| name | switchboard-research |
| description | Run comprehensive multi-source web research and synthesize a cited summary. |
| allowed-tools | Read, Glob, Grep, WebSearch, WebFetch |
| user-invokable | false |
Comprehensive Web Research
Purpose
Perform deep, multi-angle web research on any topic using iterative search strategies.
When to Use
- User asks to "research X", "investigate Y", "find comprehensive information about Z"
- User needs authoritative sources, comparisons, or deep dives
- User asks for "latest information on", "state of the art in", "best practices for"
Research Protocol
Phase 0: Research Plan Proposal
Before conducting any searches, propose a research plan to the user for approval:
Present the plan with:
- Research objectives: What specific questions will be answered
- Research depth options: Present source count options for user to choose:
- Quick (5-10 sources): Rapid overview, 1-2 search phases, high-level summary
- Standard (15-30 sources): Balanced depth, 3-4 search phases, moderate detail
- Deep (50-100+ sources): Comprehensive analysis, 5+ search phases, exhaustive coverage
- Academic (100-200+ sources): Scholarly rigor, includes academic databases, systematic review
- Search strategy: Initial search queries and domains to target
- Expected sources: Types of sources (official docs, academic papers, industry reports, etc.)
- Scope: What will and won't be covered
- Estimated phases: Brief outline of research phases
- Estimated time: Time estimate based on chosen depth level
- Clarifying questions: If the research topic or context is thin, vague, or missing crucial details (e.g. tech stack, target regulations, country limits), formulate 2-3 specific clarifying questions and include them at the end of the proposal.
Wait for user response:
- If approved: Proceed with Phase 1
- If amendments requested: Revise plan and re-present
- If rejected: Clarify requirements and propose new plan
- If clarifying questions were posed: wait for answers before proceeding to Phase 1. Incorporate answers into the refined research plan.
Phase 1: Initial Broad Search
Before starting: Check system date/time and use dynamic date ranges in queries (e.g., current year and previous 2 years).
Run 3-4 parallel searches with different query formulations:
- Core topic:
search_web "topic"
- Latest developments:
search_web "topic [current_year] [current_year-1] [current_year-2] latest" (use dynamic years)
- Best practices/guides:
search_web "topic best practices guide"
- Comparisons/alternatives:
search_web "topic vs alternatives comparison"
Phase 2: Domain-Specific Deep Dive
Based on initial results, run targeted searches:
- Academic/research:
search_web "topic" domain="scholar.google.com"
- Documentation:
search_web "topic documentation" domain="developer.mozilla.org OR docs.python.org"
- Community discussions:
search_web "topic reddit stackoverflow"
Phase 3: Iterative Refinement
- Extract key terms, names, technologies from results
- Run follow-up searches on specific subtopics
- Verify claims across multiple sources
Phase 4: Synthesis
- Cross-reference findings from different sources
- Identify consensus vs. controversy
- Note source credibility (official docs vs. blogs vs. forums)
Output Format
Present research as:
- Executive Summary: Key findings in 3-5 bullet points
- Detailed Findings: Organized by subtopic with source attribution
- Source Credibility Assessment: Note which sources are most authoritative
- Knowledge Gaps: What couldn't be found or needs verification
- Recommended Next Searches: If deeper research needed
Example Usage
User: "Research the current state of Rust web frameworks"
You:
- Run Phase 1 searches in parallel
- Identify key frameworks (Actix, Axum, Rocket, Warp)
- Run Phase 2 searches on each framework
- Synthesize comparison with performance benchmarks, ecosystem maturity, adoption trends
