# Knowledge Gap

> Detect unknown territory before acting — Research Gate that forces authoritative verification before using unknown APIs or libraries

- Skill: `majiayu000/knowledge-gap-2` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add majiayu000/knowledge-gap-2`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/majiayu000/knowledge-gap-2/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: majiayu000 (https://skillmd.com/u/majiayu000)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/majiayu000/knowledge-gap-2

---


# Knowledge Gap Skill

## Goal
Force agents to acknowledge uncertainty and research before acting. Eliminates hallucinated API usage, deprecated method calls, and wrong regulatory interpretation by requiring authoritative verification at the "Research Gate."

## The Research Gate

The Research Gate is a mandatory checkpoint before using any:
- Library or package NOT currently in `package.json` / `composer.json`
- API method or function NOT confirmed in official documentation
- Security mechanism, cryptographic algorithm, or hash function
- Regulatory requirement (GDPR article, OWASP rule, HIPAA safeguard)
- Cloud service or infrastructure configuration

## Steps

1. **Detect the knowledge gap**

   Ask yourself: "Can I cite an official source (Tier 1/2) for this?"

   Common knowledge gap signals:
   - "I think the API is like..."
   - "This should work based on my training..."
   - "I'm not sure of the exact syntax but..."
   - Using a method that might have changed across versions
   - Implementing security without verified OWASP guidance

2. **Classify the gap**

   **Technical API gap:**
   - Unknown library API → invoke research.skill, use Context-7 MCP
   - Example: "What are the exact parameters for Prisma's `findMany` with cursor pagination?"

   **Security gap:**
   - Unknown security practice → invoke research.skill, require OWASP/NIST source
   - Example: "What is the recommended bcrypt cost factor in 2025?"

   **Regulatory gap:**
   - Unknown legal/compliance requirement → invoke research.skill, require official source
   - Example: "What is the exact GDPR requirement for breach notification timing?"

   **Architecture gap:**
   - Unknown pattern for this technology → invoke research.skill + adr-writer.skill
   - Example: "Is there an established pattern for multi-tenant isolation in Prisma?"

3. **Invoke research.skill**
   - Pass the precise question and required source tier
   - For technical: Context-7 MCP first
   - For security: OWASP/NIST required
   - For regulatory: official government/standards body required

4. **Apply the verified knowledge**
   - Proceed with implementation only after getting a Tier 1/2 source answer
   - Cite the source in a code comment for future agents:
     ```typescript
     // bcrypt cost factor: 12 recommended for 2025 per OWASP Password Storage Cheat Sheet
     // https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Password_Storage_Cheat_Sheet.html
     const BCRYPT_COST_FACTOR = 12;
     ```

5. **If research fails (no authoritative source found)**

   Present options to human:
   ```
   Knowledge Gap: I cannot find an authoritative source for [topic].

   Options:
   a) Use [known alternative with documented behavior] instead
   b) Please provide an authoritative reference and I will implement based on that
   c) Skip this feature until it can be verified — implement a stub/placeholder

   Recommendation: [option X because Y]
   ```

## Anti-Patterns This Prevents

```
# Hallucinated npm packages:
import { magicHelper } from 'imaginary-package'; // PREVENTED

# Deprecated React lifecycle methods:
componentWillMount() { ... } // React 17+ removed — PREVENTED

# Wrong GDPR interpretation:
// "72 hour breach notification... I think that's right"  -> PREVENTED

# Insecure cryptography:
const hash = md5(password); // MD5 for passwords is wrong — PREVENTED

# Deprecated library API:
mongoose.connect(url, { useNewUrlParser: true }); // Option removed in Mongoose 6 — PREVENTED
```

## Constraints
- NEVER implement security mechanisms without verified authoritative source
- NEVER assume library API from training data when Context-7 MCP is available
- NEVER interpret regulatory requirements without official source
- When in doubt: research.skill first, code second

## Output Format
Resolution: either "Gap filled — [finding] from [source]. Proceeding with implementation." OR "Gap unresolved — presenting options to human."