# Skilless.ai Research
> Fetch internet content or conduct deep multi-source research. Quick access: search the web, read pages, extract video transcripts/subtitles from YouTube/TikTok/Twitter/Twitch/Vimeo/Bilibili/1700+ sites via yt-dlp, convert and compress media via FFmpeg. Deep research: collect multi-source data, cross-check facts, produce structured reports. Triggers: 下载, 获取, 提取, 下载字幕, 下载视频, 转换, 压缩, read web, fetch, search, research, investigate, YouTube, Bilibili, TikTok, Twitter, Twitch, Vimeo, Dailymotion, media, convert, compress, 抓取.
- Skill: `brikerman/skilless-ai-research` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add brikerman/skilless-ai-research`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/brikerman/skilless-ai-research/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: BrikerMan (https://skillmd.com/u/brikerman)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/brikerman/skilless-ai-research
---
# Research Skill
Fetch internet content or conduct deep multi-source research.
## Routing Table
| Trigger words | Tool | Purpose |
| ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| search, find, look up | `search.py` | Web, docs, news lookup |
| read, fetch, get page | `web.py` | Extract page text |
| download, extract, subtitles, transcript | `youtube.py` / `yt-dlp` | Video subtitles and metadata |
| convert, compress, encode, ffmpeg | `ffmpeg.py` | Media format conversion |
| research, investigate, analyze, compare | Multi-tool workflow | Deep multi-source research |
When the user intent is ambiguous, ask one clarifying question before proceeding.
---
## Research Depth Levels
Not every request needs a full investigation. Choose the appropriate depth based on complexity, or **ask the user** if unclear.
> **"Round" = one cycle of parallel tool calls.** A single round can fire 3-5 searches/reads in parallel. Rounds are sequential — each round builds on what you learned in the previous one.
| Level | When to use | Minimum effort |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **L1 — Quick lookup** | Single fact, definition, simple question | 1 round, 1-2 searches |
| **L2 — Focused research** | Comparison, how-to, specific topic | 2-3 rounds, 2+ page reads, basic fact-check |
| **L3 — Deep investigation** | Multi-faceted analysis, market research, technical evaluation | **5+ rounds**, 5+ page reads, task list mandatory, full fact-check |
**Decision guide:**
- If the question can be answered with a single search result → **L1**
- If it involves comparing options or understanding a topic in depth → **L2**
- If it requires multiple perspectives, data synthesis, or the user explicitly says "research" / "investigate" / "deep dive" / "深度" → **L3**
- **If you cannot determine the level, ask the user:** "This could be a quick lookup or a deeper investigation — how thorough would you like me to be?"
---
## Research Workflow (L2 and L3)
### Step 1 — Define Scope
Before searching, clarify:
- What is the core question? What does the user actually need to know?
- What source types are needed — official docs, news, academic papers, user reviews?
- What dimensions matter (price, performance, compatibility, recency...)?
- How confident does the conclusion need to be?
If any of the above is unclear, **ask the user** before proceeding.
### Step 2 — Create Research Plan (L3 mandatory, L2 recommended)
**Decompose the task into research dimensions** — each dimension is an independent angle of investigation. Use `todo`, `tasks`, `todowrite`, or equivalent tool to create a visible task list.
