autoresearch

Run autonomous hill-climbing loops to optimize scalar objectives via scored candidate changes.

Updated Apr 20, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/thistleknot/skills --skill autoresearch-thistleknot
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: autoresearch
Source: https://github.com/thistleknot/skills/tree/main/autoresearch
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/thistleknot/skills --skill autoresearch-thistleknot

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Autoresearch eliminates slow, manual iteration when you need better results against a measurable metric by running an autonomous propose→measure→keep loop.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Objective-driven optimization: defines a scalar target (score) and a scorer that evaluates each candidate change.
  • Incremental candidate proposals: generates small deltas from the current state using LLM or structured proposer patterns (e.g., grid sampling).
  • Measured hill-climbing with guardrails: accepts only improvements, checkpoints accepted gains, and halts via patience/budget/convergence rules.

Use Case: You want higher unit-test pass rate or lower evaluation loss by repeatedly patching prompts, configurations, or code while logging every accepted change.

Quick Start

Ask an AI agent to run autoresearch on your metric by defining an objective and a scorer, then iteratively proposing small changes, measuring score deltas, and committing each accepted improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions about autoresearch

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I automate prompt optimization to improve my evaluation metrics?

Automate prompt optimization by defining a scalar objective and a scorer to evaluate candidates. An autonomous hill-climbing loop proposes small changes, measures score deltas, and commits only accepted improvements to iteratively raise your evaluation metrics.

What is the best way to tune hyperparameters when I can score each candidate state?

Tune hyperparameters by running an autonomous iterative loop that proposes small configuration deltas and measures score changes. The system keeps only improvements, applying checkpointing and rollback to the best accepted state to ensure measured progress.

Can I use autonomous search for code patch optimization?

Yes, autonomous search applies to code patch optimization by iteratively proposing small code changes and measuring the score delta. It accepts only patches that improve your defined scalar objective, logging every accepted change while halting via budget or patience rules.

How does hill climbing work for metric optimization with LLMs?

Hill climbing for metric optimization works by generating incremental candidate proposals from the current state using LLMs or structured patterns. It measures score deltas, keeps only accepted improvements, and stops when budget, patience, or convergence criteria are met.

Does the autonomous optimization loop require deterministic scoring?

Yes, the autonomous optimization loop requires deterministic or averaged scoring to reliably measure score deltas. It uses explicit budget and patience stopping criteria along with checkpointing and rollback to maintain the best accepted state during search.

Why does my autonomous search loop keep accepting non-improving changes?

Autonomous search loops should only accept improvements when properly configured with a scalar objective and measured score deltas. Ensure your scorer is deterministic or averaged, and verify that checkpointing and rollback rules are correctly keeping the best accepted state.