| name | deep-research |
| user-invocable | false |
| description | Orchestrates two-round parallel agent research with Exa orientation, breadth-first discovery, and depth-focused synthesis. Use when conducting comprehensive research, exploring complex topics requiring multi-source validation, or synthesizing findings from distributed investigation streams. |
[H1][DEEP-RESEARCH]
Dictum: Iterative dispatch with inter-round critique maximizes research coverage.
Conduct comprehensive topic research via parallel agent dispatch.
Workflow:
- §ORIENT — Execute 3 Exa searches via
exa-tools skill, map landscape, extract facets
- §ROUND_1 — Dispatch 6-10 agents for breadth coverage via
parallel-dispatch skill
- §CRITIQUE_1 — Filter findings, retain quality, build skeleton with gaps
- §ROUND_2 — Dispatch 6-10 agents to flesh out skeleton
- §CRITIQUE_2 — Synthesize holistically, deduplicate, produce final output
Dependencies:
exa-tools — Web search and code context queries (primary)perplexity-tools — Deep research and reasoning queries (supplementary)tavily-tools — Web search with domain governance (supplementary)parallel-dispatch — Agent orchestration mechanics
Input:
Topic: Domain to researchOutputPath: Target file path (passed by invoking command, default: report.md)Constraints: Context, scaffold, style from invoking skill
[CRITICAL]:
- [ALWAYS] Main agent writes to
OutputPath only—no other files.
- [ALWAYS] Sub-agents RETURN structured text—main agent is sole file writer.
- [NEVER] Sub-agents use Write, Edit, Bash, or create any files.
[1][ORIENT]
Dictum: Initial queries map landscape before dispatch.
Main agent executes exactly 3 Exa searches via exa-tools skill before dispatch.
Map domain landscape; identify facets for agent assignment. Produce facet list (6-10 independent research areas) for Round 1.
[IMPORTANT]:
- [ALWAYS] Execute 3 Exa searches via
exa-tools skill before dispatch.
- [ALWAYS] Extract facet boundaries from results.
- [ALWAYS] Use
deep search tier for highest-quality results when topic warrants it.
- [NEVER] Dispatch before orient completes.
- [NEVER] Accept sources older than 6 months unless topic is historical.
[2][ROUND_1]
Dictum: Breadth via parallel dispatch—6-10 agents exploring independent facets.
Dispatch 6-10 sub-agents via parallel-dispatch. Assign each agent unique scope from orient facets.
Agent Count: Scale by task complexity (default: 6).
Agent Prompt:
Scope: [Specific facet from orient]
Objective: Research this facet comprehensively
Output: Return structured text (CRITICAL → FINDINGS → SOURCES)
Context: [Topic background, constraints]
Constraint: DO NOT write files—return text only
[CRITICAL]:
- [ALWAYS] Dispatch ALL agents in ONE message block.
- [ALWAYS] Include "DO NOT write files" constraint in every agent prompt.
- [NEVER] Create overlapping scopes.
[3][CRITIQUE_1]
Dictum: Main agent builds skeleton—retains quality, identifies gaps.
Main agent (NOT sub-agent) processes Round 1 outputs.
| [INDEX] | [ACTION] | [CRITERIA] |
|---|
| [1] | Remove | Lacks focus, duplicates, no sources, pre-2025, fails quality |
| [2] | Retain | Addresses topic, sources, dates 2025-2026, converges across range |
Build skeleton from retained findings: [Domain N]: [findings] + Gaps: + Depth-Targets:
[CRITICAL] Skeleton is first corpus—Round 2 fleshes it out.
[4][ROUND_2]
Dictum: Depth via parallel dispatch—same agent count, focused on skeleton gaps.
Dispatch 6-10 sub-agents (same count as Round 1) via parallel-dispatch.
Agent Assignment:
| [INDEX] | [TYPE] | [PURPOSE] | [COUNT] |
|---|
| [1] | Focused | Specific gaps from skeleton | 4-6 |
| [2] | Wide | Broader context for areas | 2-4 |
Agent Prompt:
Scope: [Gap or depth-target from skeleton]
Objective: [Focused: fill gap | Wide: broaden context]
Output: Return structured text (CRITICAL → FINDINGS → SOURCES)
Context: [Skeleton content—build on, don't repeat]
Prior: [Relevant Round 1 findings]
Constraint: DO NOT write files—return text only
[CRITICAL]:
- [ALWAYS] Same agent count as Round 1.
- [ALWAYS] Include skeleton context.
- [ALWAYS] Include "DO NOT write files" constraint in every agent prompt.
[5][CRITIQUE_2]
Dictum: Main agent synthesizes holistically—final corpus for downstream use.
Main agent (NOT sub-agent) compiles final research output and writes to OutputPath.
Integrate: Merge Round 2 → skeleton. Cross-reference rounds. Resolve conflicts (prioritize sourced, current, convergent).
Filter: Remove duplicates, out-of-scope content, superseded items, unresolved conflicts.
Write: Single file to OutputPath:
## [1][FINDINGS] — Synthesized research by domain## [2][CONFIDENCE] — High (convergent), Medium (single-source), Low (gaps)## [3][SOURCES] — All sources with attribution
[6][VALIDATION]
Dictum: Gates prevent incomplete synthesis.
[VERIFY]:
