Deep research on technical topics using EXA tools with intelligent two-tier caching. Use when user asks to research a topic, investigate best practices, look up information, find patterns, or explore architectures. Also invoked by /research command. Triggers: "research", "look up", "investigate", "deep dive", "find information about", "what are best practices for", "how do others implement".
View on GitHubjoaquimscosta/arkhe-claude-plugins
core
January 23, 2026
Select agents to install to:
npx add-skill https://github.com/joaquimscosta/arkhe-claude-plugins/blob/main/plugins/core/skills/deep-research/SKILL.md -a claude-code --skill deep-researchInstallation paths:
.claude/skills/deep-research/# Deep Research
Coordinate deep technical research with intelligent caching for cross-project reuse and team knowledge sharing.
## Quick Start
When research is needed:
1. **Check cache first** - Read `~/.claude/plugins/research/index.json`
2. **If cached and valid** - Return cached content, note source
3. **If cache miss or expired** - Invoke `deep-researcher` agent
4. **Report findings** - Include cache status and promote suggestion
## Cache Architecture
| Tier | Location | Purpose | Shared |
|------|----------|---------|--------|
| 1 | `~/.claude/plugins/research/` | Fast, cross-project | User only |
| 2 | `docs/research/` | Curated, version controlled | Team |
## Operations
| Operation | Trigger | Action |
|-----------|---------|--------|
| Research | `/research <topic>` or natural language | Check cache → research if needed → cache results |
| Promote | `/research promote <slug>` | Cache → project docs with section markers |
| Refresh | `/research refresh <slug>` | Force re-research, preserve team notes |
| List | `/research list` | Show inventory of cached + promoted |
## Slug Normalization
Convert topics to cache keys:
- "Domain-Driven Design" → `domain-driven-design`
- "DDD" → `domain-driven-design` (via alias)
- "React Hooks" → `react-hooks`
## Output Format
After research, report:
```
## Research: {Topic}
**Cache:** {Hit | Miss | Expired}
**Source:** {Cached | Fresh research}
**Path:** ~/.claude/plugins/research/entries/{slug}/
[Brief summary of findings]
💡 Run `/research promote {slug}` to add to project docs.
```
## Agent Delegation
For actual research execution, delegate to `deep-researcher` agent:
- Has MCP tool access (EXA web search, code context)
- Handles cache read/write operations
- Structures research output consistently
## Additional Resources
- [WORKFLOW.md](WORKFLOW.md) - Detailed process flows
- [EXAMPLES.md](EXAMPLES.md) - Usage examples
- [TROUBLESHOOTING.md](TROUBLESHOOTING.md) - Common issues and solutions