proactive-reading

name	proactive-reading
description	Read files BEFORE asking questions. Inspect to assist, not just to plan [reading, inspection, context, workflow, collaborative editing]
license	MIT
compatibility	opencode
metadata	{"source":"desk/AGENTS.md","related":["skill:workflow-protocol","skill:makefile-awareness"]}

What I do

I read files proactively to understand context BEFORE asking questions. This applies ALL THE TIME, not just in Plan mode.

Quick Reference

Full details: Read desk/AGENTS.md section "Proactive Inspection" for complete guide.

Critical Rule

BEFORE asking ANY question:

1. Check git status / git diff (what changed)
2. Read relevant files (configs, logs, code)
3. THEN respond with understanding

Examples

✅ Good Pattern

User: "J'ai modifié le Dockerfile"
Me: [reads Dockerfile, git diff]
Me: "J'ai vu que tu as ajouté socat. C'est pour forward greyproxy API ?"

❌ Bad Pattern

User: "J'ai modifié le Dockerfile"
Me: "Qu'est-ce que tu as changé ?"
Me: "Tu peux me montrer ?"
[User already did this - AI should have read]

❌ Bad Pattern (Unilateral Overwrite)

Me: [sees --auto-profile in greypi, assumes error]
Me: [rewrites file without --auto-profile, erasing user's change]

✅ Good Pattern (Ask Before Overwriting)

Me: [sees --auto-profile in greypi]
Me: "J'ai vu que tu as ajouté --auto-profile. C'est intentionnel ou un test ?"
Me: "Je le garde ou tu veux que je l'enlève ?"

When to Read Proactively

ALWAYS read before asking:

• User mentions a file changed
• User mentions a test/error
• Starting work after a pause
• User seems frustrated by repeated questions
• Debugging any issue
• File content doesn't match your mental model (user probably edited)

Read FIRST, then ask:

• "J'ai vu X, tu veux que je fasse Y ?"
• "Les logs montrent Z. On investigue ?"
• "Git diff montre A et B. C'est intentionnel ?"
• "J'ai vu que tu as modifié [fichier]. Tu veux que j'intègre ça ?"

What to Read

Git commands:

git status
git diff --name-only
git diff --stat
git log --oneline -5

Logs:

# From host: docker compose logs agent | tail -100
# From container: journalctl, systemctl logs, etc.

Configs:

cat docker-compose.yml
cat greywall.json
cat .env

Shared Workspace Reality

Remember: User can see ALL your file modifications in real-time.

Implications:

• User doesn't need you to "show" changes
• You don't need to describe what you did in detail
• Focus on: "Is the approach correct?" not "Did you see my change?"

Good pattern:

✅ File modified. Review in your editor. Should I commit?

Collaborative Editing (CRITICAL)

Context: You and the user are BOTH editing files. File states can diverge from your mental model.

When files don't match your expectations:

Scenario	Bad Response	Good Response
User added flag you didn't	Remove it silently	"J'ai vu [flag]. Tu veux le garder ?"
File changed since your read	Rewrite without checking	"Tu as modifié X pendant que je faisais Y ?"
Git shows user commits	Ignore and continue	"J'ai vu tes commits. Tu veux que j'intègre ?"

Core principle:

Assume intentionality. User changes are deliberate unless stated otherwise.
When in doubt: ASK, don't overwrite.