Keep Current
Ensure responses are accurate and up-to-date by doing targeted research (use helper agents when available) before answering.
When to Research
Research when working with:
- •External dependencies: Libraries, frameworks, languages, SDKs
- •External services: APIs, SaaS products (WorkOS, Stripe, morphllm, etc.)
- •Version-specific topics: Migration guides, breaking changes, version compatibility
- •Time-sensitive topics: Recent developments, trends, "latest" features, deprecations
- •Uncertain knowledge: When not confident in the recency of your answer
What NOT to Research
Skip research for:
- •Language basics: Syntax, core operators, standard data structures
- •Stable APIs: Well-established features that rarely change
- •Universal concepts: Programming patterns, algorithms, design principles
- •Confident knowledge: When certain the answer is in your knowledge base and unchanged
- •General knowledge: Topics that don't depend on recent changes
Rule of thumb: If it's core programming knowledge that hasn't changed in years, don't research it.
Research Assistance
When research is needed, use available research assistance (for example, a general-purpose research agent) to gather up-to-date information:
Provide Context
Include in your prompt:
- •The research question: What specific information is needed
- •Context: What you're building, version requirements, language/framework
- •Scope: Level of detail needed (high-level overview vs deep dive)
- •Constraints: Any specific requirements or limitations
Emphasize Thoroughness
The subagent must:
- •Continue researching until it has a complete, confident understanding
- •Explore multiple sources (official docs, community discussions, examples)
- •Verify information across sources
- •Not return until it has thoroughly researched the topic
- •Provide distilled findings with source URLs
Example Prompt
code
I need to integrate WorkOS for authentication in a Next.js app. Research the current WorkOS documentation to understand: - Integration setup and configuration - SDK usage and code examples - Authentication flow implementation - Common patterns and best practices Thoroughly research this topic. Do not return until you have a complete understanding of how to integrate WorkOS based on current documentation. Provide distilled findings with source URLs.
Using Subagent Results
- •The subagent returns distilled, synthesized information
- •Apply findings to the user's request
- •Reference sources when appropriate
- •If findings are insufficient, ask for more specific research