Example — "深度检索 AI coding 领域的创业公司，区分海内外，并简单判断投资潜力":
```
[ ] 1. 海外 AI coding 创业公司全景 (who, what, founded when)
[ ] 2. 国内 AI coding 创业公司全景
[ ] 3. 各公司融资情况、投资方、估值
[ ] 4. 产品对比：功能、定价、目标用户
[ ] 5. 市场格局和竞争态势
[ ] 6. 投资潜力评估（团队、技术壁垒、增长、风险）
```
**Rules:**
- L3 must have **at least 3 dimensions**, typically 4-6
- Each dimension will get its own dedicated search round(s)
- Do NOT skip this step — a task list forces thoroughness
### Step 3 — Execute Per-Dimension (Multi-Round Search)
**Execute each dimension as a focused investigation cycle:**
For each dimension in the task list:
1. **Mark in-progress** — Before starting a dimension, update its todo status to `in-progress`
2. **Search** — Fire 1-3 parallel searches targeting this specific dimension
3. **Read** — Open and read the most relevant sources from search results
4. **Record** — Extract key data points and note sources
5. **Mark complete** — Immediately after finishing a dimension, mark it `completed` in the todo list
6. **Adapt** — If new sub-questions, gaps, or unexpected angles emerge, **add new todo items** to the list before moving on; do not silently absorb them
**Dynamic todo updates are mandatory throughout execution:**
- Never batch completions — mark each item done the moment it is finished
- If a dimension turns out to be larger than expected, split it into sub-items
- If a dimension turns out to be irrelevant, mark it `skipped` with a one-line reason
- The todo list is a live document — the user should always be able to glance at it and understand what has been done and what remains
**Search angle variety within each round:**
- **Broad terms** — Get the landscape, find authoritative sources
- **Specific terms** — Target precise data (version numbers, prices, specs)
- **Contrarian terms** — Search for "problems", "downsides", "alternatives", "vs" to find critical perspectives
- **Recency terms** — Add year or "2025" to filter outdated content
- **Multi-language** — Search in both English and Chinese when relevant
**Parallelism:** Within a single round, fire multiple tool calls in parallel (e.g., 3 searches at once, or 2 searches + 1 web read). Each round should maximize parallel execution.
L3 research MUST NOT proceed to synthesis (Step 5) until:
- At least **5 rounds** of tool calls have been executed
- At least **3 dimensions** have been independently investigated
- At least **5 pages** have been fully read (not just search snippets)
If you have not met these minimums, keep researching. Do NOT shortcut.
### Step 4 — Fact-Check
**Do not skip this step.**
- Cross-verify key data from multiple independent sources (aim for 2-3; more for L3)
- If only a single source exists, explicitly note: "Based on a single source — not independently verified"
- When sources contradict each other:
1. Identify the reason (timing difference? different versions? conflicting interests?)
2. State which source is more credible and why
3. **If you cannot resolve the contradiction, present both sides and ask the user** how they want to proceed
- Distinguish **facts** from **opinions** — opinions may be cited but must not be stated as facts
- Never fabricate or assume unverified data — say "insufficient evidence" instead
### Step 5 — Synthesize Output
- **Conclusion first** — Lead with the most important finding or recommendation, then expand
- **Cite every data point** with `[1]`, `[2]`, etc., so the reader can verify
- **Be honest about uncertainty** — If evidence is limited, say so; do not force a conclusion
- End with a full source list
---
## Contradiction and Uncertainty Handling
When you encounter any of the following during research, **do not silently resolve it — surface it to the user:**
| Situation | Action |
| -------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Sources contradict each other on key data | Present both claims with sources, explain possible reasons, ask user which direction to prioritize |
| A critical piece of information cannot be verified | State what you found and what is missing, ask if the user wants to proceed or dig deeper |
| The scope is ambiguous or too broad | Ask a scoping question before investing effort |
| Research is turning up very little | Report what you found so far, ask if the user can provide additional context or alternative keywords |
| User's assumption appears to be incorrect | Politely flag the discrepancy with evidence, ask for confirmation before proceeding |
**Format for follow-up questions:**
> ⚠️ **Needs clarification:** [concise description of the issue]
>
> **Options:**
> 1. [Option A]
> 2. [Option B]
>
> Which would you prefer, or would you like me to handle it differently?
---
## Error Handling
When a tool fails, follow this protocol — **never silently fail or fabricate content:**
| Error | Action |
|-------|--------|
| `search.py` returns empty results | Retry with rephrased keywords or different language, up to 3 attempts. If still empty, inform user and suggest alternative search terms. |
| `web.py` extraction fails (anti-bot, paywall, timeout) | Inform user the page is inaccessible. Try searching for a cached or alternative version. |
| `youtube.py` / `yt-dlp` fails | Check URL format. If "Sign in to confirm you're not a bot" or timeout: suggest enabling TUN mode proxy, or trying `--cookies-from-browser chrome`, or using a Bilibili alternative. Report the specific error to user. |
| `ffmpeg.py` fails | Report the error message. Check input format compatibility. Suggest alternative format if applicable. |
| Any unknown error | Run `doctor` to diagnose, report findings to user, do not guess. |
**Core principle:** If a tool fails and you cannot recover, tell the user what happened, what you tried, and suggest next steps. Never pretend it succeeded.
