Memory Research

Research an external subject, synthesize what you find, and create a structured Basic Memory entity — with the user's approval.

When to Use

Explicit triggers:

• - "Research [subject]"
• "Look up [subject]"
• "What do you know about [subject]?"
• "Evaluate [subject]"

Implicit triggers (also activate this skill):

• - A bare name: "Terraform"
• A URL: "https://example.com"
• A name with context: "Acme Corp — saw them at the conference"

Workflow

Step 1: Web Research

Search for current information across multiple sources. Aim for 3-5 searches to build a well-rounded picture:

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What to gather by entity type:

Step 2: Check Existing Knowledge

Before proposing a new entity, search Basic Memory:

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Try name variations — full name, abbreviation, acronym, domain name.

If the entity already exists:

• - Report what you found in Basic Memory alongside your web research
• Offer to update the existing note with new information
• Use edit_note to append new observations or update outdated ones

If the entity doesn't exist, proceed to evaluation.

Step 3: Evaluate and Summarize

Present your findings in a structured summary. Include all relevant information organized by section:

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Evaluation Guidelines

Use hedging language. Web research is a snapshot, not ground truth:

• - "Appears to be", "Based on public information", "Estimated"
• "As of [date]", "According to [source]"
• Never state funding amounts, employee counts, or revenue as exact unless citing a primary source

Don't fabricate. If information isn't available, say so:

• - "Leadership information not publicly available"
• "Funding details not disclosed"

Let the user define relevance. Don't impose a fixed evaluation framework. Instead, highlight facts and let the user draw conclusions. If the user has a specific evaluation rubric (strategic fit, buy/partner/compete, etc.), they'll tell you — apply it when asked.

Step 4: Propose Entity Creation

After presenting the summary, ask for approval:

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If the user provided context with their request ("saw them at the conference"), include that context in the proposed entity.

Step 5: Create the Entity

After approval, create a structured note. Adapt the template to the entity type:

Organization

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Person

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Technology

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Adapt these templates freely. The key elements are: note_type/tags parameters, an overview, structured details, observations with categories, and relations.

Step 6: Store Source Context

If the user provided context with their request, capture it in the entity:

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This context is often the most valuable part — it's the user's relationship to the entity, which web research can't provide.

Guidelines

• - Always web search. Don't rely on training data alone. Research should reflect current, verifiable information.
• Search Basic Memory first. Check for existing entities before creating new ones. Update rather than duplicate.
• Hedge uncertain information. Use qualifiers for estimates, unverified claims, and inferred details.
• Store source URLs. Include the URLs you consulted, either in observations or a Sources section. This enables the user to verify and dig deeper.
• Get approval before creating. Present your findings and let the user decide whether to create the entity and what to include.
• Capture user context. If the user told you why they're researching (met at a conference, evaluating as a vendor, etc.), that context belongs in the entity.
• Don't over-research. 3-5 web searches is usually enough. The goal is a useful knowledge graph entry, not an exhaustive report.
• Link to existing knowledge. Relate the new entity to things already in the knowledge graph. Connections compound value.