championswimmer/tech-doc-skills/web-research

Use this skill for current technical research with citations.

Tool map

Prefer these MCP tools by name when available:

• exa:web_search_exa — first-pass semantic discovery; best for official docs, product pages, release notes, and likely canonical URLs
• exa:web_fetch_exa — read chosen URLs as markdown
• parallel-search:web_search — run 3-4 distinct query angles in parallel for breadth
• parallel-search:web_fetch — fetch full text for URLs found via parallel search
• perplexity:perplexity_search — ranked URL discovery when Exa is weak or unavailable
• perplexity:perplexity_ask — quick synthesis or cross-check with citations after discovery
• context7:resolve-library-id -> context7:query-docs — library/framework/API docs and code examples

For Claude Code permission syntax, the same tools are usually named mcp__server__tool, for example mcp__exa__web_search_exa.

Default loop

1. Restate the research goal in one sentence.
2. Write 3-5 search angles: official docs, source repo, release notes, comparison, caveats.
3. Start with exa:web_search_exa.
4. Use parallel-search:web_search when one phrasing may miss results.
5. Read real pages with exa:web_fetch_exa or parallel-search:web_fetch; do not rely only on snippets.
6. Use perplexity:perplexity_ask only after reading enough sources to synthesize or cross-check.
7. If the question is library-specific, call context7:resolve-library-id then context7:query-docs.
8. Cite every non-obvious claim and mark uncertainty.

Routing rules

• library or API usage -> Context7 first, then web sources for release notes or ecosystem context
• official docs / changelogs / vendor pages -> Exa first
• broad comparisons or ecosystem scans -> Parallel Search first, then fetch
• quick factual cross-check -> Perplexity ask
• code-heavy topic -> add source repo and API docs; prefer implementation over blogs

Minimum evidence standard

• consequential claim -> 1 official source + 1 corroborating source or implementation reference
• freshness-sensitive claim -> include version or date
• disagreement -> show both sides; do not average them away

References

Load only as needed:

• references/query-patterns.md
• references/tool-failover.md
• references/source-quality.md
• references/rfc-research-output-template.md