learn
Research any topic online and create learning guides. Use when user asks to 'learn about', 'research topic', 'create learning guide', 'build knowledge base', or 'study subject'.
Best use case
learn is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Research any topic online and create learning guides. Use when user asks to 'learn about', 'research topic', 'create learning guide', 'build knowledge base', or 'study subject'.
Teams using learn should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/learn/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How learn Compares
| Feature / Agent | learn | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Research any topic online and create learning guides. Use when user asks to 'learn about', 'research topic', 'create learning guide', 'build knowledge base', or 'study subject'.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# learn
Research any topic by gathering online resources and creating a comprehensive learning guide with RAG-optimized indexes.
## Parse Arguments
```javascript
const args = '$ARGUMENTS'.split(' ').filter(Boolean);
const depth = args.find(a => a.startsWith('--depth='))?.split('=')[1] || 'medium';
const topic = args.filter(a => !a.startsWith('--')).join(' ');
```
## Input
Arguments: `<topic> [--depth=brief|medium|deep]`
- **topic**: Subject to research (required)
- **--depth**: Source gathering depth
- `brief`: 10 sources (quick overview)
- `medium`: 20 sources (default, balanced)
- `deep`: 40 sources (comprehensive)
## Research Methodology
Based on best practices from:
- Anthropic's Context Engineering
- DeepLearning.AI Tool Use Patterns
- Anara's AI Literature Reviews
### 1. Progressive Query Architecture
Use funnel approach to avoid noise from long query lists:
**Broad Phase** (landscape mapping):
```
"{topic} overview introduction"
"{topic} documentation official"
```
**Focused Phase** (core content):
```
"{topic} best practices"
"{topic} examples tutorial"
"{topic} site:stackoverflow.com"
```
**Deep Phase** (advanced, if depth=deep):
```
"{topic} advanced techniques"
"{topic} pitfalls mistakes avoid"
"{topic} 2025 2026 latest"
```
### 2. Source Quality Scoring
Multi-dimensional evaluation (max score: 100):
| Factor | Weight | Max | Criteria |
|--------|--------|-----|----------|
| Authority | 3x | 30 | Official docs (10), recognized expert (8), established site (6), blog (4), random (2) |
| Recency | 2x | 20 | <6mo (10), <1yr (8), <2yr (6), <3yr (4), older (2) |
| Depth | 2x | 20 | Comprehensive (10), detailed (8), overview (6), superficial (4), fragment (2) |
| Examples | 2x | 20 | Multiple code examples (10), one example (6), no examples (2) |
| Uniqueness | 1x | 10 | Unique perspective (10), some overlap (6), duplicate content (2) |
**Selection threshold**: Top N sources by score (N = depth target)
### 3. Just-In-Time Retrieval
Don't pre-load all content (causes context rot):
1. **Collect URLs first** via WebSearch
2. **Score based on metadata** (title, description, URL)
3. **Fetch only selected sources** via WebFetch
4. **Extract summaries** (not full content)
### 4. Content Extraction Guidelines
For each source, extract:
```json
{
"url": "https://...",
"title": "Article Title",
"qualityScore": 85,
"scores": {
"authority": 9,
"recency": 8,
"depth": 7,
"examples": 9,
"uniqueness": 6
},
"keyInsights": [
"Concise insight 1",
"Concise insight 2"
],
"codeExamples": [
{
"language": "javascript",
"description": "Basic usage pattern"
}
],
"extractedAt": "2026-02-05T12:00:00Z"
}
```
**Copyright compliance**: Summaries and insights only, never verbatim paragraphs.
## Output Structure
### Topic Guide Template
Create `agent-knowledge/{slug}.md`:
```markdown
# Learning Guide: {Topic}
**Generated**: {date}
**Sources**: {count} resources analyzed
**Depth**: {brief|medium|deep}
## Prerequisites
What you should know before diving in:
- Prerequisite 1
- Prerequisite 2
## TL;DR
Essential points in 3-5 bullets:
- Key point 1
- Key point 2
- Key point 3
## Core Concepts
### {Concept 1}
{Synthesized explanation from multiple sources}
**Key insight**: {Most important takeaway}
### {Concept 2}
{Synthesized explanation}
## Code Examples
### Basic Example
```{language}
// Description of what this demonstrates
{code}
```
### Advanced Pattern
```{language}
{code}
```
## Common Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Why It Happens | How to Avoid |
|---------|---------------|--------------|
| Issue 1 | Root cause | Prevention strategy |
## Best Practices
Synthesized from {n} sources:
1. **Practice 1**: Explanation
2. **Practice 2**: Explanation
## Further Reading
| Resource | Type | Why Recommended |
|----------|------|-----------------|
| [Title]({url}) | Official Docs | Authoritative reference |
| [Title]({url}) | Tutorial | Step-by-step guide |
---
*Generated by /learn from {count} sources.*
*See `resources/{slug}-sources.json` for full source metadata.*
```
### Master Index Template
Create/update `agent-knowledge/CLAUDE.md`:
```markdown
# Agent Knowledge Base
> Learning guides created by /learn. Reference these when answering questions about listed topics.
