How do I install the Deep Research Skill skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add godstale/deep-research-skill in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Deep Research Skill safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Deep Research Skill?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Deep Research Skill free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Deep Research Skill?

godstale (@godstale) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Deep Research Skill by godstale — Agent Skill

Name: Deep Research Skill
Author: godstale

Deep Research Skill

Multi-phase research agent system that collects data on any topic and generates comprehensive, citation-verified research reports. Use when the user asks to: research a topic, analyze a market, study an industry, investigate policy or regulatory trends, analyze technology trends, or generate any data-driven report. Triggers on requests like "research X", "analyze the Y market", "what are the trends in Z", "research this topic", or any request for a structured research report with sources. Requires AGENTS.md to be present in the working directory for full procedures.

godstale 0081efa 8 files · 40.1 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Research Agent System

Read AGENTS.md in the current working directory for complete per-phase procedures, sub-agent prompts, and verification criteria before starting any research.

Session Start (mandatory)

Check docs/ for folders with incomplete TODO.md -> resume if found, else create new
Create docs/[SLUG]/ -- SLUG is uppercase English words separated by _ (e.g. NIGERIA_COSMETICS)
Write TODO.md using the exact template defined in AGENTS.md (no simplification)
Create LOG.txt with first session-start entry
If SOURCES.md exists in topic folder -> read it before searching

Workflow

Phase 1-A: Broad Search -- 3 Sub-Agents in parallel (SA-1-A, SA-1-B, SA-1-C)
     |
Phase 2-1: First-pass data collection
     |
  [Data sufficiency check]
  Sufficient ---------> Phase 3: Report generation
  Insufficient |                   |
Phase 1-B: Trusted source discovery   Phase 4: Verification
     |                                    |
Phase 1-C: Targeted search          Pass -> done / Fail -> re-run Phase 1 (max 3x)
     |
Phase 2-2: Second-pass collection -> Phase 3 -> Phase 4

Report Language

Default: English
Request written in non-English -> use that language
Explicit override (e.g. "write in Korean") -> use that language
Record language in TODO.md at project creation

Tool Priority

Purpose	1st (free)	2nd (free)	Last resort (credits)
Search	WebSearch	--	firecrawl search
Page fetch	WebFetch	agent-browser / Playwright MCP	firecrawl scrape

Core Rules

Never fabricate numbers, URLs, or sources -- mark as unknown if unclear
Report must use only data in SEARCH_RESULT.md
Every stat must include reference year + source: $2.3B (2023, World Bank)
Never delete existing files -- only append/update
Save TODO.md and LOG.txt before every session end

Files Per Phase

Phase	Files to create/update
Session start	`TODO.md`, `LOG.txt`
Phase 1-A/1-C	`WEB_SEARCH_RAW.md` (append), `TODO.md`
Phase 1-B	`SOURCES.md`
Phase 2	`scraped/[domain]-[date].txt`, `SEARCH_RESULT.md`, `TODO.md`
Phase 3	`REPORT.md`
Phase 4	`VERIFICATION.md`
Every phase	`LOG.txt` (append)

Data Sufficiency (assessed after Phase 2-1)

Sufficient if ALL: 15+ pages collected, core quantitative data present, 2+ independent sources, data within last 3 years.

Insufficient if ANY: fewer than 10 pages, missing core metrics, single source only, data older than 5 years.

For detailed sub-agent prompts, Phase 1-A query groups, Phase 2 extraction targets, REPORT.md structure template, and VERIFICATION.md checklist -> see AGENTS.md.

---name: deep-research-skilldescription: Multi-phase research agent system that collects data on any topic and generates comprehensive, citation-verified research reports. Use when the user asks to: research a topic, analyze a market, study an industry, investigate policy or regulatory trends, analyze technology trends, or generate any data-driven report. Triggers on requests like "research X", "analyze the Y market", "what are the trends in Z", "research this topic", or any request for a structured research report with sources. Requires AGENTS.md to be present in the working directory for full procedures.---# Research Agent SystemRead `AGENTS.md` in the current working directory for complete per-phase procedures, sub-agentprompts, and verification criteria **before starting any research**.## Session Start (mandatory)1. Check `docs/` for folders with incomplete `TODO.md` -> resume if found, else create new2. Create `docs/[SLUG]/` -- SLUG is uppercase English words separated by `_` (e.g. `NIGERIA_COSMETICS`)3. Write `TODO.md` using the **exact template** defined in `AGENTS.md` (no simplification)4. Create `LOG.txt` with first session-start entry5. If `SOURCES.md` exists in topic folder -> read it before searching## Workflow```Phase 1-A: Broad Search -- 3 Sub-Agents in parallel (SA-1-A, SA-1-B, SA-1-C) |Phase 2-1: First-pass data collection | [Data sufficiency check] Sufficient ---------> Phase 3: Report generation Insufficient | |Phase 1-B: Trusted source discovery Phase 4: Verification | |Phase 1-C: Targeted search Pass -> done / Fail -> re-run Phase 1 (max 3x) |Phase 2-2: Second-pass collection -> Phase 3 -> Phase 4```## Report Language- Default: **English**- Request written in non-English -> use that language- Explicit override (e.g. "write in Korean") -> use that language- Record language in `TODO.md` at project creation## Tool Priority| Purpose | 1st (free) | 2nd (free) | Last resort (credits) ||---------|-----------|-----------|----------------------|| Search | WebSearch | -- | firecrawl search || Page fetch | WebFetch | agent-browser / Playwright MCP | firecrawl scrape |## Core Rules1. **Never fabricate numbers, URLs, or sources** -- mark as `unknown` if unclear2. Report must use **only data in `SEARCH_RESULT.md`**3. Every stat must include reference year + source: `$2.3B (2023, World Bank)`4. **Never delete existing files** -- only append/update5. Save `TODO.md` and `LOG.txt` before every session end## Files Per Phase| Phase | Files to create/update ||-------|------------------------|| Session start | `TODO.md`, `LOG.txt` || Phase 1-A/1-C | `WEB_SEARCH_RAW.md` (append), `TODO.md` || Phase 1-B | `SOURCES.md` || Phase 2 | `scraped/[domain]-[date].txt`, `SEARCH_RESULT.md`, `TODO.md` || Phase 3 | `REPORT.md` || Phase 4 | `VERIFICATION.md` || Every phase | `LOG.txt` (append) |## Data Sufficiency (assessed after Phase 2-1)**Sufficient** if ALL: 15+ pages collected, core quantitative data present, 2+ independent sources, data within last 3 years.**Insufficient** if ANY: fewer than 10 pages, missing core metrics, single source only, data older than 5 years.---For detailed sub-agent prompts, Phase 1-A query groups, Phase 2 extraction targets, `REPORT.md`structure template, and `VERIFICATION.md` checklist -> see `AGENTS.md`.

Frequently asked questions