Deep Research

End-to-end research workflow that searches the web in parallel tabs, persists raw content and notes to disk as it goes (instead of holding everything in memory), synthesizes findings, and delivers a polished HTML report plus PDF.

When to Apply

Activate when the user asks to research a topic, compare information across sources, investigate something thoroughly, or compile findings from the web.

Workflow

Phase 1 — Clarify & Plan

1. Clarify the research question. If the query is vague, ask the user for specifics: scope, depth, preferred sources, and where to save output (default: research-<topic-slug>/ in your working directory).
2. Plan search queries. Break the topic into 3–5 search angles. Example for "best standing desks":
   • best standing desks 2025 reviews
   • standing desk comparison reddit
   • ergonomic standing desk features
   • standing desk health benefits studies
3. Create the output directory. Use evaluate_script to create the target folder structure:

   research-<topic-slug>/
   ├── sources/          ← raw page content per source
   ├── findings.md       ← running synthesis
   ├── report.html       ← final HTML report
   └── report.pdf        ← final PDF report
   

Phase 2 — Parallel Research & Persistence

For each search query, open a parallel research tab and persist results to disk immediately:

Step	Tool	Detail
Open tab	new_hidden_page	Opens a background tab so research doesn't disrupt the user
Search	navigate_page	Navigate to https://www.google.com/search?q=<encoded-query> (or the user's preferred search engine)
Pick results	get_page_content / get_page_links	Read the search results page; identify the 2–3 most relevant links
Visit source	navigate_page	Navigate to each selected result
Extract content	get_page_content	Pull the full page text
Save raw content	evaluate_script	Write a markdown file to sources/<n>-<slug>.md containing the page title, source URL, extraction date, and full text. Always include the source URL so every fact is traceable.
Close tab	close_page	Free resources after extraction

Repeat across all search angles. Run multiple tabs concurrently where possible.

Source File Format (sources/<n>-<slug>.md)

# <Page Title>

- **URL:** <source-url>
- **Retrieved:** <date-time>

---

<extracted page content>

Phase 3 — Synthesize Findings

After all sources are saved:

1. Read each source file and extract key facts, data points, expert opinions, and areas of agreement or disagreement.
2. Write findings.md in the output directory using the format below. Every claim must reference the source file and URL it came from.
3. Continuously append to findings.md as you process each source — do not hold all content in memory.

Findings File Format (findings.md)

# Research Findings: <Topic>

**Date:** <current date>
**Sources consulted:** <count>
**Output directory:** <path>

## Key Findings

1. **<Finding title>**
   <Detail with supporting evidence>
   _Source: [<source name>](<url>) — sources/<n>-<slug>.md_

2. **<Finding title>**
   ...

## Source Summary

| # | Source | URL | Key Insight | Credibility |
|---|--------|-----|-------------|-------------|
| 1 | <name> | <url> | <insight> | high / med / low |

## Agreements & Disagreements

- **Consensus:** ...
- **Conflicting views:** ...

## Conclusion

<Synthesis of findings with actionable recommendation>

Phase 4 — HTML Report

Generate a self-contained report.html in the output directory with the following requirements:

Requirement	Detail
Theme	Light background (#ffffff), clean sans-serif typography, generous whitespace
Sections	Title banner, executive summary, key findings (numbered cards), source table, conclusion
Source links	Every finding must hyperlink to its original source URL. The source table must include clickable links.
Self-contained	All styles inline or in a <style> block — no external CSS or JS dependencies
Responsive	Readable on both desktop and mobile viewports
Footer	"Generated by BrowserOS Deep Research" with the current date

Use evaluate_script to write the HTML string to report.html in the output directory.

Phase 5 — Open, Export & Notify

Step	Tool	Detail
Open report	new_page	Open file://<path>/report.html so the user sees the finished report
Export PDF	save_pdf	Save the currently open report page as report.pdf in the same output directory
Notify user	—	Tell the user research is complete and provide paths to both report.html and report.pdf

Tool Reference

Category	Tools Used
Tab management	new_hidden_page, new_page, close_page
Navigation	navigate_page
Content extraction	get_page_content, get_page_links
File I/O & scripting	evaluate_script
Export	save_pdf

Tips

• 4–6 sources is the sweet spot for balanced coverage. More isn't always better.
• Prioritize recent sources — check publication dates and prefer current information.
• Note disagreements between sources rather than hiding them; surface conflicting data.
• Always record the source URL next to every fact so the report is fully traceable.
• For product research, include pricing and availability.
• For technical topics, prefer official documentation and peer-reviewed sources.
• If a Google search returns unhelpful results, try alternative queries or go directly to known authoritative sites.