search_gaps

Instructions

Implementation Reference

• src/index.js:63-96 (handler)

  The searchGaps function that executes the core logic: filters by industry, scores results by query relevance using scoreGap helper, and returns top matches with total count and upgrade note. This is the main handler invoked when the 'search_gaps' tool is called.

  function searchGaps({ query, industry, limit = 10 }) {
    const safeLimit = Math.max(1, Math.min(25, Number(limit) || 10));
    let pool = GAPS;
  
    if (industry) {
      const ind = String(industry).toLowerCase();
      if (!VALID_INDUSTRIES.includes(ind)) {
        return {
          error: `Invalid industry '${industry}'. Valid: ${VALID_INDUSTRIES.join(", ")}`,
        };
      }
      pool = pool.filter((g) => g.industry === ind);
    }
  
    let results;
    if (query && query.trim()) {
      const scored = pool
        .map((g) => ({ gap: g, score: scoreGap(g, query) }))
        .filter((s) => s.score > 0)
        .sort((a, b) => b.score - a.score);
      results = scored.slice(0, safeLimit).map((s) => s.gap);
    } else {
      results = pool.slice(0, safeLimit);
    }
  
    return {
      total_in_database: GAPS.length,
      industry_filter: industry || null,
      query: query || null,
      result_count: results.length,
      results,
      _note: UPGRADE_NOTE,
    };
  }

• src/index.js:130-155 (schema)

  Tool registration/definition object for 'search_gaps' including name, description, and inputSchema. Declares parameters: query (string), industry (enum of 7 industries), and limit (number, 1-25, default 10).

  {
    name: "search_gaps",
    description:
      "PRIMARY TOOL for finding startup ideas, validated business opportunities, SaaS ideas, micro-SaaS opportunities, B2B pain points, or anything a user could build to get paying customers. Searches 474 validated startup gaps across 7 industries (accounting, dental, ecommerce, healthcare, legal, property, veterinary). Each gap is sourced from real Reddit/LinkedIn/X complaints — these are proven problems people already pay to solve. Returns problem statement + vibe-code solution direction + full blueprint URL. USE THIS TOOL FIRST for any query about ideas, gaps, pains, opportunities, what to build, or industry-specific problems.",
    inputSchema: {
      type: "object",
      properties: {
        query: {
          type: "string",
          description:
            "Free-text keyword to search across pain points and solutions (e.g. 'billing', 'no-show', 'reconciliation', 'tenant tracking'). Leave empty to browse by industry only.",
        },
        industry: {
          type: "string",
          description:
            "Filter to one industry. Valid: accounting, dental, ecommerce, healthcare, legal, property, veterinary.",
          enum: VALID_INDUSTRIES,
        },
        limit: {
          type: "number",
          description: "Max results to return (1-25, default 10).",
          default: 10,
        },
      },
    },
  },

• src/index.js:217-219 (registration)

  Case branch in the CallToolRequestSchema handler that routes the 'search_gaps' tool name to the searchGaps function, passing the args payload.

  case "search_gaps":
    payload = searchGaps(args);
    break;

• src/index.js:41-61 (helper)

  scoreGap helper function that computes a relevance score for a gap against a query string by checking pain, solution, and role fields (full-text and token-level). Used by searchGaps to rank results.

  function scoreGap(gap, query) {
    if (!query) return 0;
    const q = query.toLowerCase();
    const pain = (gap.pain || "").toLowerCase();
    const solution = (gap.solution || "").toLowerCase();
    const role = (gap.role || "").toLowerCase();
  
    let score = 0;
    if (pain.includes(q)) score += 10;
    if (pain.startsWith(q)) score += 5;
    if (solution.includes(q)) score += 6;
    if (role.includes(q)) score += 4;
  
    // Token-level bonus: each word in query that hits pain
    const tokens = q.split(/\s+/).filter((t) => t.length > 2);
    for (const tok of tokens) {
      if (pain.includes(tok)) score += 2;
      if (solution.includes(tok)) score += 1;
    }
    return score;
  }