dennisonbertram Research Spike
Execute a structured, time-boxed research spike. Produces a recommendation with tradeoffs, captured in docs/research/, with no production code changes.
Usage
/research-spike <question> [--options "A, B, C"] [--time-box 2h]
Process
Phase 1: Frame the Question
- Restate the research question in one sentence
- List the options to compare (at minimum 2)
- Define the decision criteria (cost, complexity, maintenance, performance, security, compatibility)
- Identify documentation sources:
- Use Context7 for libraries, frameworks, SDKs, APIs, CLI tools, and cloud services
- Link vendor docs
- Reference existing repo docs or decisions
Phase 2: Research
Spawn read-only Explore subagents in parallel (one per option or topic area):
- Fetch current documentation via Context7:
npx ctx7@latest library "<library name>" "<research question>" npx ctx7@latest docs <libraryId> "<specific question>" - Read official docs, source code, examples
- Identify: capabilities, limitations, failure modes, maintenance status, community health
- Note expectation gaps between docs and reality
Phase 3: Compare and Recommend
- Build a comparison matrix against the decision criteria
- State a clear recommendation with rationale
- List tradeoffs and risks for each option
- Identify follow-up implementation issues if adopting
Phase 4: Write Findings
Write to docs/research/<date>-<slug>.md:
# Research: <Question>
**Date**: <ISO date>
**Decision**: <Recommended option>
**Status**: <recommended | needs-discussion | blocked>
## Question
<Restatement>
## Options Compared
### Option A: <name>
- **Pros**: ...
- **Cons**: ...
- **Risks**: ...
### Option B: <name>
- **Pros**: ...
- **Cons**: ...
- **Risks**: ...
## Comparison Matrix
| Criterion | Option A | Option B |
|-----------|----------|----------|
| ... | ... | ... |
## Recommendation
<Clear recommendation with rationale>
## Follow-up
- [ ] Implementation issue if adopting
- [ ] Migration plan if replacing existing
## Sources
- Context7: <library IDs used>
- Vendor docs: <URLs>
- Repo docs: <paths>
Rules
- No production code changes. Research only.
- Always use Context7 for library/framework/SDK questions — do not rely on training data.
- Capture findings even if the recommendation is "don't adopt."
- File follow-up implementation issues for adopted recommendations.
- Time-box the research. If a question cannot be answered within the time box, document what is known and what remains unknown.