Deep Research Skill

AI-powered comprehensive research with state management, multi-agent source verification, and structured outputs.

Trigger Conditions

# Primary triggers
- "/deep-research [topic]"
- "/research [topic]"
- "딥리서치 [주제]"
- "심층 연구 [주제]"
- "[주제]에 대해 리서치해줘"
- "[주제] 리서치"
- "deep research on [topic]"

# Resume triggers
- "/deep-research resume [session_id]"
- "/research-resume [session_id]"

# Status triggers
- "/deep-research status"
- "/research-status"

WHEN TRIGGERED - EXECUTE IMMEDIATELY

DO NOT just display this documentation. EXECUTE the research flow immediately.

On Trigger Action:

Extract the topic from user's message
Start Phase 1 - Use AskUserQuestion tool for interactive selection

CRITICAL REQUIREMENT

CALL THE AskUserQuestion TOOL IMMEDIATELY.

DO NOT output text-based questions. INSTEAD, call the AskUserQuestion tool with JSON parameters.

Language Detection

Detect the language of user's input (topic query)
Generate ALL question labels and descriptions in the SAME LANGUAGE as user input
If Korean -> Korean options, If English -> English options, etc.

EXECUTE: 아래 JSON으로 AskUserQuestion 도구를 즉시 호출한다 (combine into 1-4 question groups). Translate all labels/descriptions to match user's language:

English Example:

{
  "questions": [
    {
      "question": "What aspects interest you most?",
      "header": "Focus",
      "options": [
        {"label": "Current state & trends", "description": "Latest developments, market status, key players"},
        {"label": "Technical deep-dive", "description": "Architecture, implementation, tech stack"},
        {"label": "Market analysis", "description": "Market size, growth rate, competition"},
        {"label": "All of the above (Recommended)", "description": "Comprehensive research - all aspects"}
      ],
      "multiSelect": false
    },
    {
      "question": "What type of deliverable do you want?",
      "header": "Output",
      "options": [
        {"label": "Comprehensive report (Recommended)", "description": "20-50+ pages, detailed analysis and insights"},
        {"label": "Executive summary", "description": "3-5 pages, key points only"},
        {"label": "Modular documents", "description": "Multiple documents by topic"}
      ],
      "multiSelect": false
    },
    {
      "question": "Who will read this research?",
      "header": "Audience",
      "options": [
        {"label": "Technical team/Developers", "description": "Include technical details"},
        {"label": "Business executives", "description": "Focus on strategic insights"},
        {"label": "Researchers/Academic", "description": "Academic citations and methodology"},
        {"label": "General audience", "description": "Easy explanations and overview"}
      ],
      "multiSelect": false
    },
    {
      "question": "Any source preferences?",
      "header": "Sources",
      "options": [
        {"label": "Academic/Papers", "description": "Peer-reviewed papers, conferences"},
        {"label": "Industry reports", "description": "Gartner, white papers, analyst reports"},
        {"label": "News/Current", "description": "Media, blogs, latest announcements"},
        {"label": "All sources (Recommended)", "description": "All reliable sources"}
      ],
      "multiSelect": false
    }
  ]
}

Korean Example (EXECUTE):

{
  "questions": [
    {
      "question": "어떤 측면에 관심이 있으신가요?",
      "header": "Focus",
      "options": [
        {"label": "현재 상태와 트렌드", "description": "최신 동향, 시장 현황, 주요 플레이어"},
        {"label": "기술 심층 분석", "description": "아키텍처, 구현 방법, 기술 스택"},
        {"label": "시장 분석", "description": "시장 규모, 성장률, 경쟁 구도"},
        {"label": "모두 포함 (Recommended)", "description": "종합 리서치 - 모든 측면 분석"}
      ],
      "multiSelect": false
    }
  ]
}

After user responds:
- Create session folder: RESEARCH/{topic}_{timestamp}/
- Initialize state.json
- Execute Phase 2-7 sequentially
- Use parallel background agents for searching
- Deliver final report to outputs/ folder

The 7-Phase Deep Research Process

Phase 1: Question Scoping

Clarify the research question with the user
Define output format and success criteria
Identify constraints and desired tone
Create unambiguous query with clear parameters

Phase 2: Retrieval Planning

Break main question into 3-5 subtopics
Generate specific search queries per subtopic
Select appropriate data sources
Create research plan for user approval
Use Graph of Thoughts to model research as operations

DATE-AWARE QUERY GENERATION (CRITICAL)

All search queries MUST include current date context for freshness.

Get Today's Date First

Before generating ANY search query, determine today's date from the system context.

