research-docs

name: research-docs description: | Searches and retrieves Microsoft documentation. Use when the user asks to "find docs about", "how do I", "what is", "look up", "search Microsoft Learn", "find the article about", "get the latest docs on", or asks any question about Microsoft or Azure products, services, or APIs. metadata: author: Troy Taylor version: "1.0" pattern: discovery

Research Microsoft Docs

What This Skill Does

Searches Microsoft Learn documentation and retrieves relevant articles, tutorials, and API references. Translates broad questions into targeted searches and presents findings in a clear, actionable format.

When to Activate

• User asks how to do something with a Microsoft product
• User wants to find documentation on a specific topic
• User asks "what is" a Microsoft service or feature
• User needs API reference, SDK docs, or configuration guidance
• User says "look up" or "search for" something on Microsoft Learn

Workflow

1. Clarify the search intent. Determine what the user is looking for:

   • Product or service name (e.g., Azure Functions, Power Platform)
   • Task or goal (e.g., "deploy a container app", "configure SSO")
   • Concept (e.g., "what is managed identity", "how does RBAC work")

2. Search for documentation. Use the microsoft_docs_search tool with a clear, focused query. If the user's question is broad, break it into specific searches.

   Example: microsoft_docs_search(query: "Azure Container Apps managed identity configuration")

3. Evaluate the results. Review the returned articles for relevance. If the top results don't match the user's intent, refine the query with more specific terms.

4. Fetch full content when needed. If a search result looks highly relevant but the excerpt is insufficient, use microsoft_docs_fetch to retrieve the complete article.

   Example: microsoft_docs_fetch(url: "https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/container-apps/managed-identities")

5. Find code samples when relevant. If the user needs implementation examples, use microsoft_code_sample_search with an optional language filter.

   Example: microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "Azure Container Apps managed identity", language: "csharp")

6. Present findings clearly. Summarize the key information and link to the source articles. Don't just dump raw search results — extract the answer to the user's question.

7. Offer next steps. Based on what was found:

   • "Want me to fetch the full article on [topic]?"
   • "Should I find code samples for this in [language]?"
   • "I can compare this with [alternative service] if that would help."

Output Format

For factual answers

How to configure managed identity for Azure Container Apps

Azure Container Apps supports both system-assigned and user-assigned managed identities. To enable a system-assigned identity:

1. Navigate to your container app in the Azure portal
2. Select Identity under Settings
3. Set System assigned to On
4. Save

The identity can then access Azure resources without credentials by using DefaultAzureCredential in your code.

Source: Managed identities in Azure Container Apps

For multiple results

Handling Edge Cases

• No results: Tell the user the topic may not be documented on Microsoft Learn. Suggest rephrasing or checking if the feature is in preview.
• Outdated content: Microsoft Learn refreshes daily. If the user says docs seem outdated, note this and suggest checking the article's "last updated" date.
• Non-Microsoft topics: This skill covers Microsoft Learn only. If the user asks about non-Microsoft technologies, say so and focus on any Microsoft integration points that are documented.