Researching Web

Web Research Skill

Orchestrates Exa + Tabstack for hybrid search, parallel extraction, and structured output.

Pipeline

Query → Classify → Search (parallel) → Score → Extract (parallel) → Synthesize → Verify → Output

Tools: mcp__exa__web_search_exa, mcp__tabstack__tabstack_search, mcp__tabstack__tabstack_extract_markdown

Progress Format

Show progress with real data at each step:

══════════════════════════════════════════
   RESEARCHING: "{query}"
══════════════════════════════════════════
[■■□□□□] Search: Exa 8 | Tabstack 5 → 10 unique
         (⚠️ Tabstack unavailable → Exa-only mode)

[■■■□□□] Scoring: digitalapplied.com (82), decode.agency (78), ...
         Selected: 5 sources above threshold

[■■■■□□] Extracting (parallel)...
         ✓ digitalapplied.com
         ✓ decode.agency
         ...

[■■■■■□] Synthesizing + Verifying...

[■■■■■■] Confidence: 85%
         ├─ Consensus: 4/5 agree
         ├─ Top source: 82 (official docs tier)
         ├─ Freshness: 5/5 from 2025-2026
         └─ Contradictions: none

📊 RESEARCH DEPTH
   Pages analyzed: 12 | Facts extracted: 47
   Sources: 5 (2 official, 2 research, 1 blog)
   Coverage: High — multiple independent confirmations
══════════════════════════════════════════

---

Step 1: Classify & Plan

| Type | Signals | Sources | Search Strategy | |------|---------|---------|-----------------| | Fact | "what is", "when", "how much" | 1-2 | Exa only | | How-to | "how to", tutorial | 2-3 | Exa only | | Comparison | "vs", "compare", "best" | 5+ | Hybrid (Exa + Tabstack) | | Overview | "explain", "tell me about" | 3-5 | Hybrid | | Code/API | library, SDK, docs | 1-2 | get_code_context_exa |

Step 2: Search

Has URL → skip to extraction.

No URL → search with query augmentation (synonyms, EN version for tech).

For hybrid: call both mcp__exa__web_search_exa and mcp__tabstack__tabstack_search in single message.

Fallback: If Tabstack unavailable → "⚠️ Exa-only mode" and continue.

Step 3: Score & Select

Trust Claude's judgment. Prefer: official docs > research > GitHub > Stack Overflow > blogs > forums.

Skip: SEO spam, paywalls, >2 years old (for tech).

Step 4: Extract (Parallel)

Call ALL extractions in single message using mcp__tabstack__tabstack_extract_markdown.

If extraction fails: "⚠️ {url} failed, continuing with others"

Step 5: Synthesize

1. Merge facts, dedupe
2. Note contradictions with source attribution
3. Identify consensus vs disputed points

Step 6: Verify & Detect Contradictions

Before finalizing, actively look for contradictions between sources. When found, display:

⚠️ CONTRADICTION DETECTED:
   Source A (domain.com): "Claim X"
   Source B (other.com): "Claim Y"
   → Likely cause: {different timeframes / methodology / scope}

Also check:

• Single-source claims → mark as "unverified"
• Non-authoritative sources for topic → adjust confidence

Step 7: Output (Zero Friction)

Auto-select format, no questions asked:

• "vs"/"compare" → Comparison Table HTML
• Simple question → Answer in chat + sources
• Complex topic → Full HTML Report

Generate immediately. If user wants different format, they'll ask.

Include in every output:

• Confidence score with breakdown
• Contradictions found (if any)
• Research depth stats

---

Fallback

Tool fails → inform with ⚠️, continue with remaining. Search empty → simplify query. All weak → suggest refining.

Source & license

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

• Author: vasilievyakov
• Source: vasilievyakov/researching-web-skill
• License: MIT

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