Query Generation Rules

Always append year to queries:
- BAD: "AI code assistants market"
- GOOD: "AI code assistants market 2026"
- GOOD: "AI code assistants trends February 2026"
Use recency operators:
- "after:2025" for Google
- "since:2025" for news
- "2025..2026" for date ranges
Add freshness keywords:
- "latest", "recent", "current", "new"
- "[current year] update"

Example transformations:

User Query	Generated Search Query
AI 코딩 어시스턴트	AI 코딩 어시스턴트 2026 최신 동향
startup trends	startup trends 2026 latest
React vs Vue	React vs Vue 2026 comparison

For academic/historical research:
- Still include current year for "state of" queries
- Use date ranges: "climate change research 2020-2026"

Search Query Template

[topic] [current_year] [freshness_keyword] [specific_aspect]

Phase 3: Iterative Querying

Execute searches systematically with parallel agents
Navigate and extract relevant information
- WebFetch 실패 시 → tool_strategy.md Tier 2.5 Fallback 순서대로 시도
- 우회 성공 시 소스 신뢰도에 via_fallback 태그 추가
- 실패한 URL과 우회 시도 결과를 sources/failed_urls.txt에 함께 기록
Formulate new queries based on findings
Use multiple search modalities (web, academic, code)

Phase 4: Source Triangulation

Compare findings across multiple sources
Validate claims with cross-references (minimum 2 sources for key claims)
Handle inconsistencies and note contradictions
Assess source credibility with A-E ratings

Phase 5: Knowledge Synthesis

Structure content logically
Write comprehensive sections
Include inline citations for EVERY claim
Add data visualizations when relevant

Phase 6: Quality Assurance

Check for hallucinations and errors
Verify all citations match content
Ensure completeness and clarity
Apply Chain-of-Verification techniques

Phase 7: Output & Packaging

Format for optimal readability
Include executive summary
Create proper bibliography
Export in requested format
Optionally generate interactive website

Multi-Agent Research Strategy

Agent Deployment (Phase 3)

Deploy 3-5 parallel agents to maximize coverage:

Agent Type	Count	Focus	Output
Web Research	2-3	Current info, trends, news	Structured summaries with source URLs
Academic/Technical	1-2	Papers, specs, methodology	Technical analysis with citations
Cross-Reference	1	Fact-checking, verification	Confidence ratings for key findings

Launch multiple Task calls in a single response for parallel execution. Each agent receives a focused prompt with specific subtopic and citation requirements.

For detailed agent prompt templates and Graph of Thoughts integration: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/agent_prompts.md

Tool Usage

Use whichever search and extraction tools are available. Prioritize: MCP tools (Firecrawl, Google Search, Exa) > Built-in tools (WebSearch, WebFetch) > Specialized tools (GitHub search, library docs).

Deploy parallel research agents using the Task tool with run_in_background=True for concurrent subtopic investigation.

For detailed tool strategy and code examples: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/tool_strategy.md

Citation Requirements

Every factual claim MUST include inline citation.

Mandatory Standards

Author/Organization - Who made this claim
Date - When published
Source Title - Name of paper, article, or report
URL/DOI - Direct link to verify
Page Numbers - For lengthy documents (when applicable)

Source Quality Ratings

Grade	Description	Examples
A	Peer-reviewed, systematic reviews, meta-analyses	Nature, Lancet, IEEE
B	Official docs, clinical guidelines, cohort studies	FDA, W3C, WHO
C	Expert opinion, case reports, industry reports	Gartner, conferences
D	Preliminary research, preprints, white papers	arXiv, company blogs
E	Anecdotal, theoretical, speculative	Social media, forums

Red Flags (Unreliable Sources)

No author attribution
Missing publication dates
Broken or suspicious URLs
Claims without data
Conflicts of interest not disclosed
Predatory journals
Retracted papers

For detailed citation formatting rules, refer to: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/citation_rules.md

For complete source quality assessment rubric: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/quality_rubric.md

Hallucination Prevention

Core Strategies

Always ground statements in source material
- Never claim without a verifiable source
- If uncertain, state "Source needed" rather than guessing
Use Chain-of-Verification for critical claims
- Generate verification questions
- Search for answers independently
- Only finalize when verified
Cross-reference multiple sources
- Key findings need 2+ independent sources
- Note when sources disagree
Explicitly state uncertainty
- "According to [source]..." not "Studies show..."
- Qualify preliminary or contested findings

