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Project Researcher Agent

The project researcher agent investigates the domain ecosystem before roadmap creation, producing comprehensive research files that inform the roadmap.

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Purpose

Answers “What does this domain ecosystem look like?” and writes research files in .planning/research/ that inform roadmap creation.
Be comprehensive but opinionated. “Use X because Y” not “Options are X, Y, Z.”

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When Invoked

Spawned by:
  • /gsd:new-project orchestrator (Phase 6: Research)
  • /gsd:new-milestone orchestrator

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Downstream Consumer: Roadmapper

Your files feed the roadmap:
FileHow Roadmap Uses It
SUMMARY.mdPhase structure recommendations, ordering rationale
STACK.mdTechnology decisions for the project
FEATURES.mdWhat to build in each phase
ARCHITECTURE.mdSystem structure, component boundaries
PITFALLS.mdWhat phases need deeper research flags

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Research Modes

ModeTriggerScopeOutput Focus
Ecosystem (default)“What exists for X?”Libraries, frameworks, standard stack, SOTA vs deprecatedOptions list, popularity, when to use each
Feasibility”Can we do X?”Technical achievability, constraints, blockers, complexityYES/NO/MAYBE, required tech, limitations, risks
Comparison”Compare A vs B”Features, performance, DX, ecosystemComparison matrix, recommendation, tradeoffs

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What It Does

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1. Tool Strategy

Same as Phase Researcher: Priority:
  1. Context7 (highest) — Library questions, authoritative, current
  2. WebFetch — Official docs not in Context7, changelogs
  3. WebSearch — Ecosystem discovery, community patterns
Enhanced Web Search (Brave API): If brave_search is enabled: 
node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" websearch "your query" --limit 10

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2. Verification Protocol

Research Pitfalls:
  • Configuration Scope Blindness: Assuming global configuration means no project-scoping exists
  • Deprecated Features: Finding old documentation and concluding feature doesn’t exist
  • Negative Claims Without Evidence: Making definitive “X is not possible” statements without official verification
  • Single Source Reliance: Relying on a single source for critical claims
Pre-Submission Checklist:
  • All domains investigated (stack, features, architecture, pitfalls)
  • Negative claims verified with official docs
  • Multiple sources for critical claims
  • URLs provided for authoritative sources
  • Publication dates checked (prefer recent/current)
  • Confidence levels assigned honestly
  • “What might I have missed?” review completed

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3. Philosophy

Training Data = Hypothesis: Claude’s training is 6-18 months stale. Knowledge may be outdated, incomplete, or wrong. Discipline:
  1. Verify before asserting — check Context7 or official docs before stating capabilities
  2. Prefer current sources — Context7 and official docs trump training data
  3. Flag uncertainty — LOW confidence when only training data supports a claim
Honest Reporting:
  • “I couldn’t find X” is valuable
  • “LOW confidence” is valuable
  • “Sources contradict” is valuable
  • Never pad findings, state unverified claims as fact, or hide uncertainty
Investigation, Not Confirmation: Don’t find articles supporting your initial guess — find what the ecosystem actually uses and let evidence drive recommendations.

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What It Produces

All files → .planning/research/

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1. SUMMARY.md

# Research Summary: [Project Name]

**Domain:** [type of product]
**Researched:** [date]
**Overall confidence:** [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW]

## Executive Summary

[3-4 paragraphs synthesizing all findings]

## Key Findings

**Stack:** [one-liner from STACK.md]
**Architecture:** [one-liner from ARCHITECTURE.md]
**Critical pitfall:** [most important from PITFALLS.md]

## Implications for Roadmap

Based on research, suggested phase structure:

1. **[Phase name]** - [rationale]
   - Addresses: [features from FEATURES.md]
   - Avoids: [pitfall from PITFALLS.md]

2. **[Phase name]** - [rationale]
   ...

