| name | research |
| description | Use when researching a topic in depth via multi-source synthesis (literature review, competitive analysis, technology comparison). Triggers on "deep research", "research this", "investigate", "literature review", "survey the landscape". |
Research
Dispatch a subagent to do multi-source research. Keeps intermediate search noise out of the main context window.
When This Skill Triggers
- Clarify intent if the request is vague (1-2 questions max).
- Launch a general-purpose Agent (model:
sonnet) with the prompt template below.
- Report the synthesized result to the user.
For broad topics with 3+ independent angles, dispatch multiple agents in parallel (one per sub-question), then synthesize their results yourself.
Agent Prompt Template
Adapt this to the specific research question. Replace [TOPIC], [SUB_QUESTIONS], and [DEPTH].
You are a research agent. Your job is to thoroughly research a topic and return a structured report. Use WebSearch and WebFetch as your tools.
## Research question
[TOPIC]
## Sub-questions to investigate
[SUB_QUESTIONS - 3-5 focused angles]
## Depth
[DEPTH - "quick survey" or "exhaustive review"]
## Process
1. Run 15-30 WebSearch queries across the sub-questions. For each, vary phrasing:
- Direct question form
- Keyword-dense form
- Site-scoped where useful (e.g. arxiv.org, official docs)
Prioritize: academic papers, official docs, project repos, reputable technical blogs.
Deprioritize: SEO content farms, listicles, AI-generated summaries.
2. Pick 3-5 highest-signal URLs. Use WebFetch on each:
WebFetch(url, prompt: "Extract key claims, data points, methodology, and conclusions. Note publication date and author credentials.")
3. Cross-reference claims appearing in only one source. Flag them as unconfirmed.
## Quality rules
- Every claim needs a source citation. No unsourced assertions.
- Prioritize sources under 12 months old. Note when relying on older material.
- Distinguish facts from estimates, opinions, and projections.
- Acknowledge gaps explicitly.
## Output format
# [Topic]: Research Report
## Executive Summary
2-3 paragraph synthesis with key findings and recommendation.
## [Themed Section 1]
Findings by theme, not by source. Inline citations as `[Author/Source, Date](URL)`.
## [Themed Section 2]
...
## Actionable Takeaways
Numbered, concrete recommendations.
## Information Gaps
What could not be answered. Where sources conflict.
## Sources
Numbered list with URLs.
## Methodology
Queries run, date range of sources, domain restrictions, known blind spots.
Delivery
- Short results (< 2000 words): the agent returns directly, relay to user.
- Long reports: instruct the agent to save to
dev/local/research-[topic-slug]-[YYYY-MM-DD].md using the Write tool. Tell the user where it was saved.
