/research

/research

Research a technology, library, or approach with comprehensive analysis, comparisons, and recommendations.

Purpose

The /research command helps you make informed technology decisions by gathering information, analyzing trade-offs, comparing alternatives, and providing clear recommendations.

Usage

/research [topic or technology]

Arguments

• topic: The technology, library, pattern, or approach you want to research

How It Works

1. Gather Information

The assistant collects information from:

• Official documentation
• Community resources and discussions
• Best practices and patterns
• Known issues and gotchas

2. Analyze

Thorough analysis includes:

• Pros and cons
• Performance characteristics
• Learning curve and complexity
• Ecosystem and community support
• Maintenance and longevity
• Best practices

3. Recommend

Clear recommendations with:

• Summary of findings
• Specific recommendation
• Rationale for recommendation
• Next steps for implementation
• Alternatives if recommendation doesn’t fit

Output Format

Research results are presented in a structured format:

## Research: [Topic]

### Summary
[High-level overview of the technology]

### Pros
- [Advantage 1]
- [Advantage 2]
- [Advantage 3]

### Cons
- [Limitation 1]
- [Limitation 2]

### Use Cases
- Best for: [Scenarios]
- Avoid when: [Scenarios]

### Alternatives
[Comparison table with alternatives]

### Best Practices
- [Practice 1]
- [Practice 2]

### Recommendation
[Clear recommendation with rationale]

### Next Steps
1. [Action item 1]
2. [Action item 2]

Flags

Flag	Description	Example
--mode=[mode]	Use specific behavioral mode	--mode=deep-research
--depth=[1-5]	Research thoroughness level	--depth=5
--format=[fmt]	Output format (concise/detailed/json)	--format=detailed
--save=[path]	Save research to file	--save=docs/research.md
--compare	Focus on comparing alternatives	--compare
--sequential	Use sequential thinking methodology	--sequential

Depth Levels

Level	Behavior	Best For
1	Quick overview, key points only	Quick validation
2	Standard analysis	General research
3	Thorough with examples	Technology evaluation
4	Comprehensive with trade-offs	Important decisions
5	Exhaustive with citations	Critical architecture choices

Examples

Basic Technology Research

/research "Redis for session storage"

Standard research on using Redis for sessions.

Deep Technology Comparison

/research --compare "React vs Vue vs Svelte"

Comprehensive comparison of frontend frameworks with trade-off analysis.

Thorough Investigation

/research --depth=5 "authentication libraries for Node.js"

Exhaustive research with detailed analysis and citations.

Sequential Problem Solving

/research --sequential "root cause of memory leak"

Uses step-by-step sequential thinking for complex debugging.

Save Research Results

/research --save=docs/orm-research.md "TypeORM vs Prisma vs Drizzle"

Researches ORM options and saves results to file.

Quick Overview

/research --depth=1 "GraphQL subscriptions"

Quick overview for validation without deep analysis.

Deep Research Mode

/research --mode=deep-research "distributed tracing approaches"

Uses deep-research mode for thorough analysis with citations.

Research Types

Technology Selection

Compare libraries, frameworks, or tools:

/research --compare "state management libraries for React"

Pattern Exploration

Research design patterns and architectures:

/research "event sourcing patterns"

Best Practices

Investigate recommended approaches:

/research "API versioning strategies"

Problem Investigation

Debug or understand complex issues:

/research --sequential "solving N+1 query problems"

Integration Research

Research how to integrate technologies:

/research "integrating Next.js with Strapi CMS"

Workflow Integration

Research → Brainstorm → Plan

1. Research options:

   /research --compare "authentication approaches"

2. Design solution:

   /brainstorm "authentication system design"

3. Plan implementation:

   /plan --detailed "implement chosen auth approach"

Research → Direct Implementation

For simple integrations:

# Research the library
/research "Stripe payment integration"

# Implement directly
/feature "integrate Stripe payments"

Pre-Planning Research

Before creating detailed plans:

# Research unfamiliar technology
/research --depth=4 "WebSocket scaling strategies"

# Plan with research insights
/plan "implement scalable WebSocket server"

Best Practices

Be Specific

# Too vague
/research "databases"

# Better
/research "time-series databases for IoT data"

# Even better
/research --compare "InfluxDB vs TimescaleDB vs QuestDB for IoT sensor data"

Include Context

/research "caching strategies for a high-traffic API with 100k+ requests/minute"

State Constraints

/research "frontend frameworks compatible with SSR and supporting TypeScript"

Save Important Research

/research --save=docs/decisions/cache-strategy.md --depth=5 "caching architecture"

Use Appropriate Depth

• Depth 1-2: Validation, quick checks
• Depth 3: Standard technology evaluation
• Depth 4-5: Critical architecture decisions

When to Use

Good use cases:

• Evaluating technology options
• Understanding new libraries or frameworks
• Investigating architectural patterns
• Comparing competing solutions
• Debugging complex issues
• Learning best practices

Less useful for:

• Technologies you’re already familiar with
• Simple implementation questions
• Project-specific code (use /review instead)

Tips for Better Research

1. Be specific about your use case and constraints
2. Include scale if performance matters (users, requests, data size)
3. Mention existing stack for compatibility analysis
4. State priorities (speed vs reliability vs cost)
5. Ask for comparisons when evaluating options
6. Use —sequential for complex debugging or investigations
7. Save research for future reference and team sharing

Related Commands

• /brainstorm - Design solutions after research
• /plan - Plan implementation after research
• /review - Review existing code or implementations
• /compare - Side-by-side comparison (alternative)

Customization

Research behavior can be customized via CLAUDE.md:

• Default depth level
• Output format preferences
• Comparison criteria
• Citation requirements

See the Configuration Guide for details.