oracle

name	oracle
description	Best practices for using the oracle CLI (prompt + file bundling, engines, sessions, and file attachment patterns). Use when the developer needs to send a one-shot prompt with file context to another model, bundle repository files for external LLM review, run oracle browser or API queries, manage oracle sessions, attach or exclude files with glob patterns, or preview token costs with dry-run mode. Use when this capability is needed.
metadata	{"author":"elizaos"}

oracle — best use

Oracle bundles your prompt + selected files into one “one-shot” request so another model can answer with real repo context (API or browser automation). Treat output as advisory: verify against code + tests.

Main use case (browser, GPT‑5.2 Pro)

Default workflow here: --engine browser with GPT‑5.2 Pro in ChatGPT. This is the common “long think” path: ~10 minutes to ~1 hour is normal; expect a stored session you can reattach to.

Recommended defaults:

• Engine: browser (--engine browser)
• Model: GPT‑5.2 Pro (--model gpt-5.2-pro or --model "5.2 Pro")

Golden path

1. Pick a tight file set (fewest files that still contain the truth).
2. Preview payload + token spend (--dry-run + --files-report).
3. Use browser mode for the usual GPT‑5.2 Pro workflow; use API only when you explicitly want it.
4. If the run detaches/timeouts: reattach to the stored session (don’t re-run).

Commands (preferred)

• Help:

  • oracle --help
  • If the binary isn’t installed: npx -y @steipete/oracle --help (avoid pnpx here; sqlite bindings).

• Preview (no tokens):

  • oracle --dry-run summary -p "<task>" --file "src/**" --file "!**/*.test.*"
  • oracle --dry-run full -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

• Token sanity:

  • oracle --dry-run summary --files-report -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

• Browser run (main path; long-running is normal):

  • oracle --engine browser --model gpt-5.2-pro -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

• Manual paste fallback:

  • oracle --render --copy -p "<task>" --file "src/**"
  • Note: --copy is a hidden alias for --copy-markdown.

Attaching files (--file)

--file accepts files, directories, and globs. You can pass it multiple times; entries can be comma-separated.

• Include:

  • --file "src/**"
  • --file src/index.ts
  • --file docs --file README.md

• Exclude:

  • --file "src/**" --file "!src/**/*.test.ts" --file "!**/*.snap"

• Defaults (implementation behavior):

  • Default-ignored dirs: node_modules, dist, coverage, .git, .turbo, .next, build, tmp (skipped unless explicitly passed as literal dirs/files).
  • Honors .gitignore when expanding globs.
  • Does not follow symlinks.
  • Dotfiles filtered unless opted in via pattern (e.g. --file ".github/**").
  • Files > 1 MB rejected.

Engines (API vs browser)

• Auto-pick: api when OPENAI_API_KEY is set; otherwise browser.
• Browser supports GPT + Gemini only; use --engine api for Claude/Grok/Codex or multi-model runs.
• Browser attachments:
  • --browser-attachments auto|never|always (auto pastes inline up to ~60k chars then uploads).
• Remote browser host:
  • Host: oracle serve --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9473 --token <secret>
  • Client: oracle --engine browser --remote-host <host:port> --remote-token <secret> -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

Sessions + slugs

• Stored under ~/.oracle/sessions (override with ORACLE_HOME_DIR).
• Runs may detach or take a long time (browser + GPT‑5.2 Pro often does). If the CLI times out: don’t re-run; reattach.
  • List: oracle status --hours 72
  • Attach: oracle session <id> --render
• Use --slug "<3-5 words>" to keep session IDs readable.
• Duplicate prompt guard exists; use --force only when you truly want a fresh run.

Prompt template (high signal)

Oracle starts with zero project knowledge. Assume the model cannot infer your stack, build tooling, conventions, or “obvious” paths. Include:

• Project briefing (stack + build/test commands + platform constraints).
• “Where things live” (key directories, entrypoints, config files, boundaries).
• Exact question + what you tried + the error text (verbatim).
• Constraints (“don’t change X”, “must keep public API”, etc).
• Desired output (“return patch plan + tests”, “give 3 options with tradeoffs”).

Safety

• Don’t attach secrets by default (.env, key files, auth tokens). Redact aggressively; share only what’s required.

“Exhaustive prompt” restoration pattern

For long investigations, write a standalone prompt + file set so you can rerun days later:

• 6–30 sentence project briefing + the goal.
• Repro steps + exact errors + what you tried.
• Attach all context files needed (entrypoints, configs, key modules, docs).

Oracle runs are one-shot; the model doesn’t remember prior runs. “Restoring context” means re-running with the same prompt + --file … set (or reattaching a still-running stored session).

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