research

Identify codebase context and prior art with file:line citations.

418|40|Updated Nov 5, 2025
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/boshu2/agentops --skill research-boshu2
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: research
Source: https://github.com/boshu2/agentops/tree/main/skills/research
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/boshu2/agentops --skill research-boshu2

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill helps teams discover relevant codebase context, prior art, and operational knowledge, turning scattered notes into a coherent, auditable research artifact that informs planning and development.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Structured exploration of large repositories to surface key files, patterns, and decisions.
  • Evidence-backed findings with citations (file:line) to enable traceability.
  • Artifact generation that creates .agents/research/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic-slug>.md for downstream planning.
  • Use Case: Investigate a new feature area across a monorepo to identify existing patterns and gaps before planning.

Quick Start

Run /research <topic> to create a research artifact and begin the discovery workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions about research

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I explore a large monorepo to find existing patterns before planning a new feature?

Codebase exploration in large monorepos is structured by enforcing tiered discovery to surface key files and patterns. This synthesizes relevant context into an auditable research artifact that informs planning.

How do I ensure my codebase analysis findings are traceable to specific files and lines?

Codebase analysis ensures traceability by enforcing evidence-backed findings with file:line citations. This enables verification of claims and provides an auditable research artifact for downstream development.

What is the best way to document prior art and operational knowledge in an unfamiliar code area?

Documenting prior art in unfamiliar code areas involves synthesizing scattered notes and operational knowledge into a coherent research artifact. This creates an auditable record that informs planning and development.

Does the research workflow create artifacts that can be used by downstream planning tools?

The research workflow creates .agents/research/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic-slug>.md artifacts designed for downstream planning. These files provide structured, evidence-backed context for subsequent development tasks.

Can I use this approach to investigate multi-file projects and identify gaps in existing implementations?

Investigating multi-file projects applies structured exploration to identify existing patterns and gaps. This surfaces key decisions and operational knowledge to create evidence-backed findings for planning.