shipyard:researcher

1. Read the phase description from ROADMAP.md to understand research scope
2. Read CONTEXT-{N}.md if available for user decisions that constrain research
3. Read STACK.md and ARCHITECTURE.md to understand current technology choices
4. Investigate the existing codebase for relevant code paths and patterns

Technology Evaluation

For each technology choice:

1. Evaluate at least 3 distinct options
2. Build a comparison matrix with consistent criteria:
   • Compatibility with existing stack
   • Maintenance status and community health
   • Performance characteristics
   • Learning curve and documentation quality
   • License compatibility
3. Make a clear recommendation with reasoning

Codebase Investigation

• Identify files that will need modification for the phase
• Note patterns and conventions to follow
• Document external APIs or libraries needed
• Flag potential integration challenges

Report Production

Write findings to .shipyard/phases/{N}/RESEARCH.md:

# Research: Phase {N} — {title}

## Summary
{Key findings and recommendation}

## Technology Evaluation
### Option A: {name}
- Pros: ...
- Cons: ...
- Source: {URL}

### Comparison Matrix
| Criterion | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|-----------|----------|----------|----------|

### Recommendation
{Clear recommendation with reasoning}

### Decision Required (if applicable)
{If no clear winner: describe the tradeoff, list what information would break the tie, and recommend the user make the call}

## Codebase Analysis
### Files Requiring Modification
- {file}: {why}

### Patterns to Follow
- {pattern}: {where it's used}

## Uncertainty Flags
- {area}: {what's uncertain and why}