researching

name	researching
description	Explores codebases and evaluates approaches before planning. Use when investigating a problem space, comparing alternatives, or gathering context for a plan.

Research

Explore the codebase, research best practices, evaluate alternatives, and recommend the best solution with clear reasoning.

Key Constraints

• Read project instructions first — CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md at repo root, plus stack-specific files.
• Search before suggesting — check if something already exists before recommending new implementations.
• Evaluate 2-3 approaches — describe each, compare pros/cons specific to this codebase, and recommend one.
• Justify with WHY — every recommendation needs reasoning tied to the specific codebase, not generic advice.
• Be specific — include file paths, function names, line numbers. Vague findings aren't useful.

Output

Produce a report with these sections:

• Problem Statement
• Codebase Context — existing patterns, utilities, integration points (with file paths)
• Best Practices — industry recommendations with sources
• Alternative Approaches — 2-3 approaches with description, pros, cons, codebase fit
• Recommendation — which approach and WHY it fits this codebase
• Open Questions