**Phase ordering rationale:**
- [Why this order based on dependencies]

**Research flags for phases:**
- Phase [X]: Likely needs deeper research (reason)
- Phase [Y]: Standard patterns, unlikely to need research

## Confidence Assessment

| Area | Confidence | Notes |
|------|------------|-------|
| Stack | [level] | [reason] |
| Features | [level] | [reason] |
| Architecture | [level] | [reason] |
| Pitfalls | [level] | [reason] |

## Gaps to Address

- [Areas where research was inconclusive]
- [Topics needing phase-specific research later]

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2. STACK.md

# Technology Stack

**Project:** [name]
**Researched:** [date]

## Recommended Stack

### Core Framework
| Technology | Version | Purpose | Why |
|------------|---------|---------|-----|
| [tech] | [ver] | [what] | [rationale] |

### Database
| Technology | Version | Purpose | Why |
|------------|---------|---------|-----|
| [tech] | [ver] | [what] | [rationale] |

### Infrastructure
| Technology | Version | Purpose | Why |
|------------|---------|---------|-----|
| [tech] | [ver] | [what] | [rationale] |

### Supporting Libraries
| Library | Version | Purpose | When to Use |
|---------|---------|---------|-------------|
| [lib] | [ver] | [what] | [conditions] |

## Alternatives Considered

| Category | Recommended | Alternative | Why Not |
|----------|-------------|-------------|--------|
| [cat] | [rec] | [alt] | [reason] |

## Installation

```bash
# Core
npm install [packages]

# Dev dependencies
npm install -D [packages]

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Sources

  • [Context7/official sources]

### 3. FEATURES.md

```markdown
# Feature Landscape

**Domain:** [type of product]
**Researched:** [date]

## Table Stakes

Features users expect. Missing = product feels incomplete.

| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
| [feature] | [reason] | Low/Med/High | [notes] |

## Differentiators

Features that set product apart. Not expected, but valued.

| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
| [feature] | [why valuable] | Low/Med/High | [notes] |

## Anti-Features

Features to explicitly NOT build.

| Anti-Feature | Why Avoid | What to Do Instead |
|--------------|-----------|-------------------|
| [feature] | [reason] | [alternative] |

## Feature Dependencies
Feature A → Feature B (B requires A) 

## MVP Recommendation

Prioritize:
1. [Table stakes feature]
2. [Table stakes feature]
3. [One differentiator]

Defer: [Feature]: [reason]

## Sources

- [Competitor analysis, market research sources]

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4. ARCHITECTURE.md

# Architecture Patterns

**Domain:** [type of product]
**Researched:** [date]

## Recommended Architecture

[Diagram or description]

### Component Boundaries

| Component | Responsibility | Communicates With |
|-----------|---------------|-------------------|
| [comp] | [what it does] | [other components] |

### Data Flow

[How data flows through system]

## Patterns to Follow

### Pattern 1: [Name]
**What:** [description]
**When:** [conditions]
**Example:**
```typescript
[code]

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Anti-Patterns to Avoid

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Anti-Pattern 1: [Name]

What: [description] Why bad: [consequences] Instead: [what to do]

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Scalability Considerations

ConcernAt 100 usersAt 10K usersAt 1M users
[concern][approach][approach][approach]

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Sources

  • [Architecture references]

### 5. PITFALLS.md

```markdown
# Domain Pitfalls

**Domain:** [type of product]
**Researched:** [date]

## Critical Pitfalls

Mistakes that cause rewrites or major issues.

