ctx:researcher

CTX:Researcher Skill

Efficiently research topics using parallel agents via Contextune's /ctx:research command.

When to Activate

This skill should be used when the user:

• Explicitly mentions: "research", "investigate", "find information about", "look into"
• Asks comparative questions: "what's the best X for Y?", "compare A and B"
• Requests library/tool evaluations: "which library should I use?"
• Wants to understand solutions: "how do other projects handle X?"

What This Skill Does

When activated, this skill executes the /ctx:research command which:

1. Spawns 3 parallel Haiku agents (~$0.07, 1-2 minutes):

   • Agent 1: Web search for similar solutions and implementations
   • Agent 2: Web search for libraries, tools, and frameworks
   • Agent 3: Codebase pattern analysis (existing approaches)

2. Returns comprehensive research including:

   • Top 3-5 options with pros/cons
   • Implementation examples
   • Migration/adoption considerations
   • Community adoption and maturity

Workflow

Step 1: Execute the Research Command

/ctx:research [user's query]

Important: Pass the user's query verbatim to capture intent.

Step 2: Wait for Results

The command runs in background. You'll receive results from all 3 agents simultaneously.

Step 3: Synthesize Findings

Present results in this structure:

## Research Findings: [Topic]

### Summary
[1-2 sentence overview of landscape]

### Top Options

#### 1. [Option Name] ⭐ Recommended
- **Pros**: [key advantages]
- **Cons**: [key drawbacks]
- **Best for**: [use cases]
- **Adoption**: [community size, maturity]

#### 2. [Option Name]
[same structure]

#### 3. [Option Name]
[same structure]

### Implementation Examples
[Code snippets or links if available]

### Migration Considerations
- [Key steps to adopt]
- [Potential challenges]
- [Time/effort estimation]

### Recommendation
[Clear recommendation based on user's context]

Example Usage

User Query:

research best React state management libraries

Your Action:

/ctx:research best React state management libraries 2025

Expected Output After Agents Complete:

## Research Findings: React State Management (2025)

### Summary
The React state management landscape has matured significantly, with Zustand and Jotai emerging as modern alternatives to Redux, optimized for React 18+ features.

### Top Options

#### 1. Zustand ⭐ Recommended
- **Pros**:
  - Minimal boilerplate (~1KB)
  - TypeScript-first design
  - No providers needed
  - React 18 concurrent mode support

- **Cons**:
  - Smaller ecosystem than Redux
  - Less established patterns for large apps

- **Best for**: New projects, simple-medium complexity, teams wanting minimal setup
- **Adoption**: 40K+ GitHub stars, growing rapidly

#### 2. Jotai
- **Pros**:
  - Atomic state model
  - Excellent TypeScript inference
  - Built for React 18

- **Cons**:
  - Steeper learning curve (atomic concepts)
  - Newer, less community content

- **Best for**: Complex state requirements, fine-grained reactivity
- **Adoption**: 15K+ stars, backed by Poimandres team

#### 3. Redux Toolkit
- **Pros**:
  - Mature, massive ecosystem
  - Excellent DevTools
  - Industry standard

- **Cons**:
  - More boilerplate
  - Provider setup required

- **Best for**: Large teams, existing Redux codebases, need for middleware
- **Adoption**: 60K+ stars (core Redux), widely used in enterprise

### Recommendation

For your project, I recommend **Zustand** because:
- Modern codebase starting fresh
- Team values simplicity over complexity
- Don't need advanced middleware ecosystem
- Want TypeScript-first experience

Migration from existing useState: ~2-4 hours for typical app.

Integration Notes

• This skill wraps the /ctx:research command for seamless execution
• The command is part of the Contextune plugin
• Research is grounded in current date (avoids outdated results)
• Agents search web + analyze existing codebase patterns

Error Handling

If /ctx:research fails:

1. Check if Contextune plugin is installed
2. Verify user has run /ctx:configure for setup
3. Fall back to manual web search if needed

Tips for Best Results

• Be specific: "React state management 2025" better than just "state management"
• Include context: "for real-time chat app" helps agents focus
• Specify constraints: "must be TypeScript-first" filters results
• Current year: Always include year for technology research (2025)