| name | unified-context-stack |
| description | Use when any SDLC phase needs external docs, dependency internals, cross-session memory, or feature specs — provides tiered context retrieval across External Truth (docs), Internal Truth (dependencies), Historical Truth (memory), and Intent Truth (feature specs) with graceful degradation based on installed tools. |
Unified Context Stack
An infrastructure-level skill that provides tiered context retrieval for every SDLC phase. Reads your session's Context Stack: capabilities line to determine which tools are available, then follows strict fallback tiers.
How to Use
- Check the
Context Stack: line from your session start for capability flags
- Read the relevant phase document for your current SDLC phase
- For each capability dimension needed, follow the tier document in strict order
Capability Flags
These are injected by the session-start hook as: Context Stack: context7=true, context_hub_cli=false, ...
| Flag | Tool | What it enables |
|---|
context7 | Context7 MCP | Broad library doc retrieval |
context_hub_available | Context Hub via Context7 | High-trust curated docs — flag means Hub is reachable, not that it has docs for your library (query /andrewyng/context-hub) |
context_hub_cli | chub CLI | Local curated doc retrieval and annotations |
serena | Serena MCP | LSP-powered dependency mapping and AST edits |
serena_connected | Serena MCP | MCP server is connected (not just registered); set only when SERENA_CONNECTION_CHECK=1 |
forgetful_memory | Forgetful Memory | Persistent cross-session architectural knowledge |
forgetful_connected | Forgetful Memory | MCP server is connected (not just registered); set only when FORGETFUL_CONNECTION_CHECK=1 |
openspec | OpenSpec CLI | Whether the openspec binary is available. See the separate OpenSpec: capability line for detailed surface/command info. Intent Truth retrieval does NOT require this flag — it checks artifact presence directly. |
Tier Documents
Note: Intent Truth checks for artifact presence in the workspace (openspec/specs/, openspec/changes/, docs/plans/, docs/plans/archive/, docs/superpowers/specs/ [legacy]). The OpenSpec: capability line from session-start indicates CLI availability for write operations (used by openspec-ship), but Intent Truth retrieval works regardless of CLI installation — it reads local files.
Phase Documents
