| name | learn |
| description | User-invoked learning toolkit — guided reading, investigation, pattern extraction, or second opinions. Manual `/learn` only; NEVER auto-invoke for code exploration or analysis — route those intents to the analyze step via /maestro-next |
| argument-hint | follow|investigate|decompose|consult [args...] |
| allowed-tools | ["AskUserQuestion","Bash","Glob","Grep","Read","Write","teammate"] |
| session-mode | run |
Learning toolkit for building understanding of code, decisions, and plans. Four subcommands:
- `follow` — guided section-by-section reading with forcing questions → understanding map
- `investigate` — hypothesis-driven scientific investigation of a question → evidence-backed report
- `decompose` — parallel multi-dimension pattern extraction → reusable pattern catalog
- `consult` — alternative perspectives via review / challenge / interactive Q
All findings persist to .workflow/knowhow/ and append <spec-entry> blocks to .workflow/specs/learnings.md.
$ARGUMENTS — parse first token as ``, remainder as that subcommand's args.
Routing errors:
| Code | Condition | Recovery |
|---|
| E_NO_SUBCOMMAND | No subcommand provided in $ARGUMENTS | Display valid subcommands (follow, investigate, decompose, consult), prompt user to select |
| E_INVALID_SUBCOMMAND | Unrecognized first token | Display valid subcommands with usage hints |
Subcommand: follow
Usage: /learn follow <path|wiki-id|topic> [--depth shallow|deep] [--save-wiki] [-y]
Guided reading: walk through content section-by-section using forcing questions to extract patterns, identify assumptions, and build an understanding map. Findings persist to `.workflow/specs/learnings.md` as `` blocks.
Arguments — target and optional flags.
Target resolution (auto-detected):
| Input | Resolution |
|---|
File path (contains / or \) | Read source file |
Wiki ID (<type>-<slug>) | maestro wiki get <id> |
| Topic string | maestro search "<topic>" → top result; fallback: Grep src/ |
Flags:
--depth shallow (default): key patterns and structure only--depth deep: every function, every branch, every assumption--save-wiki: create wiki note entry with reading notes-y: Skip confirmation prompts for knowhow/spec writes
Storage read: target file + wiki forward/backlinks + coding-conventions.md + .workflow/specs/learnings.md (dedup)
Storage write: .workflow/knowhow/KNW-follow-{slug}-{date}.md + append .workflow/specs/learnings.md
Output boundary: ALL file writes MUST target .workflow/knowhow/KNW-follow-{slug}-{date}.md and .workflow/specs/learnings.md only. NEVER modify source code or files outside these paths.
1. **Read-only traversal** — NEVER modify source code or wiki entries under analysis; all writes go to `.workflow/` only
2. **Forcing questions mandatory** — each section MUST have all 4 forcing questions applied; NEVER skip questions even for trivial sections
3. **Anchor requirement** — every extracted pattern MUST include a `file:line` anchor; unanchored patterns SHALL NOT be persisted to learnings.md
4. **Convention cross-ref** — MUST check every finding against `coding-conventions.md` and mark status (documented/candidate); NEVER persist without status tag
5. **Append-only learnings** — `.workflow/specs/learnings.md` MUST be appended, NEVER overwritten or truncated
6. **Confirmation gate** — unless `-y` is set, MUST present findings and target files via AskUserQuestion before any writes
7. **Depth contract** — `--depth shallow` MUST NOT descend into function bodies; `--depth deep` MUST cover every branch and sub-expression
Phase Gates (MANDATORY, BLOCKING)
GATE 1: Resolve → Context Building (S_RESOLVE → S_CONTEXT)
- REQUIRED: Target resolved to a readable source (file path, wiki entry, or search result).
- BLOCKED if: target unresolvable after user prompt (E001/E002).
GATE 2: Reading → Extraction (S_READ → S_EXTRACT)
- REQUIRED: All sections traversed with 4 forcing questions applied per section.
- REQUIRED: Depth contract honored — shallow stays at top-level, deep covers every branch.
- BLOCKED if: any section skipped without forcing questions.
GATE 3: Extraction → Persistence (S_EXTRACT → S_PERSIST)
- REQUIRED: All extracted patterns have file:line anchors.
