Note: This is a standalone research command. For most workflows, use {{COMMAND_PREFIX}}plan-phase which integrates research automatically.

Use this command when:

• You want to research without planning yet

• You want to re-research after planning is complete

• You need to investigate before deciding if a phase is feasible

Orchestrator role: Parse phase, validate against roadmap, check existing research, gather context, spawn researcher agent, present results.

Why subagent: Research burns context fast (WebSearch, Context7 queries, source verification). Fresh 200k context for investigation. Main context stays lean for user interaction.

Normalize phase input in step 1 before any directory lookups.

0. Initialize Context

INIT=$(node {{PLATFORM_ROOT}}/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs init phase-op "$ARGUMENTS")

Extract from init JSON: phase_dir , phase_number , phase_name , phase_found , commit_docs , has_research , state_path , requirements_path , context_path , research_path .

Resolve researcher model:

RESEARCHER_MODEL=$(node {{PLATFORM_ROOT}}/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs resolve-model gsd-phase-researcher --raw)

1. Validate Phase

PHASE_INFO=$(node {{PLATFORM_ROOT}}/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs roadmap get-phase "${phase_number}")

If found is false: Error and exit. If found is true: Extract phase_number , phase_name , goal from JSON.

2. Check Existing Research

ls .planning/phases/${PHASE}-*/RESEARCH.md 2>/dev/null

If exists: Offer: 1) Update research, 2) View existing, 3) Skip. Wait for response.

If doesn't exist: Continue.

3. Gather Phase Context

Use paths from INIT (do not inline file contents in orchestrator context):

• requirements_path

• context_path

• state_path

Present summary with phase description and what files the researcher will load.

4. Spawn gsd-phase-researcher Agent

Research modes: ecosystem (default), feasibility, implementation, comparison.

<research_type> Phase Research — investigating HOW to implement a specific phase well. </research_type>

<key_insight> The question is NOT "which library should I use?"

The question is: "What do I not know that I don't know?"

For this phase, discover:

• What's the established architecture pattern?
• What libraries form the standard stack?
• What problems do people commonly hit?
• What's SOTA vs what Claude's training thinks is SOTA?
• What should NOT be hand-rolled? </key_insight>

<objective> Research implementation approach for Phase {phase_number}: {phase_name} Mode: ecosystem </objective>

<files_to_read>

• {requirements_path} (Requirements)
• {context_path} (Phase context from discuss-phase, if exists)
• {state_path} (Prior project decisions and blockers) </files_to_read>

<additional_context> Phase description: {phase_description} </additional_context>

<downstream_consumer> Your RESEARCH.md will be loaded by {{COMMAND_PREFIX}}plan-phase which uses specific sections:

• ## Standard Stack → Plans use these libraries
• ## Architecture Patterns → Task structure follows these
• ## Don't Hand-Roll → Tasks NEVER build custom solutions for listed problems
• ## Common Pitfalls → Verification steps check for these
• ## Code Examples → Task actions reference these patterns

Be prescriptive, not exploratory. "Use X" not "Consider X or Y." </downstream_consumer>

<quality_gate> Before declaring complete, verify:

• All domains investigated (not just some)
• Negative claims verified with official docs
• Multiple sources for critical claims
• Confidence levels assigned honestly
• Section names match what plan-phase expects </quality_gate>

<output> Write to: .planning/phases/${PHASE}-{slug}/${PHASE}-RESEARCH.md </output>

Task( prompt="First, read {{PLATFORM_ROOT}}/agents/gsd-phase-researcher.md for your role and instructions.\n\n" + filled_prompt, subagent_type="general-purpose", model="{researcher_model}", description="Research Phase {phase}" )

5. Handle Agent Return

RESEARCH COMPLETE

: Display summary, offer: Plan phase, Dig deeper, Review full, Done.

CHECKPOINT REACHED

: Present to user, get response, spawn continuation.

RESEARCH INCONCLUSIVE

: Show what was attempted, offer: Add context, Try different mode, Manual.

6. Spawn Continuation Agent

<objective> Continue research for Phase {phase_number}: {phase_name} </objective>

<prior_state> <files_to_read>

• .planning/phases/${PHASE}-{slug}/${PHASE}-RESEARCH.md (Existing research) </files_to_read> </prior_state>

<checkpoint_response> Type: {checkpoint_type} Response: {user_response} </checkpoint_response>

Task( prompt="First, read {{PLATFORM_ROOT}}/agents/gsd-phase-researcher.md for your role and instructions.\n\n" + continuation_prompt, subagent_type="general-purpose", model="{researcher_model}", description="Continue research Phase {phase}" )

<success_criteria>

• Phase validated against roadmap

• Existing research checked

• gsd-phase-researcher spawned with context

• Checkpoints handled correctly

• User knows next steps </success_criteria>