Bioinformatics Resource Discovery

Answers "what already exists for this task" — software, APIs, R packages, or training material — before writing new analysis code, choosing an nf-core pipeline, or wrapping a new REST API by hand.

LOOK UP, DON'T GUESS: Never assert that a tool/package/API does or doesn't exist for a task from memory. These 5 registries are live and current — search them.

When to Use This Skill

• "Is there existing software for [bioinformatics task]?" -> bio.tools
• "What biomedical APIs exist for [domain], and where's the base URL/spec?" -> SmartAPI
• "Is there a tutorial/course on [technique]?" -> ELIXIR TeSS
• "What R package does [analysis] in Bioconductor?" -> Bioconductor
• "What does CRAN package X do / what version / what does it depend on?" -> CRAN

NOT for: actually running an nf-core pipeline once you've picked one (-> tooluniverse-nfcore-pipelines); resolving IDs between databases (-> tooluniverse-sequence-retrieval's Bioregistry/Identifiers.org/TogoID section); retrieving biological data itself (sequences, structures, expression) rather than software/APIs about it.

1. bio.tools — Bioinformatics Software & Database Registry

ELIXIR's registry of 30,000+ bioinformatics tools, web services, and databases.