# Perplexity Research

Brain-augmented web research.

- Repository: https://github.com/garrytan/gbrain (31427 stars)
- Category: Writing
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add garrytan/gbrain --skill perplexity-research -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add garrytan/gbrain --skill perplexity-research -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add garrytan/gbrain --skill perplexity-research -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add garrytan/gbrain --skill perplexity-research -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add garrytan/gbrain`

## Description

Brain-augmented web research. Sends brain context about a topic to Perplexity, which searches the web with citations and returns what is NEW vs what the brain already knows. Use for entity enrichment, current-state checks, deal monitoring, and freshness deltas. NOT for simple URL fetches (use web_fetch) or brain-only queries (use gbrain query).

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# perplexity-research, Brain-Augmented Web Research

> **Convention:** see [conventions/quality.md](../conventions/quality.md) for
> citation rules; every claim from web research lands with a verifiable
> citation, not a paraphrase.
>
> **Convention:** see [conventions/brain-first.md](../conventions/brain-first.md)
> for the lookup chain. This skill ENFORCES brain-first by sending brain
> context as part of the Perplexity prompt, the web search focuses on
> the delta between brain knowledge and current web state.

## What this does

Combines existing brain knowledge with Perplexity's web search. The
agent sends brain context about a topic into a Perplexity query;
Perplexity searches + reads + synthesizes multiple pages with citations,
focused on what's NEW relative to the supplied context.

**The key insight:** Perplexity doesn't just search, it reads and
synthesizes with citations. By sending brain context in the
instructions, it knows what you already know, so it surfaces the delta
instead of repeating settled fact.

## When to use this vs other tools

| Need | Use |
|------|-----|
| Deep research with citations | **This skill**, Perplexity + Opus |
| Quick URL content | `web_fetch` |
| Brain-only lookup | `gbrain query` / `gbrain search` |
| Real-time social monitoring | external X / social-media collectors |
| Structured data lookup against a tracker | `skills/data-research/SKILL.md` |

## Output structure

The research output lands as a brain page under `research/<slug>.md` with
this structure:

```markdown
---
title: "[Topic], Research [YYYY-MM-DD]"
type: research
date: YYYY-MM-DD
brain_context_slugs: ["pages whose context was sent to Perplexity"]
recency_filter: "[hour|day|week|month|none]"
---

# [Topic], Research [YYYY-MM-DD]

> Executive summary: 2-3 sentences on the delta between brain knowledge
> and current web state.

## Key New Developments
What's changed since the brain was last updated on this topic.

The rest: https://github.com/garrytan/gbrain/blob/HEAD/plugin-variants/gbrain-daily/skills/perplexity-research/SKILL.md