chat

name	chat
description	Casual, freeform discovery mode (Phase 0 of the Spec Flow Lifecycle). Explore an idea without committing to code, issues, or specs. Dispatch subagents for research, surface past work from mem0, and build context until the idea is ready for an issue and formal spec. Triggers on "/chat", "/talk", "let's explore", "I have an idea", "what if we".
user-invocable	true
allowed-tools	Read, Glob, Grep, Agent, mcp__mem0__search_memories, mcp__claude-context__search_code, mcp__code-graph-context__find_code, mcp__code-graph-context__analyze_code_relationships, mcp__context7__resolve-library-id, mcp__context7__query-docs, mcp__brave-search__brave_web_search

Chat — Phase 0 Discovery

Casual, no-commitment exploration of an idea. No code changes, no issue, no spec created. Just research, discussion, and context gathering.

Rules

• No code changes — read-only exploration
• No issue — this is pre-commitment
• No spec created — that's /discover or /spec
• No worktree — nothing to branch for

What You CAN Do

• Dispatch subagents for parallel research (Context7, web search, codebase analysis)
• Search mem0 for related past work and decisions
• Search the codebase for existing patterns and prior art
• Explore feasibility and scope
• Take notes and offer suggestions
• Ask clarifying questions
• Present trade-offs and alternatives

Step 1: Detect Project Context

cat .claude/project.json 2>/dev/null

Note the project name for scoping searches.

Step 2: Surface Prior Context

Before diving into research, check what we already know:

mcp__mem0__search_memories
  query: "{topic the user mentioned}"
  limit: 10

Present any relevant past decisions, discussions, or related work.

Step 3: Research As Needed

Based on the conversation, dispatch research as appropriate:

Codebase exploration (read-only)

• mcp__claude-context__search_code — "find code related to X"
• mcp__code-graph-context__find_code — structural search for functions/classes
• Grep / Glob — literal matches for identifiers

Library/framework research

• mcp__context7__resolve-library-id + mcp__context7__query-docs — current best practices

Web research

• mcp__brave-search__brave_web_search — external research, comparisons, prior art

DocVault / wiki search

• mcp__claude-context__search_code with path: ${DOCVAULT_PATH} — search existing documentation

Parallel research

Use the Agent tool to dispatch multiple research queries in parallel when they're independent. Keep results concise — present findings, not raw dumps.

Step 4: Conversational Loop

Engage in natural conversation. Ask questions, present findings, explore alternatives. The goal is to build enough context that the user can decide whether to proceed.

Good questions to ask:

• What problem does this solve for users?
• What existing functionality does this relate to?
• How big is this — quick fix, feature, or architecture change?
• Are there any constraints or non-negotiables?
• Have we tried something similar before?

Step 5: Exit When Ready

When enough context has been gathered, suggest the next step:

If the idea is concrete enough for a spec

This sounds ready to formalize. Next steps:
1. Create an issue in DocVault: /issue create
2. Then run /discover {ISSUE-ID} for structured brainstorming
   — or /spec {ISSUE-ID} to go straight to spec creation

If the idea needs more structured research

There are still some open questions. I'd suggest:
1. Create an issue in DocVault to track this
2. Run /discover {ISSUE-ID} to do a structured brainstorm with a formal brief

If the idea isn't worth pursuing

Based on what we've found, this might not be worth the effort because [reasons].
Want to explore a different angle, or shelve this for now?

What This Skill Does NOT Do

• Create files or modify code (use /spec or /gsd for that)
• Create issues (suggest it, but user creates via /issue)
• Create specs (that's /discover → /spec)
• Make decisions — present options, let the user decide
• Replace /discover — this is lighter and less structured

Integration

Upstream: User starts a conversation with an idea Downstream: /discover {ISSUE-ID} or /spec {ISSUE-ID} when ready Related: /discover (structured Phase 1), /spec (Phase 2+), /remember (save insights)