forum-research skill

---
name: forum-research
description: Research and read content on forum.dfinity.org (Discourse). Use when the user asks to browse, search, summarize, or analyze Dfinity forum topics or users. Read-only access with authenticated browsing and JSON endpoints.
---

# Forum Research (Dfinity)

## Scope

This skill supports read-only research on `forum.dfinity.org` using authenticated browsing and Discourse JSON endpoints.

## Required dependency

This skill depends on the `agent-browser` skill from vercel-labs. Install it first:

```
npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser --skill agent-browser
```

## Guardrails (strict)

- Read-only only. Never post, reply, like, bookmark, or edit.
- Use GET requests for all research and reading.
- Exception: authentication may require a POST to the login endpoint. No other non-GET requests are allowed.
- If a user asks to post or modify content, refuse and explain the read-only policy.

## Browser initialization (CRITICAL)

**ALWAYS call `agent-browser launch` first before ANY other agent-browser commands.**

If you get the error "Browser not launched. Call launch first", simply call `agent-browser launch` and then retry your command. This is a normal part of the workflow.

## Authentication (CRITICAL)

**You MUST be logged in to access forum content. Most forum content is hidden without authentication.**

**REQUIRED workflow for every session:**

1. Launch browser with `agent-browser launch`
2. **Login IMMEDIATELY** before doing any research (see Stage 1 below)
3. Verify login by checking the top right of any forum page:
   - **Logged in**: Account dropdown visible in top right
   - **Not logged in**: "Sign Up" and "Log In" buttons visible in top right
4. Only proceed with research tasks after confirming you're logged in

**During long sessions:**
- Periodically check the top right of the page to verify you're still logged in
- If you see "Sign Up" and "Log In" buttons instead of account dropdown, re-authenticate immediately
- Sessions may expire after inactivity - re-login if needed

## Error handling and persistence

When using this skill, you may encounter errors. **Always persist through errors by:**

1. **Launch errors**: If you see "Browser not launched", call `agent-browser launch` and retry.
2. **Login errors**: If credentials fail, try again or check the credential source.
3. **Access denied / empty results**: You're not logged in - complete the login process immediately.
4. **Navigation errors**: If a page fails to load, retry the navigation.
5. **Element not found**: If snapshot elements change, take a fresh snapshot and update element refs.

**Do not give up after a single error.** Most errors can be resolved by:
- Launching the browser if not already launched
- **Ensuring you're logged in** (check top right of page for account dropdown vs login buttons)
- Retrying the failed command
- Taking a fresh snapshot to update element references
- Verifying you're on the expected page before interacting with it

## Stage 1: Login (MANDATORY FIRST STEP)

**This MUST be the first thing you do in every session. Do not skip this step.**

1. Launch the browser with `agent-browser launch` (required first step).
2. Obtain credentials using one of the approved methods in `reference.md`.
3. Navigate to `https://forum.dfinity.org/login`.
4. Always choose the username/password option on the login page (ignore GitHub and passkey options).
5. Fill username and password, then submit.
6. **Confirm login by taking a snapshot and checking the top right of the page:**
   - Look for an account dropdown (logged in successfully)
   - If you see "Sign Up" and "Log In" buttons instead, login failed - retry the login process
7. Alternative verification: Open `https://forum.dfinity.org/u/<username>.json` - you should see your user profile data.

**After login confirmation, you can proceed with research tasks.**

## Discourse JSON access

Discourse supports a JSON view for most pages by appending `.json` to the URL. Prefer JSON for structured reading:

- Topic: `https://forum.dfinity.org/t/<slug>/<id>.json`
- User: `https://forum.dfinity.org/u/<username>.json`
- Latest: `https://forum.dfinity.org/latest.json`

## Additional resources

- Credential sourcing, prompts, and constraints: `reference.md`
- Login examples: `examples.md`
- Forum category structure and navigation guide: `categories.md`