- REQUIRED: Convention cross-ref completed against coding-conventions.md (or marked "unknown status" if W002).
- BLOCKED if: unanchored patterns remain in extraction results.
GATE 4: Persistence → Completion (S_PERSIST → END)
- REQUIRED: Unless
-y, AskUserQuestion showing files to write and spec-entries to append — user must confirm.
- REQUIRED: KNW-follow-{slug}-{date}.md written with understanding map.
- REQUIRED: learnings.md appended (not overwritten) with new spec-entry blocks.
- BLOCKED if: user declines confirmation — offer to adjust findings before retry.
<state_machine>
S_RESOLVE — 解析 target (file/wiki/topic) PERSIST: —
S_CONTEXT — 构建 1-hop 上下文邻域 PERSIST: —
S_ORDER — 确定阅读顺序 PERSIST: —
S_READ — 逐节应用 forcing questions PERSIST: —
S_EXTRACT — 提取 patterns、cross-ref conventions PERSIST: —
S_PERSIST — 写 understanding map + spec-entry 块 PERSIST: knowhow files
S_RESOLVE:
→ S_CONTEXT WHEN: target resolved
→ S_RESOLVE WHEN: unresolvable DO: AskUserQuestion with suggestions
S_CONTEXT:
→ S_ORDER DO: A_BUILD_CONTEXT_WEB
S_ORDER:
→ S_READ DO: A_BUILD_READING_ORDER
S_READ:
→ S_EXTRACT DO: A_GUIDED_READ (apply 4 forcing questions per section)
S_EXTRACT:
→ S_PERSIST DO: A_EXTRACT_PATTERNS
S_PERSIST:
→ END GATE: unless -y, AskUserQuestion showing files to write and spec-entries to append — proceed only on confirm
DO: write KNW-follow + append .workflow/specs/learnings.md [+ wiki note if --save-wiki]
A_BUILD_CONTEXT_WEB
| Target type | Context |
|---|
| Wiki entry | maestro wiki forward <id> + maestro wiki backlinks <id> → read top 3 related |
| Code file | Parse imports → dependency files; grep exports → reverse deps; read top 3 dependents (50 lines) |
| Directory | List files, identify entry points → build reading order: entry → core → utils → tests |
A_BUILD_READING_ORDER
- Single file: split by function/class/export boundaries
- Wiki entry: split by markdown headings
- Directory: order by dependency (entry points first, leaf last)
--depth shallow: top-level structure only; --depth deep: every body and branch
A_GUIDED_READ
For each section, apply 4 forcing questions:
| # | Question | Extracts |
|---|
| 1 | "What pattern is being used here?" | Design patterns, idioms, conventions |
| 2 | "Why this approach instead of alternatives?" | Trade-offs, rejected options |
| 3 | "What assumption does this depend on?" | Implicit contracts, input shape, ordering |
| 4 | "What would break if this changed?" | Fragility, downstream effects |
A_EXTRACT_PATTERNS
Extract: design patterns (with file:line anchors), naming conventions, error handling approach, data flow, assumptions.
Cross-ref against coding-conventions.md: documented → "confirmed convention", undocumented → "candidate for spec add".
Write understanding map: Key Concepts, Patterns (table: name/location/convention status), Assumptions, Open Questions, Connections.
</state_machine>
<error_codes>
| Code | Condition | Recovery |
|---|
| E001 | No target path/wiki-id/topic provided | Prompt user for target |
| E002 | Target path not found and wiki/grep search returned no results | Check path or broaden search terms |
| W001 | Wiki forward/backlinks unavailable | Proceed without context web; note reduced coverage |
| W002 | coding-conventions.md not found | All patterns marked "unknown status" |
| W003 | Target > 1000 lines | Auto-switch to shallow; use --depth deep to override |
| </error_codes> | | |
<success_criteria>
<next_step_routing>
- Deep pattern dive →
/learn decompose <path>
- Add to specs →
/spec add coding <description>
- Second opinion →
/learn consult <file>
</next_step_routing>
Subcommand: investigate
Usage: /learn investigate <question> [--scope <path>] [--max-hypotheses N] [-y]
Systematic investigation for understanding questions (not bug-fixing).
4-phase scientific method with scope lock, 3-strike escalation, and evidence persistence.
