returns 0-1 results, immediately re-search with one broader variant before reporting empty. E.g., "sauna cold plunge contrast therapy" → try "cold plunge" + "sauna protocol" as fallbacks.

Examples

Search X for reactions to the latest Home23 skills work.
Start in quick mode, then follow the most useful thread and save a markdown brief.

What are people saying on X about this API change?
Prioritize engineers and high-signal posts, not generic hype.

Search X for health and wellness discourse on cold plunge and sauna contrast therapy.
Health/niche queries often return 0-3 results on specific terms — start broad ("cold plunge") not narrow ("infrared sauna health benefits"). If resultCount < 3, broaden and re-run before reporting.

Lesson [2026-04-15]

Weakness: qualityFiltering avg=1/5

Revision: Strengthened result quality guidance. Added explicit mention of engagement filters and spam avoidance in query construction.

Lesson [2026-04-15]

Weakness: qualityFiltering avg=1/5

Revision: Strengthened result quality guidance. Added explicit mention of engagement filters and spam avoidance in query construction.