buddy

name	buddy
description	REQUIRED when the user explicitly says "buddy", "task-buddy", or "verify-buddy" (or plurals "buddies", "task-buddies", "verify-buddies", and close variants like "use buddy", "run a task-buddy", "do a verify-buddy", "run 4 verify-buddies"). Do not trigger on generic phrases like "second opinion", "external review", "another model", or "GPT" -- only on the literal terms buddy / task-buddy / verify-buddy (and their plurals).
allowed-tools	Bash(buddy *), Bash(vdiff *), Agent, Read

Buddy

buddy is a read-only wrapper around pi -p running an external model. Use it for second opinions, never as the primary author.

Mode selection

The user's word picks the mode. Do not switch modes on your own.

User says	Mode	What it means
"buddy"	Direct	Claude runs buddy itself.
"task-buddy"	task-buddy	Subagent passes the request to buddy and returns a double-checked report.
"verify-buddy"	verify-buddy	Subagent does the work, has buddy double-check, and returns the report.

Rules (every mode)

• No secrets, credentials, .env, customer data, or production logs.
• Narrow paths only. @path is a pi context ref, not a glob -- no directory expansion. Avoid vendored dirs and large diffs; split into focused calls.
• Advisory only. Verify file paths, symbols, and line ranges against the source before promoting any finding -- buddy hallucinates refs.
• No session. Every call is self-contained; put all context in one prompt.
• Buddy tools are read,grep,find,ls only. It cannot run tests, VCS, or builds.
• Subagents: no edits, no commits, no installs.

Invocation

buddy @path/to/file.ts "focused review prompt"
buddy @a.ts @b.ts "prompt"
vdiff | buddy "review this diff"
buddy @file.ts <<'PROMPT'
multiline prompt
PROMPT

Stdin and args both feed pi -- pick one cleanly, do not rely on merge order.

Goals per mode

Buddy hallucinates refs, so double-checking is part of the goal in every mode. For task-buddy and verify-buddy, the spawned subagent does not see this skill or your conversation -- hand over goals and the user's request, not steps.

buddy (direct)

• Pass the user's request with relevant context to buddy.
• Double-check buddy's report against the source.
• Respond with the double-checked report.

task-buddy

Goals for the subagent:

• Pass the user's request with relevant context to buddy.
• Double-check buddy's report against the source.
• Return the double-checked report.

Example, given user said "task-buddy review plan//guide.md for implementation readiness":

The user asked: "review plan/<feature>/guide.md for
implementation readiness -- unanswered questions, design bugs,
anything needing further planning."

Run buddy with the relevant context, double-check buddy's
report against the guide, and return the double-checked report.
Do not edit, commit, or install.

verify-buddy

Goals for the subagent:

• Do the user's request.
• Ask buddy to double-check your findings.
• Return the double-checked report.

Example, given user said "verify-buddy review plan//guide.md for implementation readiness":

The user asked: "review plan/<feature>/guide.md for
implementation readiness -- unanswered questions, design bugs,
anything needing further planning."

Do the work, ask buddy to double-check your findings, and
return the double-checked report. Do not edit, commit, or
install.

Reporting

Report what is useful for the task -- format is yours to choose. Call out where you disagree with buddy.