Arguments — question text and optional flags.
Flags:
--scope <path>: Restrict to files under this dir (default: entire project)--max-hypotheses N: Max hypotheses before escalation (default: 3)-y: Skip confirmation prompts for report/spec writes
Storage write:
.workflow/knowhow/KNW-investigate-{slug}/evidence.ndjson — structured evidence (one JSON line per item).workflow/knowhow/KNW-investigate-{slug}/understanding.md — evolving understanding.workflow/knowhow/KNW-investigate-{slug}/report.md — final report.workflow/specs/learnings.md — appended <spec-entry> blocks
Storage read: source files in scope + maestro search + .workflow/specs/learnings.md + debug-notes.md + codebase/architecture.md
Output boundary: ALL file writes MUST target .workflow/knowhow/KNW-investigate-{slug}/ and .workflow/specs/learnings.md only. NEVER modify source code or files outside these paths.
1. **Read-only investigation** — NEVER modify source code files; all writes go to `.workflow/` only
2. **Evidence append-only** — `evidence.ndjson` MUST be appended line-by-line; NEVER overwrite or truncate existing evidence entries
3. **Scope lock** — once `--scope` is resolved in S_FRAME, NEVER expand search scope without explicit user confirmation via S_ESCALATE
4. **Hypothesis cap** — MUST NOT generate more than `--max-hypotheses` (default 3) before triggering escalation; NEVER silently exceed the cap
5. **Structured evidence format** — every evidence entry MUST include `{ts, type, source, relevance, content, note}`; incomplete entries SHALL NOT be appended
6. **3-strike escalation** — after all hypotheses fail, MUST escalate to user via AskUserQuestion; NEVER silently conclude as INCONCLUSIVE without user interaction
7. **Confirmation gate** — unless `-y` is set, MUST present report.md path and spec-entries via AskUserQuestion before final writes
<state_machine>
S_FRAME — 解析问题、确定 scope、搜索先验知识 PERSIST: understanding.md (initial)
S_EVIDENCE — 系统收集证据 PERSIST: evidence.ndjson
S_PATTERN — 比对已知模式 PERSIST: understanding.md (patterns)
S_HYPOTHESIZE — 生成假设列表 PERSIST: understanding.md (hypotheses)
S_CLI_EXPLORE — CLI 辅助探索（可选） PERSIST: evidence.ndjson (append)
S_TEST — 逐假设测试 PERSIST: evidence.ndjson + understanding.md
S_ESCALATE — 3-strike 升级 PERSIST: —
S_REPORT — 综合报告 + persist PERSIST: report.md + .workflow/specs/learnings.md
S_FRAME:
→ S_EVIDENCE DO: A_FRAME_QUESTION
S_EVIDENCE:
→ S_PATTERN DO: A_COLLECT_EVIDENCE
S_PATTERN:
→ S_HYPOTHESIZE DO: match evidence against debug-notes.md + .workflow/specs/learnings.md patterns
S_HYPOTHESIZE:
→ S_CLI_EXPLORE WHEN: CLI tools enabled (at least one tool in cli-tools.json enabled) AND hypotheses non-trivial (require cross-file tracing or data-flow analysis) DO: A_FORM_HYPOTHESES
→ S_TEST WHEN: no CLI tools OR trivial hypotheses (answerable by local Grep/Read) DO: A_FORM_HYPOTHESES
S_CLI_EXPLORE:
→ S_TEST DO: A_CLI_SUPPLEMENT (maestro delegate --to --mode analysis, run_in_background, STOP)
S_TEST:
→ S_REPORT WHEN: hypothesis confirmed DO: A_TEST_HYPOTHESIS
→ S_REPORT WHEN: all hypotheses tested (some confirmed) DO: A_TEST_HYPOTHESIS
→ S_ESCALATE WHEN: max_hypotheses all failed DO: A_TEST_HYPOTHESIS
S_ESCALATE:
→ S_HYPOTHESIZE WHEN: user broadens scope or provides new hypothesis DO: AskUserQuestion
→ S_REPORT WHEN: user selects "Escalate" or still stuck DO: mark INCONCLUSIVE
S_REPORT:
→ END GATE: unless -y, AskUserQuestion showing report.md path and spec-entries to append — proceed only on confirm
DO: A_SYNTHESIZE_REPORT
A_FRAME_QUESTION
- Parse question, generate slug, create KNW-investigate-{slug}/
- Search prior knowledge:
maestro search "<question>" + search .workflow/specs/learnings.md + read debug-notes.md
- Write initial understanding.md (question, prior knowledge summary, scope, timestamp)
A_COLLECT_EVIDENCE
Parallel evidence gathering:
- Code search: Grep keywords from question
- File inspection: Read most relevant files
- Import tracing: follow dependency chain
- Git history:
git log --oneline -10 -- <relevant-files>
Each item → append evidence.ndjson: {ts, type (code|git|search|doc), source (file:line), relevance (high|medium|low), content, note}
A_FORM_HYPOTHESES
Generate ranked hypotheses: each is specific, testable claim about "how/why".
