Research and search¶
Colossus offers two related paths for finding evidence. Use deep research when the outcome is a durable, cited report. Use web search when you need one bounded set of normalized search results.
Choose the right path¶
| Need | Deep research | Web search |
|---|---|---|
| Primary outcome | Cited report with durable evidence | Ranked result metadata and snippets |
| Scope | One or more planned queries | One explicit query |
| Evidence | Repository, web, configured MCP tools, or a selected combination | Configured search provider only |
| Durable records | Run, progress, sources, claims, limitations, and report | No research run or research records |
| Best starting point | Run deep research | Run a web search |
Both paths keep provider choice in operator-owned configuration. Models and user prompts never select a backend. Access, policy, approval, exact-origin sandboxing, quarantine, and post-effect release still apply before network results reach the caller.
How they fit together¶
A deep-research run plans bounded queries, collects evidence, extracts claims, and
synthesizes a report. When that run includes the web lane, it calls the same
provider-neutral search subsystem described in Web search, using the
independent research logical route.
A direct search stops after returning normalized result metadata. It does not create a session, preserve sources, extract claims, or produce a report. Fetching a selected result page is also a separate authorized effect.
Where configuration lives¶
Operators configure model and search routes in Providers and routing. Exhaustive fields belong to Search configuration, while exact command options and output contracts belong to the CLI reference.