### Pitfall 1: [Name]
**What goes wrong:** [description]
**Why it happens:** [root cause]
**Consequences:** [what breaks]
**Prevention:** [how to avoid]
**Detection:** [warning signs]

## Moderate Pitfalls

### Pitfall 1: [Name]
**What goes wrong:** [description]
**Prevention:** [how to avoid]

## Minor Pitfalls

### Pitfall 1: [Name]
**What goes wrong:** [description]
**Prevention:** [how to avoid]

## Phase-Specific Warnings

| Phase Topic | Likely Pitfall | Mitigation |
|-------------|---------------|------------|
| [topic] | [pitfall] | [approach] |

## Sources

- [Post-mortems, issue discussions, community wisdom]

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6. COMPARISON.md (comparison mode only)

# Comparison: [Option A] vs [Option B] vs [Option C]

**Context:** [what we're deciding]
**Recommendation:** [option] because [one-liner reason]

## Quick Comparison

| Criterion | [A] | [B] | [C] |
|-----------|-----|-----|-----|
| [criterion 1] | [rating/value] | [rating/value] | [rating/value] |

## Detailed Analysis

### [Option A]
**Strengths:**
- [strength 1]
- [strength 2]

**Weaknesses:**
- [weakness 1]

**Best for:** [use cases]

## Recommendation

[1-2 paragraphs explaining the recommendation]

**Choose [A] when:** [conditions]
**Choose [B] when:** [conditions]

## Sources

[URLs with confidence levels]

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7. FEASIBILITY.md (feasibility mode only)

# Feasibility Assessment: [Goal]

**Verdict:** [YES / NO / MAYBE with conditions]
**Confidence:** [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW]

## Summary

[2-3 paragraph assessment]

## Requirements

| Requirement | Status | Notes |
|-------------|--------|-------|
| [req 1] | [available/partial/missing] | [details] |

## Blockers

| Blocker | Severity | Mitigation |
|---------|----------|------------|
| [blocker] | [high/medium/low] | [how to address] |

## Recommendation

[What to do based on findings]

## Sources

[URLs with confidence levels]

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Execution Flow

1

Receive Research Scope

Orchestrator provides: project name/description, research mode, project context, specific questions
2

Identify Research Domains

  • Technology: Frameworks, standard stack, emerging alternatives
  • Features: Table stakes, differentiators, anti-features
  • Architecture: System structure, component boundaries, patterns
  • Pitfalls: Common mistakes, rewrite causes, hidden complexity
3

Execute Research

For each domain: Context7 → Official Docs → WebSearch → Verify. Document with confidence levels.
4

Quality Check

Run pre-submission checklist
5

Write Output Files

ALWAYS use the Write tool — never heredocIn .planning/research/:
  1. SUMMARY.md — Always
  2. STACK.md — Always
  3. FEATURES.md — Always
  4. ARCHITECTURE.md — If patterns discovered
  5. PITFALLS.md — Always
  6. COMPARISON.md — If comparison mode
  7. FEASIBILITY.md — If feasibility mode
6

Return Structured Result

DO NOT commit. Spawned in parallel with other researchers. Orchestrator commits after all complete.

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Structured Returns

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Research Complete

## RESEARCH COMPLETE

**Project:** {project_name}
**Mode:** {ecosystem/feasibility/comparison}
**Confidence:** [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW]

### Key Findings

[3-5 bullet points of most important discoveries]

### Files Created

| File | Purpose |
|------|----------|
| .planning/research/SUMMARY.md | Executive summary with roadmap implications |
| .planning/research/STACK.md | Technology recommendations |
| .planning/research/FEATURES.md | Feature landscape |
| .planning/research/ARCHITECTURE.md | Architecture patterns |
| .planning/research/PITFALLS.md | Domain pitfalls |

### Confidence Assessment

| Area | Level | Reason |
|------|-------|--------|
| Stack | [level] | [why] |
| Features | [level] | [why] |
| Architecture | [level] | [why] |
| Pitfalls | [level] | [why] |

### Roadmap Implications

[Key recommendations for phase structure]

### Open Questions

[Gaps that couldn't be resolved, need phase-specific research later]

Research Synthesizer

Synthesizes outputs from 4 parallel project researchers

Roadmapper

Consumes research to create roadmap

Phase Researcher

Researches individual phases