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

1. Stop before coding.
2. Ask 2–6 targeted questions.
3. Provide a short checklist of missing inputs.
4. 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.