name: "Research Skill" description: "A skill that conducts research on relevant technologies, libraries, or existing code to gather information that informs design and implementation decisions" when_to_use: "When you need to investigate specific topics before making design decisions, OR when invoked after requirements clarification to research identified topics, OR when you lack sufficient knowledge about a topic to provide informed guidance"

Overview

Conduct systematic research on specified topics to gather information from documentation, web sources, and available tools, then document findings in a structured format.

Parameters

• research_topics (required) - Either a list of topics to research OR a path to a directory containing topic files (e.g., {project_dir}/research/topics/)
• project_dir (optional, default: research) - The directory where research findings will be stored

Rules for parameter acquisition

• You MUST ask for all required parameters upfront if not provided
• You MUST confirm the acquired parameters with the user before proceeding
• If research_topics is a directory path, You MUST read all topic files from that directory
• If research_topics is a list, You MUST accept topics in any reasonable format (comma-separated, numbered list, etc.)
• You MUST create the project_dir if it doesn't exist
• You MUST NOT overwrite existing research files without user confirmation

Steps

1. Research Planning Propose an initial research plan and collaborate with the user to refine it.

Rules for execution:

• You MUST identify and list all topics that need research based on the research_topics parameter
• You MUST propose an initial research plan to the user, listing:
  • Topics to investigate
  • Potential information sources
  • Key questions to answer for each topic
• You MUST ask the user for input on the research plan, including:
  • Additional topics that should be researched
  • Specific resources (files, websites, documentation) the user recommends
  • Areas where the user has existing knowledge to contribute
  • Whether additional available search tools should be used beyond standard ones
• You MUST incorporate user suggestions into the research plan
• You MUST wait for user approval before proceeding with research execution

2. Research Execution Conduct research on each topic using available tools and document findings.

Rules for execution:

• You MUST research each topic systematically
• You MUST use available search and documentation tools to gather information
• You MAY use tools like web search, documentation search, or file reading tools as appropriate
• You MUST periodically check with the user during the research process to:
  • Share preliminary findings
  • Ask for feedback and additional guidance
  • Confirm if the research direction remains valuable
• You MUST document research findings in separate markdown files at {project_dir}/{topic-name}.md
• You MUST use clear, descriptive filenames based on the topic (e.g., database-choice.md, authentication-approaches.md)
• You MUST structure each research document with the following sections:
  • Overview (brief summary of the topic)
  • Key Findings (main discoveries and insights)
  • Options/Approaches (if comparing alternatives)
  • Recommendations (if applicable)
  • References (links to sources)
• You MUST include mermaid diagrams when documenting system architectures, data flows, or component relationships
• You MUST include links to relevant references and sources when research is based on external materials
• You MUST cite sources appropriately in research documents
• You SHOULD organize information clearly with headings, bullet points, and tables where appropriate
• You SHOULD highlight trade-offs, pros and cons when comparing alternatives

3. Research Summary Summarize findings and confirm completion with the user.

Rules for execution:

• You MUST summarize key findings across all researched topics
• You MUST highlight insights that will inform design decisions
• You MUST list all research documents created with their locations
• You MUST ask the user if the research is sufficient before marking completion
• You MUST offer to conduct additional research if gaps are identified
• You MUST ask the user what they would like to do next:
  • Return to requirements clarification (if new questions emerged)
  • Proceed to design (if research is complete)
  • Conduct additional research on new topics
• If user chooses to proceed to design, you MUST use your 'design' SKILL against the requirements document to create a detailed design document
• You MUST NOT automatically proceed to the next step without explicit user direction

Key Principles

• Collaborative approach - Involve the user in planning and validation
• Structured documentation - Consistent format across all research files
• Source attribution - Always cite where information comes from
• Visual aids - Use diagrams to clarify complex concepts
• Actionable insights - Focus on information that informs decisions
• Iterative refinement - Check in with user to ensure research remains valuable