## Available Topics
| Topic | File | Sources | Depth | Created |
|-------|------|---------|-------|---------|
| {Topic 1} | {slug1}.md | {n} | medium | 2026-02-05 |
| {Topic 2} | {slug2}.md | {n} | deep | 2026-02-04 |
## Trigger Phrases
Use this knowledge when user asks about:
- "How does {topic1} work?" → {slug1}.md
- "Explain {topic1}" → {slug1}.md
- "{Topic2} best practices" → {slug2}.md
## Quick Lookup
| Keyword | Guide |
|---------|-------|
| recursion | recursion.md |
| hooks, react | react-hooks.md |
## How to Use
1. Check if user question matches a topic
2. Read the relevant guide file
3. Answer based on synthesized knowledge
4. Cite the guide if user asks for sources
```
Copy to `agent-knowledge/AGENTS.md` for OpenCode/Codex.
### Sources Metadata
Create `agent-knowledge/resources/{slug}-sources.json`:
```json
{
"topic": "{original topic}",
"slug": "{slug}",
"generated": "2026-02-05T12:00:00Z",
"depth": "medium",
"totalSources": 20,
"sources": [
{
"url": "https://...",
"title": "...",
"qualityScore": 85,
"scores": {
"authority": 9,
"recency": 8,
"depth": 7,
"examples": 9,
"uniqueness": 6
},
"keyInsights": ["..."]
}
]
}
```
## Self-Evaluation Checklist
Before finalizing, rate output (1-10):
| Metric | Question | Target |
|--------|----------|--------|
| Coverage | Does guide cover main aspects? | ≥7 |
| Diversity | Are sources from diverse types? | ≥6 |
| Examples | Are code examples practical? | ≥7 |
| Accuracy | Confidence in content accuracy? | ≥8 |
**Flag gaps**: Note any important subtopics not covered.
## Enhancement Integration
If enhance=true, invoke after guide creation:
```javascript
// Enhance the topic guide for RAG
Skill({ name: 'enhance-docs', args: `agent-knowledge/${slug}.md --ai` });
// Enhance the master index
Skill({ name: 'enhance-prompts', args: 'agent-knowledge/CLAUDE.md' });
```
## Output Format
Return structured JSON between markers:
```
=== LEARN_RESULT ===
{
"topic": "recursion",
"slug": "recursion",
"depth": "medium",
"guideFile": "agent-knowledge/recursion.md",
"sourcesFile": "agent-knowledge/resources/recursion-sources.json",
"sourceCount": 20,
"sourceBreakdown": {
"officialDocs": 4,
"tutorials": 5,
"stackOverflow": 3,
"blogPosts": 5,
"github": 3
},
"selfEvaluation": {
"coverage": 8,
"diversity": 7,
"examples": 9,
"accuracy": 8,
"gaps": ["tail recursion optimization not covered"]
},
"enhanced": true,
"indexUpdated": true
}
=== END_RESULT ===
```
## Error Handling
| Error | Action |
|-------|--------|
| WebSearch fails | Retry with simpler query |
| WebFetch timeout | Skip source, note in metadata |
| <minSources found | Warn user, proceed with available |
| Enhancement fails | Skip, note in output |
| Index doesn't exist | Create new index |
## Token Budget
Estimated token usage by phase:
| Phase | Tokens | Notes |
|-------|--------|-------|
| WebSearch queries | ~2,000 | 5-8 queries |
| Source scoring | ~1,000 | Metadata only |
| WebFetch extraction | ~40,000 | 20 sources × 2,000 avg |
| Synthesis | ~10,000 | Guide generation |
| Enhancement | ~5,000 | Two skill calls |
| **Total** | ~60,000 | Within opus budget |
## Integration
This skill is invoked by:
- `learn-agent` for `/learn` command
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