Rank by plausibility (evidence strength). Write to understanding.md:
[HIGH] hypothesis — Evidence: {refs}[MEDIUM] hypothesis — Evidence: {refs}
A_CLI_SUPPLEMENT
maestro delegate "PURPOSE: Gather evidence for hypotheses
TASK: Trace call chains and data flows per hypothesis | Find corroborating/contradicting patterns
EXPECTED: JSON [{hypothesis_rank, evidence: [{file, line, supports: bool, explanation}]}]
" --to <first-enabled-tool> --mode analysis
Run_in_background, STOP, wait. On callback: append to evidence.ndjson.
A_TEST_HYPOTHESIS
For each hypothesis (rank order):
- Design test: what evidence would confirm/disprove?
- Execute: code trace, targeted search, data inspection
- Record: append evidence.ndjson with type: "test"
- Update: mark hypothesis confirmed / disproved / inconclusive
A_SYNTHESIZE_REPORT
Write report.md: Answer (or INCONCLUSIVE), Evidence Trail table, Hypotheses Tested table, Key Learnings, Open Questions.
Append to .workflow/specs/learnings.md: confirmed → roles="implement", disproved → roles="analyze" (gotcha).
</state_machine>
<error_codes>
| Code | Condition | Recovery |
|---|
| E001 | No question text provided | Prompt user for investigation question |
| E002 | --scope path not found | Check path |
| W001 | Prior knowledge search returned no results | Proceed without prior context; note cold-start |
| W002 | Very few evidence matches (<3) | Broaden search terms or expand scope |
| W003 | All hypotheses inconclusive | Investigation marked INCONCLUSIVE |
| </error_codes> | | |
<success_criteria>
<next_step_routing>
- Save to specs →
/spec add debug <finding>
- Follow code →
/learn follow <path>
- Decompose patterns →
/learn decompose <module>
</next_step_routing>
Subcommand: decompose
Usage: /learn decompose <path|module> [--patterns <list>] [--save-spec] [--save-wiki] [-y]
Systematic pattern extraction: analyze module across 4 dimensions using parallel agents, catalog findings with code anchors, persist to specs/wiki. Produces reusable pattern catalog.
Arguments — target path/module and optional flags.
Target resolution: file path → that file; directory → all source files; module name → Glob src/**/{module}*.
Flags:
--patterns <list>: Comma-separated pattern names to look for (default: detect all)--save-spec: Skill("spec") (add subcommand) for each new pattern--save-wiki: create wiki note per dimension group-y: Skip confirmation prompts for knowhow/spec writes
Storage read: target files + coding-conventions.md + .workflow/specs/learnings.md (dedup)
Storage write: .workflow/knowhow/KNW-decompose-{slug}-{date}.md + append .workflow/specs/learnings.md
Output boundary: ALL file writes MUST target .workflow/knowhow/KNW-decompose-{slug}-{date}.md and .workflow/specs/learnings.md only. NEVER modify source code or files outside these paths.