Verification Checklist

State Management

state.json Schema

{
  "session_id": "Topic_Name_20260224_143000",
  "topic": "Research Topic",
  "created_at": "2026-02-24T14:30:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-02-24T15:45:00Z",
  "status": "PHASE_3_QUERYING",
  "current_phase": 3,
  "requirements": {
    "focus": ["aspect1", "aspect2"],
    "output_format": "comprehensive_report",
    "scope": {"timeframe": {}, "geography": {}},
    "sources": {"required_types": [], "min_quality": "B"},
    "audience": "executive",
    "special_requirements": []
  },
  "plan": {
    "subtopics": [],
    "search_queries": {},
    "agent_assignments": []
  },
  "progress": {
    "phase_1": "completed",
    "phase_2": "completed",
    "phase_3": "in_progress",
    "phase_4": "pending",
    "phase_5": "pending",
    "phase_6": "pending",
    "phase_7": "pending"
  },
  "sources_count": 0,
  "artifacts": {},
  "errors": []
}

sources.jsonl Schema (one JSON per line)

{"id": "src_001", "url": "https://...", "title": "Article Title", "author": "Author", "date": "2024-06-15", "domain": "nature.com", "type": "academic", "quality_rating": "A", "snippet": "relevant excerpt...", "claims": ["claim1"], "verified": true}

For detailed phase input/output contracts: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/phase_contracts.md

Output Structure

RESEARCH/{topic}_{timestamp}/
├── state.json                    # Session state (resumable)
├── README.md                     # Navigation guide
│
├── artifacts/                    # Intermediate outputs
│   ├── research_plan.json
│   ├── agent_results/
│   └── drafts/
│
├── sources/
│   ├── sources.jsonl            # All collected sources
│   ├── bibliography.md          # Formatted citations
│   └── quality_report.md        # Source quality ratings
│
├── outputs/                     # FINAL DELIVERABLES
│   ├── 00_executive_summary.md
│   ├── 01_full_report/
│   │   ├── 01_introduction.md
│   │   ├── 02_current_landscape.md
│   │   ├── 03_challenges.md
│   │   ├── 04_future_outlook.md
│   │   └── 05_conclusions.md
│   ├── 02_appendices/
│   └── comparison_data.json
│
└── website/                     # (optional) Visual presentation
    ├── index.html
    ├── styles.css
    └── script.js

Output Templates

Use the templates at ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/assets/templates/ for consistent formatting:

Template	Purpose
`executive_summary.md`	Executive summary structure
`full_report_section.md`	Individual report section template
`bibliography.md`	Bibliography with quality distribution
`readme_research.md`	Research session README/navigation
`website_template.html`	Interactive web presentation

Structured Query Support

For precise research control, accept structured JSON queries following the schema at: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/query_schema.json

When a user provides a JSON object as input, parse it according to the schema and skip Phase 1 (Question Scoping) since requirements are already defined.

Example queries are available at: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/examples/

Resume Protocol

When resume is triggered:

List available sessions: RESEARCH/*/state.json
Load selected session's state.json
Check progress object for last completed phase
Resume from next pending phase
Continue execution loop

for phase_num in range(1, 8):
    phase_key = f"phase_{phase_num}"
    if state["progress"][phase_key] == "in_progress":
        resume_phase(phase_num)
        break
    elif state["progress"][phase_key] == "pending":
        start_phase(phase_num)
        break

Error Handling

Phase Failures

Log error to state.json errors array
Mark phase as failed in progress
Notify user with details
Offer: Retry / Skip / Abort

Network Failures

Retry up to 3 times with backoff
If still failing → Execute Tier 2.5 Fallback Strategy (tool_strategy.md 참조)
- 모바일 UA curl → RSS 피드 → OGP 메타태그 → Google 캐시/Wayback → curl_cffi → Playwright MCP
Log failed URLs + fallback attempt results to sources/failed_urls.txt
Continue with available sources (including fallback-retrieved content)

Token Limits

Split long documents into chunks
Save intermediate results frequently
Use summarization for very long sources

Quality Checklist (Before Completion)

Scripts and Utilities

State management scripts are available at: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/scripts/

Script	Purpose
`orchestrator.py`	Research state machine controller - session creation, phase management, source tracking
`pipelines.py`	Pipeline definitions - agent prompts, clarification templates, synthesis prompts

These can be executed via Bash to initialize sessions or manage state programmatically.

References

For detailed documentation on specific aspects:

Reference	Location
Citation formatting rules	`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/citation_rules.md`
Phase input/output contracts	`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/phase_contracts.md`
Source quality rubric	`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/quality_rubric.md`
Agent prompt templates & GoT	`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/agent_prompts.md`
Tool strategy & code examples	`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/tool_strategy.md`
Structured query schema	`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/query_schema.json`
Query generation guide	`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/deep-research-main/references/query_generator.md`

deep-research-main