SKILL.md
Ask Questions If Underspecified
Repo anchors (autocodex)
- CLI_PATH:
cmd/autocodex/ - INTERNAL_PATH:
internal/ - PLUGINS_PATH:
plugins/ - DOCS_PATH:
docs/ - SKILLS_PATH:
skills/ - UI_PATH:
web/ - TEST_COMMANDS
- Go: go test ./... - Go vet: go vet ./... - Go fmt: gofmt -w $(rg --files -g '*.go')
When to use
- A request is ambiguous or missing required inputs (schemas, env vars, sample payloads, constraints).
Preconditions
- You have the user’s request in the thread.
Inputs to confirm
- Required schemas or config samples
- Runtime constraints (CLI vs API vs UI)
- Success criteria and scope boundaries
Required artifacts
- A minimal list of questions
- A checklist of missing inputs
Quick path
- Identify missing inputs.
- Ask the minimum number of questions to proceed.
- Provide a clear checklist.
Steps
- Stop before coding.
- Ask 2–6 targeted questions.
- Provide a short checklist of missing inputs.
- State what you will do next once answered.
Failure modes and responses
- Too many questions: reduce to only what blocks progress.
- Vague questions: rewrite as concrete inputs.
Definition of done
- Missing inputs are explicitly listed and requested.
Example (minimal)
- Input: “Add a plugin system.”
- Questions: What transport? What capability schema? Which paths?
- Gotcha: Don’t implement before protocol is defined.