1. **Read-only analysis** — NEVER modify source code files under analysis; all writes go to `.workflow/` only
2. **Evidence-anchored findings** — every pattern MUST include at least one `file:line` anchor from source; unanchored patterns SHALL NOT be persisted
3. **Dedup before persist** — MUST cross-reference against existing `learnings.md` and `coding-conventions.md` before writing; duplicate entries SHALL NOT be appended
4. **Parallel agent isolation** — each dimension agent operates independently; NEVER share state between agents during analysis
5. **Confirmation gate** — unless `-y` is set, MUST present all findings and target files via AskUserQuestion before any writes
6. **Append-only learnings** — `.workflow/specs/learnings.md` MUST be appended, NEVER overwritten or truncated
<state_machine>
S_RESOLVE — 解析 target 为具体文件列表 PERSIST: —
S_DEDUP — 加载已有 patterns 用于去重 PERSIST: —
S_ANALYZE — 4 维度并行 Agent 分析 PERSIST: —
S_CROSSREF — 交叉引用、去重、标记状态 PERSIST: —
S_CATALOG — 生成 pattern catalog 报告 PERSIST: outputs
S_PERSIST — 写文件 + 可选 spec add/wiki create PERSIST: knowhow files
S_RESOLVE:
→ S_DEDUP WHEN: file list resolved
→ S_RESOLVE WHEN: unresolvable DO: AskUserQuestion
S_DEDUP:
→ S_ANALYZE DO: read coding-conventions.md + .workflow/specs/learnings.md → build known pattern set
S_ANALYZE:
→ S_CROSSREF DO: A_PARALLEL_DIMENSION_ANALYSIS
S_CROSSREF:
→ S_CATALOG DO: A_CROSSREF_DEDUP
S_CATALOG:
→ S_PERSIST DO: write KNW-decompose report (grouped by dimension: pattern table + details)
S_PERSIST:
→ END GATE: unless -y, AskUserQuestion showing files to write and patterns to persist — proceed only on confirm
DO: append .workflow/specs/learnings.md [+ spec add if --save-spec] [+ wiki note if --save-wiki]
A_PARALLEL_DIMENSION_ANALYSIS
Spawn 4 Agents in single message:
| Agent | Dimension | Looks for |
|---|
| 1 | Structural | Class hierarchy, composition, DI/IoC, Factory/Builder/Singleton, barrel exports |
| 2 | Behavioral | Event flow, middleware chains, observer/pub-sub, command/strategy, state machines |
| 3 | Data | Repository/DAO, DTO pipelines, caching (memo/LRU/TTL), serialization, schema validation |
| 4 | Error | Error boundaries, retry/backoff/circuit-breaker, fallback chains, guard clauses, logging |
If --patterns specified: agents focus only on named patterns.
Each agent returns: [{ name, dimension, confidence (high/medium/low), anchors [file:line], description, rationale, tradeoffs }]
A_CROSSREF_DEDUP
For each finding, match against known pattern set:
| Status | Condition |
|---|
| documented | Already in coding-conventions.md |
| known | In .workflow/specs/learnings.md (if file exists) |
| new | Not seen before (or learnings.md absent — treat all as new) |
Flag contradictions (finding conflicts with documented convention). Merge duplicates across agents (same pattern found by multiple dimensions).
</state_machine>
<error_codes>
| Code | Condition | Recovery |
|---|
| E001 | No target path/module provided | Prompt user for target |
| E002 | No source files in target | Check target has .ts/.js files |
| W001 | One+ dimension agent failed | Proceed with available dimensions |
| W002 | .workflow/specs/learnings.md missing or malformed | Treat all patterns as new; create file on persist |
| W003 | Large target (>50 files) | Consider --patterns filter |
| </error_codes> | | |
<success_criteria>
<next_step_routing>
- Follow-along →
/learn follow <anchor-file>
- Second opinion →
/learn consult <target>
- Add to specs →
/spec add coding ...
</next_step_routing>
Subcommand: consult
Usage: /learn consult <target> [--mode review|challenge|consult] [-y]
Structured second-opinion on code, decisions, or plans via three modes: review (3 parallel agents),
challenge (adversarial), or consult (interactive Q&A). Findings persist to learnings.md.
Arguments — target and optional mode flag.
Target resolution (auto-detected):
| Input | Resolution |
|---|
| File path | Read file content |
Wiki ID (<type>-<slug>) | maestro wiki get <id> |
HEAD / staged | git diff HEAD / git diff --staged |
| Phase number | Resolve the sealed plan artifact through the selected Session's ArtifactRegistry |
Flags:
--mode review|challenge|consult (default: review)-y: Skip confirmation prompts for knowhow/spec writes
Pre-load (optional): Skill("spec") (load subcommand) for conventions + maestro search "<target topic>" for related entries.
