Research Application Toolkit

Research Application Toolkit is a single repository that ships host-specific integrations for both Claude Code and Codex.

It covers:

• CV analysis and profile extraction
• CV refinement for target programs
• Supervisor matching
• Outreach and follow-up emails
• SOP, personal statement, motivation letter, and proposal drafting
• School selection
• Interview preparation
• Interview PPT / professor meeting deck preparation
• Research gap analysis

Install

Recommended: npm CLI

npm install -g @xujingchen1996/research-app-toolkit
ratk install

Optional host selection:

ratk install --claude
ratk install --codex
ratk install --all

Default behavior:

• ratk install installs to the hosts detected on the current machine
• ratk install --claude installs only the Claude Code plugin
• ratk install --codex installs only the Codex plugin
• ratk install --all installs to every detected host and skips hosts that are not installed

You can also run the installer without a global install:

npx @xujingchen1996/research-app-toolkit install

Usage

Claude Code

After installation into Claude Code, use the slash commands:

/ra:cv-analyze
/ra:cv-polish
/ra:professor-match
/ra:cold-email
/ra:doc-assist
/ra:school-select
/ra:interview-prep
/ra:interview-ppt
/ra:gap-analysis

Codex

After installation into Codex, use the plugin in chat with prompts such as:

Analyze my CV and extract a research application profile
Match supervisors and schools for my target research area
Draft a bilingual outreach email to a potential supervisor
Help me prepare a professor meeting or PhD interview PPT

The Codex host keeps its own codex/memory.md state and supports zh, en, and bilingual output modes.

Repository Layout

research-app-toolkit/
├── .claude-plugin/                  # Claude Code manifest
├── .codex-plugin/                   # Codex manifest
├── .local.md                        # Claude Code shared state template
├── assets/                          # Shared assets such as the Codex icon
├── commands/                        # Claude Code slash commands
├── hooks/                           # Claude Code hooks
├── agents/                          # Claude Code helper agents
├── skills/                          # Claude Code skills
├── codex/
│   ├── memory.md                    # Codex shared state
│   └── skills/                      # Codex skills and bundle manifest
├── bin/                             # npm CLI entrypoint
├── lib/                             # Installer helpers
├── test/                            # Installer tests
├── package.json
└── README.md

Development Notes

• Claude Code and Codex skills are intentionally maintained separately to avoid host-specific prompt interference.
• Shared installation is handled by the ratk CLI rather than host auto-discovery from a cloned repository.
• Local host state such as ~/.claude, ~/.codex, ~/.agents, and Codex caches should not be committed to this repository.

Test

npm test

License

MIT