--- name: search-first description: "Research-before-coding workflow: search npm/PyPI, MCP servers, skills, and GitHub for existing tools before writing custom code, then adopt, extend, or build. Launches the researcher agent for non-trivial needs. Use when starting a feature, adding a dependency or integration, or about to write a utility that may already exist." metadata: origin: ECC title: search-first canonical_url: https://skilld.dev/gh/affaan-m/ecc/search-first last_updated: 2026-10-03T00:03:21.000Z --- > Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://skilld.dev/llms.txt) > **Skill from skilld.dev.** Follow the user's requested action. > If the user asked to fork this Skill, follow the fork workflow below. Do not execute the Skill instructions while copying it. > Otherwise, follow the instructions below for this session. You do not need to install anything. > > If the user asked to install this Skill, run `npx skilld install affaan-m/ecc/search-first`. Install writes the Skill files into the project, so every session loads them. > > ## Fork workflow > > A fork creates an editable local Skill with its original author and licence. The request authorizes copying and local installation. > 1. Check `./skills/search-first`, the project lockfile, and selected Agent targets together. If the local directory or installed Skill exists, stop. Never overwrite an existing directory or Agent target. > 2. Read [source metadata](https://skilld.dev/api/v1/skills/affaan-m/ecc/search-first) once. Use sourceUrl, sourceCommit, skillPath, sourceGone, and license. If the source is gone or its path is missing, stop. If license is null, read licence files at the source commit. > 3. Fetch only the source commit into a temporary Git repository. Do not clone full history. Derive repository_url from sourceUrl, including repository renames. If sourceCommit is absent, resolve the sourceUrl ref once. Set source_commit to that actual commit. Run these commands in one shell call: > > ```sh > git init --quiet "$temporary_dir" > git -C "$temporary_dir" fetch --quiet --depth=1 "$repository_url" "$source_commit" > git -C "$temporary_dir" checkout --quiet --detach FETCH_HEAD > ``` > > Read applicable licence declarations and notices at that commit. If copying is not permitted, report the restriction and stop. > 4. Inspect source entries together, then copy the directory containing skillPath into `./skills/search-first`. Use the user's path if selected. Keep the original SKILL.md, relative links, scripts, binary assets, and executable modes. Exclude .git metadata. Reject symlinks and paths outside the Skill directory. After checking entries, use cp -a where available. A regular source directory needs no custom copy script. Do not save this page wrapper as SKILL.md. > Preserve author credit, notices, and applicable licence files from repository or parent directories. Add PROVENANCE.md with the Skill page, source URL, actual commit, original path, and licence. Retain any existing PROVENANCE.md and record new provenance separately. Batch source inspection, copying, and provenance work where practical. > 5. In the project root, run `skilld install ./skills/search-first --mode copy --plain`. If skilld is unavailable, use `npx skilld install ./skills/search-first --mode copy --plain`. This known command needs no help lookup. Install does not support --json. Use detected Agent targets, or add --agent for the targets the user selected. Install the local path, never the upstream selector. If installation fails, preserve the local copy and report the exact failure. > 6. Confirm the local lockfile source and installed Agent copies once. Report the local path, actual commit, and Agent targets. After edits, reinstall the same local path. Upstream updates must not replace it. Do not publish or push unless the user asks. # /search-first — Research Before You Code Systematizes the "search for existing solutions before implementing" workflow. ## Trigger Use this skill when: - Starting a new feature that likely has existing solutions - Adding a dependency or integration - The user asks "add X functionality" and you're about to write code - Before creating a new utility, helper, or abstraction ## Workflow ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ 0. TOOL AVAILABILITY PREFLIGHT │ │ Check search channels before relying on │ │ them; report skipped channels honestly │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 1. NEED ANALYSIS │ │ Define what functionality is needed │ │ Identify language/framework constraints │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 2. PARALLEL SEARCH (researcher agent) │ │ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │ │ │ npm / │ │ MCP / │ │ GitHub / │ │ │ │ PyPI │ │ Skills │ │ Web │ │ │ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 3. EVALUATE │ │ Score candidates (functionality, maint, │ │ community, docs, license, deps) │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 4. DECIDE │ │ ┌─────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │ │ │ Adopt │ │ Extend │ │ Build │ │ │ │ as-is │ │ /Wrap │ │ Custom │ │ │ └─────────┘ └──────────┘ └─────────┘ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 5. IMPLEMENT │ │ Install package / Configure MCP / │ │ Write minimal custom code │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ## Decision Matrix | Signal | Action | |--------|--------| | Exact match, well-maintained, MIT/Apache | **Adopt** — install and use directly | | Partial match, good foundation | **Extend** — install + write thin wrapper | | Multiple weak matches | **Compose** — combine 2-3 small packages | | Nothing suitable found | **Build** — write custom, but informed by research | ## How to Use ### Step 0: Tool Availability Preflight This is agent guidance, not an executable setup script. Check only the channels that are relevant to the task and project in front of you. | Channel | Check | If missing | |---------|-------|------------| | Repository search | `rg --files` and targeted `rg` queries | State that only visible files were inspected | | Package registry | `npm --version`, `python -m pip --version`, or project package manager | Use web/docs search and avoid claiming registry coverage | | GitHub CLI | `gh auth status` | Use public web or local git history only | | MCP/docs tools | Available tool list or local MCP config | Fall back to official docs/web search | | Skills directory | `ls ~/.claude/skills ~/.codex/skills` where applicable | Say no local skill catalog was available | ### Quick Mode (inline) Before writing a utility or adding functionality, mentally run through: 0. Does this already exist in the repo? → `rg` through relevant modules/tests first 1. Is this a common problem? → Search npm/PyPI 2. Is there an MCP for this? → Check `~/.claude/settings.json` and search 3. Is there a skill for this? → Check `~/.claude/skills/` 4. Is there a GitHub implementation/template? → Run GitHub code search for maintained OSS before writing net-new code ### Full Mode (agent) For non-trivial functionality, launch the researcher agent: ``` Agent(subagent_type="general-purpose", prompt=" Research existing tools for: [DESCRIPTION] Language/framework: [LANG] Constraints: [ANY] Search: npm/PyPI, MCP servers, Claude Code skills, GitHub Return: Structured comparison with recommendation ") ``` Older Claude Code docs may call this `Task(...)`; use the current agent/subagent tool name exposed by the active harness. ## Search Shortcuts by Category ### Development Tooling - Linting → `eslint`, `ruff`, `textlint`, `markdownlint` - Formatting → `prettier`, `black`, `gofmt` - Testing → `jest`, `pytest`, `go test` - Pre-commit → `husky`, `lint-staged`, `pre-commit` ### AI/LLM Integration - Claude SDK → Context7 for latest docs - Prompt management → Check MCP servers - Document processing → `unstructured`, `pdfplumber`, `mammoth` ### Data & APIs - HTTP clients → `httpx` (Python), `ky`/`undici` (Node) - Validation → `zod` (TS), `pydantic` (Python) - Database → Check for MCP servers first ### Content & Publishing - Markdown processing → `remark`, `unified`, `markdown-it` - Image optimization → `sharp`, `imagemin` ## Integration Points ### With planner agent The planner should invoke researcher before Phase 1 (Architecture Review): - Researcher identifies available tools - Planner incorporates them into the implementation plan - Avoids "reinventing the wheel" in the plan ### With architect agent The architect should consult researcher for: - Technology stack decisions - Integration pattern discovery - Existing reference architectures ### With iterative-retrieval skill Combine for progressive discovery: - Cycle 1: Broad search (npm, PyPI, MCP) - Cycle 2: Evaluate top candidates in detail - Cycle 3: Test compatibility with project constraints ## Examples ### Example 1: "Add dead link checking" ``` Need: Check markdown files for broken links Search: npm "markdown dead link checker" Found: textlint-rule-no-dead-link (score: 9/10) Action: ADOPT — npm install textlint-rule-no-dead-link Result: Zero custom code, battle-tested solution ``` ### Example 2: "Add HTTP client wrapper" ``` Need: Resilient HTTP client with retries and timeout handling Search: npm "http client retry", PyPI "httpx retry" Found: got (Node) with retry plugin, httpx (Python) with built-in retry Action: ADOPT — use got/httpx directly with retry config Result: Zero custom code, production-proven libraries ``` ### Example 3: "Add config file linter" ``` Need: Validate project config files against a schema Search: npm "config linter schema", "json schema validator cli" Found: ajv-cli (score: 8/10) Action: ADOPT + EXTEND — install ajv-cli, write project-specific schema Result: 1 package + 1 schema file, no custom validation logic ``` ## Anti-Patterns - **Jumping to code**: Writing a utility without checking if one exists - **Ignoring MCP**: Not checking if an MCP server already provides the capability - **Silent skipping**: Reporting "nothing found" when a search channel was unavailable - **Over-customizing**: Wrapping a library so heavily it loses its benefits - **Dependency bloat**: Installing a massive package for one small feature