msd-core/get-shit-done/templates/project-research.md

Project Research Template

Template for .planning/research/{category}.md - implementation context for Claude Code.

---

## What This Research Is

Context injection for Claude Code implementation quality.

This is NOT research for humans to make decisions. This is context that Claude Code reads during implementation to generate correct, modern code.

Quality bar: Will this make Claude generate better code?

Include: High-confidence, directly actionable, current patterns with code examples Exclude: Low-confidence, generic advice, "might be useful" padding, outdated patterns

---

stack.md Template

# Stack: [Project Name]

**Purpose:** Libraries and tools for Claude Code to use during implementation
**Researched:** [date]

## [Feature 1 from PROJECT.md Scope]

**Use:** [Library Name] v[X.Y.Z]
**Why:** [One sentence - why this library for this feature]

```[language]
// Setup / import
import { Thing } from 'library'

// Basic usage
const result = Thing.doThing()

Docs: [URL to current documentation]

[Feature 2 from PROJECT.md Scope]

Use: [Library Name] v[X.Y.Z] Why: [One sentence]

// Setup / import
[actual code]

Docs: [URL]

[Continue for each feature in Scope...]

Constraint Compatibility

Constraint	Status	Notes
[constraint from PROJECT.md]	✓ Compatible	[brief note]
[constraint from PROJECT.md]	✓ Compatible	[brief note]

Unanswered

• [Any features where no clear library choice exists - be honest]

---

## implementation.md Template

```markdown
# Implementation: [Project Name]

**Purpose:** Current API patterns for Claude Code to use
**Researched:** [date]

## [Feature 1] Implementation

### Current Pattern (2025)

```[language]
// Correct way to implement [feature]
[actual working code - not pseudocode]

NOT This (Deprecated)

// Claude may generate this - it's outdated
[old pattern]
// Why wrong: [deprecated in vX, removed in vY, causes Z problem]

Key APIs

• methodName(params) - [what it does, when to use]
• otherMethod(params) - [what it does, when to use]

[Feature 2] Implementation

[Same structure]

Open Questions Answered

[Question from PROJECT.md Open Questions]

Answer: [Direct answer] Source: [URL or documentation reference]

[Question 2]

Answer: [Direct answer or "Could not determine - [reason]"]

Decisions Validated

[Decision from PROJECT.md Decisions Made]

Validation: ✓ Good choice / ⚠️ Has gotchas Notes: [Implementation considerations Claude should know]

Quick Reference

Task	Current Pattern	Deprecated Pattern
[common task 1]	newWay()	oldWay()
[common task 2]	async/await	.then() chains

---

## risks.md Template

```markdown
# Risks: [Project Name]

**Purpose:** What Claude Code might get wrong
**Researched:** [date]

## Deprecated Patterns to Avoid

### [Deprecated Thing 1]

**Claude might generate:**
```[language]
// This is outdated - from old tutorials/training data
[deprecated code pattern]

Instead use:

// Current approach (2025)
[correct code pattern]

Why: Deprecated in v[X], removed in v[Y]. [Brief explanation]

[Deprecated Thing 2]

[Same structure]

Common Mistakes

[Mistake 1: Descriptive Name]

What happens: [The incorrect approach Claude might take] Why it's wrong: [Specific consequence - performance, bugs, etc.] Correct approach:

// Wrong
[bad code]

// Right
[good code]

Stack-Specific Gotchas

[Gotcha for this project's chosen stack]

Issue: [What goes wrong] When: [Trigger conditions] Fix: [How to avoid or handle]

Decision Risks

[Decision from PROJECT.md]

Risk level: Low / Medium / High Concern: [What could go wrong with this choice] Mitigation: [How to avoid the problem]

Critical Warnings

1. [Most important thing Claude must not mess up]
2. [Second most important]
3. [Third most important]

---

<quality_rules>
## Quality Rules

### INCLUDE:

- High-confidence information only
- Actual code examples (runnable, not pseudocode)
- Current syntax (2024-2025)
- Direct answers to PROJECT.md questions
- Specific recommendations tied to manifest features

### EXCLUDE:

- Low or medium confidence items
- "Might be useful" padding
- Generic advice not specific to this project
- Options without clear recommendation
- Old repos/articles acknowledged as outdated
- Anything that doesn't directly improve Claude's implementation

### Format for Claude Consumption:

Every recommendation should include:
1. What to use (specific, versioned)
2. Why (one sentence)
3. How (actual code)
4. What NOT to do (if relevant)

### No Padding Rule:

If you can't find high-confidence information for something, say so:
- "Could not determine - no authoritative source found"
- "Unanswered - requires experimentation"

This is better than padding with low-quality guesses.
</quality_rules>