/gig:research Skill

Step 0 — Auto-Load Context

If .gig/STATE.md exists, read it and display: Version: {version} | Iteration: {iteration} | Status: {status}

Step 1 — Guard Check

Check if .gig/ exists in the current project root.

If NOT present: Note: "No gig context — research will proceed but findings won't be integrated." Continue to Step 2 (research works standalone).

If present: Read .gig/STATE.md, .gig/DECISIONS.md, and .gig/ARCHITECTURE.md for context.

Step 2 — Gather Topic

If the user provided a topic in their message, use it. Otherwise ask: "What do you want to research?"

Step 3 — Determine Research Scope

Classify the research:

Type	Approach
Library/framework	WebSearch + docs, compare alternatives
Codebase question	Subagents to explore code (Agent tool, subagent_type "Explore")
Architecture pattern	WebSearch + existing codebase analysis
API/service	WebSearch + docs, check compatibility
Bug investigation	Codebase exploration + error analysis

Step 4 — Execute Research

Launch all research in parallel — agents and WebSearch calls in the same tool-call block:

• Codebase investigation: Use Agent tool with subagent_type "Explore", selecting profiles based on the research type (see table below).
• External information: Use WebSearch for docs, comparisons, and API references.
• Complex multi-step research: Use Agent tool with subagent_type "general-purpose" for tasks that combine searching, synthesis, and file creation.

Subagent Type Decision Table

Research Type	Subagent Type	Profiles to Use
Library/framework comparison	Explore	Discovery
Codebase question	Explore	Architecture + Quality
Architecture pattern analysis	Explore	Architecture
API/service integration	Explore + WebSearch	Discovery + Architecture
Bug investigation	Explore	Quality + Architecture
Complex multi-step (combining search + synthesis + file creation)	general-purpose	As needed

Explore — read-only codebase investigation. Use for all research that only needs to read and analyze. general-purpose — multi-step tasks that may need to write files, combine multiple searches, or perform complex synthesis. Use sparingly.

Collect all findings and synthesize before presenting.

Step 5 — Synthesize

Present a concise research report:

## Research: {topic}

### Findings
{Key discoveries, organized by sub-topic}

### Recommendations
{Opinionated suggestions based on findings}

### Impact on Current Work
{How this affects active decisions/plan, if any}

### Sources
{Links, file paths, or references}

Step 6 — Integrate

Skip if no gig context (Step 1 noted absence).

If .gig/STATE.md exists and has an active iteration:

• Ask: "Want me to save these findings to working memory?"
• If yes: append key findings to STATE.md Working Memory section.
• If findings suggest a decision should change, flag it: "Finding X suggests decision D-{id} may need revision."