Gemini Research Harness Template

A Gemini-first, file-based harness for research-heavy work inside a repository.

Use the setup prompt to adapt the template to a real repo. The harness stays local-first, keeps its state in files, and gives Gemini a clear place to put durable research outputs: research/.

Quick Start

1. Copy GEMINI.md, AGENTS.md, ARCHITECTURE.md, SETUP.md, .harness/, docs/, and research/ into the target repo.
2. Open SETUP.md.
3. Paste the prompt into Gemini CLI.
4. Let Gemini rewrite the template so it matches the target repo's real structure, tooling, and research workflow.

What's Inside

Path	Purpose
GEMINI.md	Primary Gemini workspace instructions
AGENTS.md	Minimal compatibility pointer for AGENTS-aware tools
ARCHITECTURE.md	Stable structure, data flow, and constraints
SETUP.md	Bootstrap prompt for adapting the template
docs/briefs/	Research briefs
docs/plans/	Research plans
.harness/tasks/	Task packets linking briefs, plans, and outputs
.harness/runs/	Run records for completed work
research/	Markdown research notes and final syntheses

Research Loop

1. Write a brief in docs/briefs/.
2. Write a plan in docs/plans/.
3. Create or update a task packet in .harness/tasks/.
4. Gather evidence and write the findings to research/*.md.
5. Record the result in .harness/runs/.

Design Principles

• Gemini-first: GEMINI.md is the instruction entry point.
• Research-first: durable findings belong in research/, not chat history.
• File-based: no external services, queues, or hidden orchestration.
• Lean surface: small templates, minimal compatibility files, no helper code.
• Repo-local: adapt the harness to the actual project instead of keeping boilerplate.

Manual Setup

1. Copy the template into the target repo.
2. Read GEMINI.md and ARCHITECTURE.md.
3. Paste the prompt from SETUP.md into Gemini CLI.
4. After setup, delete SETUP.md from the target repo.

License

MIT