---
## Output Format
**Strict portable Markdown only.** The output must render correctly in any Markdown editor (GitHub, Obsidian, Typora, VS Code, etc.).
### Rules
1. **No HTML tags** — no ` `, `
`, `
`, ``, ``, or any HTML whatsoever
2. **Table cells must be single-line plain text** — no line breaks, no nested lists, no multi-line content inside a cell
3. If content does not fit single-line table cells, **use a list instead of a table**
4. Use blank lines before and after headings, tables, code blocks, and block quotes to ensure correct parsing
5. Do not use indented code blocks — always use fenced code blocks with triple backticks
### Formatting Toolkit
| Element | Usage |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| **Bold** | Key conclusions, important numbers |
| Lists (`-` or `1.`) | Pros/cons, steps, explanations |
| `✅ ❌ ⚠️` | Supported / not supported / caution |
| `> quote block` | Direct quotes from sources |
| `` `inline code` `` | Tool names, commands, technical terms |
### Table Example (Use Only When Appropriate)
Tables are for **comparing multiple items with short single-line values:**
```markdown
| Product | Price | Offline | Rating |
| ------- | ----- | ------- | ------ |
| A | $99 | ✅ | 4.5/5 |
| B | $199 | ❌ | 4.0/5 |
| C | Free | ✅ | 3.5/5 |
```
**Do not use tables when:** content is single-column, cells need multi-line text, or structure requires nesting.
### Source Citations
Inline: `[1]`, `[2]`, etc.
At the end:
```markdown
## Sources
[1] [Title](URL) — Key data description
[2] [Title](URL)
```
---
## Context Management
- **Long content (>2000 words):** Summarize key information after extraction; do not paste raw content into the response
- **Subtitles:** Download to disk by default — only load into context when the user explicitly asks for content analysis (e.g. "summarize this video", "extract info about X")
- **Multiple pages:** Synthesize and integrate findings; do not stack raw page dumps
---
## CLI Tools Reference
> 📁 **Working directory:** All commands run from `~/.agents/skills/skilless/`.
> The `cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ &&` prefix is shown in full for each command to ensure correct execution.
### Search (Exa AI)
```bash
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run scripts/search.py "your query"
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run scripts/search.py "your query" 10
```
### Web Reader (Jina Reader)
```bash
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run scripts/web.py
```
### Video / Transcript Extractor
**`youtube.py`** — One-step subtitle + metadata extraction (recommended for most cases):
```bash
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run scripts/youtube.py ""
```
**`yt-dlp` direct** — Advanced usage (custom formats, audio-only, subtitle listing):
```bash
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run yt-dlp "URL"
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run yt-dlp --list-subs "URL"
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run yt-dlp --write-subs --write-auto-subs "URL"
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "URL"
```
Supported platforms (1700+ via yt-dlp): YouTube, Bilibili, TikTok, Twitter/X, Twitch, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Niconico, Rumble, Odysee, SoundCloud, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook, and many more.
**Download path rules:**
- **Specific project directory** (e.g. `~/codes/my-project/`) → download to current working directory
- **Home directory (`~`)** or **empty path** → download to `~/Downloads/`
- **Never download to `/tmp`** — requires special permissions, files may auto-delete
**YouTube troubleshooting:**
- "Sign in to confirm you're not a bot" or timeout → enable TUN mode proxy, or try `--cookies-from-browser chrome`, or use Bilibili as alternative
### FFmpeg (Media Converter)
```bash
cd ~/.agents/skills/skilless/ && uv run scripts/ffmpeg.py