# Research

> Technical research methodology using Context7, Exa, and Sequential Thinking for documentation, best practices, and complex investigations.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-fusengine-agents-research`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [fusengine](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/fusengine)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [fusengine](https://github.com/fusengine)
- **Source:** https://github.com/fusengine/agents/tree/main/plugins/ai-pilot/skills/research

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-fusengine-agents-research
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

**Session:** ${CLAUDE_SESSION_ID}

**Research Topic:** $ARGUMENTS

# Research Skill

## Research Workflows

### Standard Query
```
1. THINK → Sequential Thinking decomposition
2. RESOLVE → Context7 resolve-library-id
3. DOCUMENT → Context7 query-docs (5000-10000 tokens)
4. SUPPLEMENT → Exa code context search
5. SYNTHESIZE → Structured answer with sources
```

### Complex Investigation
```
1. DEEP THINK → Multi-hypothesis Sequential Thinking
2. DEEP RESEARCH → Exa deep researcher (45s-2min)
3. MONITOR → Check status until completed
4. VALIDATE → Cross-check Context7 official sources
5. REPORT → Comprehensive solution
```

### Technology Trends
```
1. WEB SCAN → Exa search latest developments
2. CODE PATTERNS → Exa code context for practices
3. ECOSYSTEM → Company research for key players
4. ANALYSIS → Sequential Thinking for implications
5. RECOMMENDATIONS → Actionable insights
```

## Context7 Usage

```typescript
// Step 1: Resolve library ID
mcp__context7__resolve-library-id({
  libraryName: "next.js",
  query: "App Router server actions"
})

// Step 2: Query docs
mcp__context7__query-docs({
  libraryId: "/vercel/next.js",
  query: "server actions authentication"
})
```

**Best Practices**:
- Always `resolve-library-id` BEFORE `query-docs`
- Specify `topic` parameter to focus retrieval
- Start with 5000 tokens, increase to 10000 if needed
- Handle variations: "nextjs" vs "/vercel/next.js"

## Exa Search Types

| Type | Use Case | Time | numResults |
|------|----------|------|------------|
| `fast` | Quick lookups | 30min manual effort.

```typescript
// Start research
const { taskId } = await mcp__exa__deep_researcher_start({
  instructions: "Compare authentication solutions for Node.js",
  model: "exa-research-pro" // or "exa-research" for faster
})

// Poll until complete
mcp__exa__deep_researcher_check({ taskId })
```

**Models**:
- `exa-research`: Standard depth (15-45s)
- `exa-research-pro`: Complex topics (45s-2min)

## Sequential Thinking

```typescript
mcp__sequential-thinking__sequentialthinking({
  thought: "Analyzing authentication approaches",
  thoughtNumber: 1,
  totalThoughts: 5,
  nextThoughtNeeded: true,
  // Optional for revisions:
  isRevision: false,
  revisesThought: null,
  branchId: null,
  branchFromThought: null,
  needsMoreThoughts: false
})
```

**Best Practices**:
- Start with realistic `totalThoughts`, adjust dynamically
- Use `isRevision: true` to reconsider hypotheses
- Create branches (`branchId`) for alternatives
- Set `needsMoreThoughts: true` if incomplete

## Multi-Source Synthesis

**Parallelization**:
- Run `resolve-library-id` + `web_search_exa` simultaneously
- Launch multiple Exa searches concurrently
- Execute Context7 docs + Exa code search in parallel

**Source Priority**:
1. Official documentation (Context7)
2. Recent tutorials (Exa, <6 months)
3. Older content (with version verification)

## Response Format

```markdown
## 🔍 Research: [Topic]

### Methodology
- Sequential Thinking: [N thoughts, M revisions]
- Context7: [Library@version consulted]
- Exa: [Search types performed]

### Key Findings
1. **[Finding 1]** (Source: [URL])
   - Technical details
   - Code examples

2. **[Finding 2]** (Source: [URL])

### Recommendations
- [Action 1]: [Why + How]
- [Action 2]: [Why + How]

### Sources
- Context7: [Exact library IDs]
- Exa: [X results analyzed]
- Deep Research: [Task ID if used]
```

## Error Handling

**Context7 Failures**:
- Verify library name spelling
- Try different formats ("/org/project" vs "project-name")
- Fallback to Exa code context

**Exa Timeouts**:
- Reduce `numResults`
- Simplify query
- Switch `type: "deep"` → `type: "fast"`

**Sequential Thinking Blocks**:
- Revise with `isRevision: true`
- Increase `totalThoughts`
- Create new branch

## Forbidden Behaviors

- ❌ Guess library IDs without `resolve-library-id`
- ❌ Start deep researcher without checking completion
- ❌ Mix opinions with facts without distinction
- ❌ Provide code without version verification
- ❌ Ignore WebFetch redirects
- ❌ Recommend without citing sources
- ❌ Skip Sequential Thinking for multi-step problems

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [fusengine](https://github.com/fusengine)
- **Source:** [fusengine/agents](https://github.com/fusengine/agents)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-fusengine-agents-research
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/fusengine
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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