— name: web-research description: Use this skill for requests related to web research; it provides a structured approach to conducting comprehensive web research — # Web Research Skill This skill provides a structured approach to conducting comprehensive web research using the `task` tool to spawn research subagents. It emphasizes planning, efficient delegation, and systematic synthesis of findings. ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: – Research complex topics requiring multiple information sources – Gather and synthesize current information from the web – Conduct comparative analysis across multiple subjects – Produce well-sourced research reports with clear citations ## Research Process ### Step 1: Create and Save Research Plan Before delegating to subagents, you MUST: 1. **Create a research folder** – Organize all research files in a dedicated folder relative to the current working directory: “` mkdir research_[topic_name] “` This keeps files organized and prevents clutter in the working directory. 2. **Analyze the research question** – Break it down into distinct, non-overlapping subtopics 3. **Write a research plan file** – Use the `write_file` tool to create `research_[topic_name]/research_plan.md` containing: – The main research question – 2-5 specific subtopics to investigate – Expected information from each subtopic – How results will be synthesized **Planning Guidelines:** – **Simple fact-finding**: 1-2 subtopics – **Comparative analysis**: 1 subtopic per comparison element (max 3) – **Complex investigations**: 3-5 subtopics ### Step 2: Delegate to Research Subagents For each subtopic in your plan: 1. **Use the `task` tool** to spawn a research subagent with: – Clear, specific research question (no acronyms) – Instructions to write findings to a file: `research_[topic_name]/findings_[subtopic].md` – Budget: 3-5 web searches maximum 2. **Run up to 3 subagents in parallel** for efficient research **Subagent Instructions Template:** “` Research [SPECIFIC TOPIC]. Use the web_search tool to gather information. After completing your research, use write_file to save your findings to research_[topic_name]/findings_[subtopic].md. Include key facts, relevant quotes, and source URLs. Use 3-5 web searches maximum. “` ### Step 3: Synthesize Findings After all subagents complete: 1. **Review the findings files** that were saved locally: – First run `list_files research_[topic_name]` to see what files were created – Then use `read_file` with the **file paths** (e.g., `research_[topic_name]/findings_*.md`) – **Important**: Use `read_file` for LOCAL files only, not URLs 2. **Synthesize the information** – Create a comprehensive response that: – Directly answers the original question – Integrates insights from all subtopics – Cites specific sources with URLs (from the findings files) – Identifies any gaps or limitations 3. **Write final report** (optional) – Use `write_file` to create `research_[topic_name]/research_report.md` if requested **Note**: If you need to fetch additional information from URLs, use the `fetch_url` tool, not `read_file`. ## Available Tools You have access to: – **write_file**: Save research plans and findings to local files – **read_file**: Read local files (e.g., findings saved by subagents) – **list_files**: See what local files exist in a directory – **fetch_url**: Fetch content from URLs and convert to markdown (use this for web pages, not read_file) – **task**: Spawn research subagents with web_search access ## Research Subagent Configuration Each subagent you spawn will have access to: – **web_search**: Search the web using Tavily (parameters: query, max_results, topic, include_raw_content) – **write_file**: Save their findings to the filesystem ## Best Practices – **Plan before delegating** – Always write research_plan.md first – **Clear subtopics** – Ensure each subagent has distinct, non-overlapping scope – **File-based communication** – Have subagents save findings to files, not return them directly – **Systematic synthesis** – Read all findings files before creating final response – **Stop appropriately** – Don't over-research; 3-5 searches per subtopic is usually sufficient