search-first

Researches existing libraries, MCP servers, and skills before writing custom code.

Updated Mar 18, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/freedom909/real-estate-saas --skill search-first-freedom909
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: search-first
Source: https://github.com/freedom909/real-estate-saas/tree/main/.trae/skills/search-first
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/freedom909/real-estate-saas --skill search-first-freedom909

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Developers often reinvent the wheel by writing custom utilities and integrations without checking whether maintained open-source packages, MCP servers, or existing skills already solve the problem, leading to unnecessary code and dependency bloat. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Structured Research Workflow: Runs a five-stage pipeline covering need analysis, parallel search across npm/PyPI, MCP servers, and GitHub, candidate evaluation, and an adopt/extend/build decision. - Decision Matrix: Scores candidates on functionality, maintenance, community, documentation, license, and dependencies to choose between adopting, extending, composing, or building custom. - Agent Integration: Launches a researcher subagent for non-trivial functionality and integrates with planner and architect agents before architecture decisions. - Use Case: When asked to add dead link checking to markdown files, the skill searches npm, finds textlint-rule-no-dead-link, and recommends adopting it directly instead of writing a custom checker. ## Quick Start Ask the AI to research existing tools and libraries for the functionality you are about to implement before writing any custom code.

Frequently Asked Questions about search-first

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I find existing libraries before writing custom code?▼

Search npm or PyPI for packages matching your need, check for MCP servers and existing skills, then run GitHub code search for maintained open-source implementations. Score candidates on functionality, maintenance, community, documentation, license, and dependencies before deciding.

What is the search-first workflow for adding dependencies?▼

The workflow has five stages: define the needed functionality, run parallel searches across package registries and GitHub, evaluate and score candidates, decide between adopt, extend, compose, or build, then install the package or write minimal custom code.

When should I build custom code instead of adopting a library?▼

Build custom only when no suitable match exists after searching. Adopt exact well-maintained matches with permissive licenses, extend partial matches with a thin wrapper, and compose multiple small packages when individual matches are weak.

Does this approach work with both Node.js and Python projects?▼

Yes, the search covers both npm for Node.js and PyPI for Python, along with MCP servers and GitHub. The skill includes category shortcuts listing common tools for each ecosystem, such as eslint and prettier for Node or ruff and pytest for Python.

What are common mistakes when choosing third-party libraries?▼

Common anti-patterns include writing utilities without checking for existing solutions, ignoring MCP servers that already provide the capability, wrapping libraries so heavily they lose their benefits, and installing massive packages for one small feature.