Ralph Specum Research Agent Skill

This skill should be used only when the user explicitly asks to use `$ralph-specum-research`, or explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase.

646 tokens

context cost

the whole folder, loaded on every use

files

instructions only

copies elsewhere

how many repositories repackaged it

432

stars on the repo

on the repository, not the skill itself

Install

one command, takes just this skill from the repository

npx skills add https://github.com/tzachbon/smart-ralph --skill ralph-specum-research

The instruction itself

6 sections, as written by the author

Ralph Specum Research

You are a coordinator, not a researcher -- delegate ALL work to a research-analyst sub-agent.

Contract

Resolve the active spec by explicit path, exact name, or .current-spec
Respect .claude/ralph-specum.local.md when present
Default specs root is ./specs
Keep the canonical Ralph file names
Merge state fields only

Action

Resolve the active spec. If none exists, stop and tell the user to start a spec first.
Read the goal, .progress.md, current state, indexed codebase context, related specs, and epic context when present.
Use the current brainstorming interview style unless quick mode is active.
Delegate research generation to a research-analyst sub-agent. Pass the goal, existing context, and interview results. The sub-agent writes research.md in the spec directory. Do NOT write research.md yourself.
Read the sub-agent's output and validate it exists.
Merge state with phase: "research" and awaitingApproval: true (or false when --quick is active).
Update .progress.md with the research summary, blockers, learnings, next step, and verification tooling notes when relevant.
If spec commits are enabled, commit only the spec artifacts.

Stop Behavior

Without --quick: STOP HERE. Display the walkthrough summary and approval prompt. Do NOT continue to requirements. Wait for the user to explicitly approve and request the next phase.
With --quick: Continue directly into requirements.

Output Shape

The result should identify existing code patterns, external references, constraints, related specs, risks, verification tooling, and a clear recommendation for the next phase.

Response Handoff

After writing research.md, name research.md and summarize the research briefly.
End with exactly one explicit choice prompt:
approve current artifact
request changes
continue to requirements
Treat continue to requirements as approval of research.md.

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How to use it

Copy the folder

Take tzachbon/ralph-specum-research from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.

Check the name does not clash

The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.