Output: .workflow/knowhow/KNW-opinion-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md
Output boundary: ALL file writes MUST target .workflow/knowhow/KNW-opinion-{slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md and .workflow/specs/learnings.md only. NEVER modify source code or files outside these paths.
1. **Read-only analysis** — NEVER modify source code, wiki entries, or plan files under review; all writes go to `.workflow/` only
2. **Agent independence** — in review mode, each of the 3 agents (Pragmatist/Purist/Strategist) MUST operate independently without shared state; NEVER pass one agent's findings to another
3. **Evidence-backed verdicts** — every finding MUST include a `location` reference (file:line or section); ungrounded opinions SHALL NOT appear in the report
4. **Mode contract** — MUST execute exactly the mode specified (review/challenge/consult); NEVER mix mode behaviors within a single execution
5. **Append-only learnings** — `.workflow/specs/learnings.md` MUST be appended, NEVER overwritten or truncated
6. **Confirmation gate** — unless `-y` is set, MUST present findings and target files via AskUserQuestion before any writes
<state_machine>
S_RESOLVE — 解析 target PERSIST: —
S_CONTEXT — 加载 specs/wiki 上下文 PERSIST: —
S_EXECUTE — 按 mode 执行分析 PERSIST: —
S_SYNTHESIZE — 综合观点、生成报告 PERSIST: outputs
S_PERSIST — 写文件、append .workflow/specs/learnings.md PERSIST: knowhow files
S_RESOLVE:
→ S_CONTEXT WHEN: target resolved DO: read target content
→ S_RESOLVE WHEN: unresolvable DO: AskUserQuestion for clarification
S_CONTEXT:
→ S_EXECUTE DO: load specs + wiki search (optional, proceed without)
S_EXECUTE:
→ S_SYNTHESIZE WHEN: mode == review DO: A_REVIEW
→ S_SYNTHESIZE WHEN: mode == challenge DO: A_CHALLENGE
→ S_SYNTHESIZE WHEN: mode == consult DO: A_CONSULT
S_SYNTHESIZE:
→ S_PERSIST DO: merge perspectives → agreements, disagreements, verdict, top 3 recommendations
S_PERSIST:
→ END GATE: unless -y, AskUserQuestion showing files to write and spec-entries to append — proceed only on confirm
DO: write KNW-opinion + append blocks to .workflow/specs/learnings.md
A_REVIEW
Spawn 3 Agents in single message:
| Agent | Focus | Question |
|---|
| Pragmatist | simplicity, YAGNI, maintenance | "Simplest thing that works? Maintenance burden?" |
| Purist | correctness, edge cases, type safety | "What assumptions can be violated?" |
| Strategist | scalability, architecture alignment | "Supports future growth? Fits architecture?" |
Each returns: persona, verdict (approve/concern/reject), confidence, findings[{severity, description, location, suggestion}], summary.
A_CHALLENGE
Spawn 1 adversarial Agent:
- Find weakest assumption
- Propose concrete breaking scenario
- Identify single biggest risk
- Suggest alternative approach
- Apply forcing questions: "What invalidates this?", "Simplest thing that breaks this?", "What would you regret in 6 months?", "What implicit contract isn't enforced?"
A_CONSULT
Interactive loop:
- Agent studies target
- Display "Target loaded. What would you like to know?"
- AskUserQuestion → Agent answers with code refs → repeat until "done"
- Compile Q&A into report
</state_machine>
<error_codes>
| Code | Condition | Recovery |
|---|
| E001 | No target provided | Prompt user for target (path, wiki ID, HEAD, staged, or phase) |
| E002 | Unknown --mode value | Use: review, challenge, or consult |
| E003 | Target resolution failed — path not found, wiki ID invalid, or no staged changes | Check target exists |
| W001 | One review agent failed | Proceed with available perspectives |
| W002 | Specs/wiki pre-load unavailable | Proceed without convention context; note reduced coverage |
| </error_codes> | | |
<success_criteria>
<next_step_routing>
- Create issue →
/manage issue create <description>
- Decompose patterns →
/learn decompose <path>
- Follow code →
/learn follow <path>
</next_step_routing>
