# Documentation Research

> Fetch and cite current upstream documentation for every external dependency in scope. ALWAYS use before writing code against an external SDK/framework/API/CLI, during forge Phase 2, or whenever training data may be stale. Produces ISO-8601-stamped source files under evidence/documentation-research/ and a SUMMARY.md citing 3-5 verified facts per source. Refuses memory-only references — every external fact must cite a sources/ file. Use when this capability is needed.

- Skill: `tomevault-io/documentation-research` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/documentation-research`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/documentation-research/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Docs & Writing
- Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/documentation-research

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# documentation-research

Phase 2 of `/shannon:forge`. Grounds every external dependency claim in fetched documentation, not training-data recall.

## Behavior contract

Produces `evidence/documentation-research/<run-id>/` containing:

1. `sources/` — raw markdown of each fetched documentation page, named `<source>-<ISO-8601-timestamp>.md`.
2. `SUMMARY.md` — citing 3-5 verified facts per source, each linking to the local `sources/` filename.
3. `README.md` + `INDEX.md`.

## Methodology

For each external dependency identified by `codebase-analysis`:

1. Prefer `context7` MCP for library docs (current, version-aware).
2. Fall back to `WebFetch` against the canonical docs URL.
3. Save the raw markdown to `sources/<lib>-<timestamp>.md`.
4. In `SUMMARY.md`, write 3-5 facts with `[source: sources/<file>]` inline citations.

## When to use

- Phase 2 of `/shannon:forge`.
- Before any SDK / API integration.
- When training data may be stale (recently released libraries, breaking changes in current major).

## When NOT to use

- Pure internal-codebase work with no external deps.
- Already-fetched docs < 7 days old (cite the existing source file instead).

## Iron rules

- **Refuse memory-only references.** Every external-fact claim must cite a `sources/` file.
- **ISO-8601 timestamps mandatory.** Stale docs are surfaced, not silently used.
- **No invented URLs.** WebFetch only against URLs the user provided or context7 returned.

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> Source: [krzemienski/shannon](https://github.com/krzemienski/shannon) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).
<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-06-15 -->