research_skill

Overview

This skill performs focused technical research using YAGNI, KISS, and DRY principles to deliver concise, actionable recommendations. It guides projects through defined phases: scope definition, information gathering, analysis, synthesis, and final recommendations. The output is pragmatic, trade-off aware, and prioritizes maintainability, security, and scalability.

How this skill works

I start by defining a tight research scope: key terms, recency, and evaluation criteria. I perform systematic multi-source searches (official docs, repos, expert content), cross-validate findings, and limit external queries to a small, deliberate number. Analysis extracts patterns, risks, and maturity assessments; synthesis produces clear recommendations, quick-start steps, and next actions. Reports focus on implementable guidance with explicit trade-offs and security/performance notes.

When to use it

• Selecting or evaluating new technologies or libraries
• Comparing architecture approaches or migration paths
• Assessing trade-offs for scalability, security, or maintainability
• Creating a feasibility study or competitive analysis
• Defining implementation priorities that follow YAGNI/KISS/DRY

Best practices

• Define strict scope and recency requirements before researching
• Prioritize official docs, API references, and changelogs for accuracy
• Limit external searches to a few high-quality queries and validate across sources
• Highlight concrete trade-offs and avoid hypothetical solutions without cost estimates
• Produce step-by-step quick starts and code examples to make recommendations actionable
• Flag unresolved questions and migration or deprecation risks

Example use cases

• Evaluate whether to adopt a new web framework for a production service, with migration plan and risks
• Compare managed database options for cost, scalability, and operational burden
• Analyze microservices vs. modular monolith for maintainability and deployment complexity
• Produce security and performance implications for adding a third-party auth provider
• Create a concise feasibility study for implementing event sourcing in an existing app