> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zerotwo.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# When to Use Deep Research

> Understand which tasks Deep Research is built for — and when a regular web search is the better, faster choice.

Deep Research is a significant investment of time (2–10 minutes) and research credits. Knowing when it is the right tool helps you get maximum value from every session.

***

## Perfect use cases

Deep Research excels at tasks that require synthesizing information across many sources into a coherent, structured output. It is not a faster search — it is a fundamentally different kind of research.

### Competitive analysis

When you need a side-by-side understanding of multiple players in a market, Deep Research handles the breadth that a single search cannot.

> **Example prompt:** "Compare the top 5 project management tools for small teams — Asana, Linear, Notion, Monday, and ClickUp. Focus on features, pricing tiers, integrations, and user sentiment from recent reviews."

***

### Academic literature review

Deep Research can survey peer-reviewed literature and summarize key findings, areas of consensus, and open questions across a body of research.

> **Example prompt:** "Summarize the current state of research on mRNA vaccine technology as of 2025. Include key findings, leading research groups, recent clinical trials, and open scientific questions."

<Tip>
  Pair Deep Research with Research focus mode in the plan step to prioritize academic sources like arXiv, PubMed, and Google Scholar.
</Tip>

***

### Due diligence

Before a major decision involving a company, person, or product, Deep Research can surface publicly available information to build a comprehensive picture.

> **Example prompt:** "What are the regulatory requirements for launching a fintech startup in the EU? Cover licensing, data protection (GDPR), PSD2, and AML compliance across the major EU markets."

***

### Industry reports

For understanding trends, dynamics, and forces shaping an entire market, Deep Research synthesizes analyst reports, news, and primary sources.

> **Example prompt:** "Create a comprehensive overview of the electric vehicle market in 2025. Cover market share by manufacturer, consumer adoption barriers, charging infrastructure progress, and policy incentives in the US and EU."

***

### Market research

Understanding buyer behavior, market sizing, or customer pain points often requires aggregating data from many reports, forums, and articles.

> **Example prompt:** "What are the primary pain points, purchasing triggers, and evaluation criteria for mid-market SaaS buyers in 2024–2025? Synthesize findings from industry reports, user forums, and analyst commentary."

***

### Travel and event planning

Complex planning tasks that require synthesizing logistics, pricing, reviews, and recommendations across many sources are well-suited to Deep Research.

> **Example prompt:** "Plan a detailed 2-week itinerary for Japan for a first-time visitor with a \$4,000 USD budget. Include transportation options between cities, accommodation recommendations by region, must-see sites, and practical tips for getting around."

***

### Policy and regulatory research

Navigating complex regulatory landscapes across multiple jurisdictions benefits from Deep Research's multi-source synthesis.

> **Example prompt:** "What are the current regulations governing AI-generated content in the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom? Include relevant laws, guidelines, enforcement agencies, and recent developments."

***

## When NOT to use Deep Research

Deep Research is overkill for simple, quick tasks. Use standard **Web Search** (the Search pill) instead:

| Scenario                                            | Better tool                         |
| --------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| Quick fact lookup ("What year was Python created?") | Web Search or no tool needed        |
| Real-time pricing or stock data                     | Web Search                          |
| Single recent news article                          | Web Search with News focus mode     |
| Looking up a specific person's background           | Web Search with LinkedIn focus mode |
| Retrieving a specific PDF or document               | Web Search with PDF focus mode      |
| Checking a company's current homepage               | Web Search with Company focus mode  |
| Simple Q\&A that doesn't require multiple sources   | No search tool needed               |

***

## Web Search vs. Deep Research comparison

| Feature              | Web Search                     | Deep Research                   |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------- |
| **Speed**            | Seconds                        | 2–10 minutes                    |
| **Sources used**     | 3–10 per query                 | Dozens, iterative               |
| **Output format**    | Inline response with citations | Structured Canvas report        |
| **User review step** | None                           | Review and edit a research plan |
| **Best for**         | Quick facts, current events    | Analysis, reports, synthesis    |
| **Plan credit cost** | 1 search credit                | 1 deep research credit          |
| **Editable output**  | Response text only             | Yes — full Canvas document      |
| **Exportable**       | Copy text only                 | PDF, DOCX, Markdown, share link |

<Tip>
  If you are unsure which tool to use, start with Web Search. If the results feel shallow or you realize you need a proper written report synthesizing many sources, that is the signal to use Deep Research instead.
</Tip>

***

## Tips for writing better Deep Research prompts

The quality of your Deep Research report depends heavily on how well you scope the task upfront. Vague prompts produce shallow reports; specific, well-scoped prompts produce actionable ones.

**Include in your prompt:**

* **Topic** — what exactly you want to research
* **Scope** — how broad or narrow (global vs. one region; all time vs. last 2 years)
* **Depth** — surface overview vs. in-depth analysis
* **Output goal** — what decision or use case the report will serve
* **Specific subtopics** — any must-include angles or questions
* **Source preferences** — academic only, news only, or a mix

**Weak prompt:**

> "Research electric cars."

**Strong prompt:**

> "Research the state of the EV market in the United States as of 2025. Focus on: (1) market share by manufacturer, (2) consumer adoption barriers, (3) charging infrastructure progress, and (4) federal and state policy incentives. I need this for a market entry brief."