| name | thinking-patterns |
| description | Provides structured reasoning patterns that produce visible, auditable output. Use when the user asks to "think through", "reason about", "work through", "show your thinking", or wants step-by-step reasoning. Also invoked with /thinking or /thinking <pattern>. |
Thinking Patterns
Structured reasoning that produces visible, auditable output. Use when complex reasoning benefits from explicit methodology rather than relying solely on extended thinking.
Quick Start
/thinking # Auto-select based on context
/thinking chain-of-thought # Explicit pattern
/thinking cot # Short alias
Pattern Selection Guide
| Task Type | Pattern | Aliases | Key Trigger |
|---|
| Debugging/tracing | chain-of-thought | cot, chain | Step-by-step problem solving |
| Research/understanding | atomic-thought | aot, atomic | Combine facts from multiple areas |
| Comparing approaches | tree-of-thoughts | tot, tree | Multiple valid solutions exist |
| Planning/outlining | skeleton-of-thought | sot, skeleton | Need structure before details |
| Calculations | program-of-thoughts | pot, program | Generate code instead of computing |
| Verification | self-consistency | sc, verify | High stakes, need validation |
| Synthesizing | graph-of-thoughts | got, graph | Combining multiple inputs |
What Are You Working On?
To select the right pattern, consider your task:
- Debugging or tracing logic? → Chain of Thought
- Researching or gathering information? → Atomic Thought
- Comparing multiple approaches? → Tree of Thoughts
- Creating a plan or outline? → Skeleton of Thought
- Doing calculations or data processing? → Program of Thoughts
- Verifying an important conclusion? → Self-Consistency
- Synthesizing findings from multiple sources? → Graph of Thoughts
If unclear, describe your task and I'll recommend a pattern.
Auto-Selection Logic
When invoked without a specific pattern:
- Keywords: Match trigger words to patterns
- Task structure: Sequential → CoT, Branching → ToT, Convergent → GoT
- Risk level: High stakes → Self-Consistency verification
- Ask if unclear: When multiple patterns apply, ask user preference
Pattern Summaries
Chain of Thought (CoT)
Linear reasoning with explicit intermediate steps. Use for debugging, math, causal analysis.
- Output: Numbered steps building on each other
- Invoke when: "walk through", "explain", "show your work"
Atomic Thought (AoT)
Decomposes problems into independent sub-questions. Use for research and multi-hop queries.
- Output: Dependency graph → solve leaves → contract answers
- Invoke when: "understand", "research", "investigate"
Tree of Thoughts (ToT)
Explores multiple reasoning paths with evaluation. Use for design decisions and brainstorming.
- Output: 2-4 approaches with trade-offs → recommendation
- Invoke when: "what are my options", "how should I approach"
Skeleton of Thought (SoT)
Generates structure before content. Use for planning and documents.
- Output: Phase 1 skeleton → Phase 2 expansion
- Invoke when: "plan", "outline", "roadmap"
Program of Thoughts (PoT)
Delegates computation to code execution. Use for calculations requiring precision.
- Output: Natural language explanation → executable code → results
- Invoke when: "calculate", "compute", "analyze data"
Self-Consistency
Samples multiple reasoning paths and aggregates. Use for verification.
- Output: 3-5 independent paths → consensus check → confidence assessment
- Invoke when: "double-check", "verify", "make sure"
Graph of Thoughts (GoT)
Models reasoning as graph with aggregation and refinement. Use for synthesis.
- Output: Extract insights → identify conflicts → resolve → unified synthesis
- Invoke when: "combine", "synthesize", "integrate"
Workflow Integration
| Phase | Primary Pattern | Purpose |
|---|
| Before planning | SoT or ToT | Structure or explore options |
| During research | AoT | Decompose and gather |
| When debugging | CoT | Systematic tracing |
| Before finalizing | Self-Consistency | Validate approach |
| After brainstorming | GoT | Synthesize findings |
Composition Patterns
Patterns can be composed for complex tasks:
| Workflow Phase | Pattern Sequence |
|---|
| Research → Synthesis | AoT → GoT |
| Planning → Selection | SoT → ToT |
| Implementation → Verify | CoT/PoT → Self-Consistency |
| Brainstorm → Converge | ToT → GoT |
Detailed Pattern Reference
For full pattern definitions including:
- Core mechanisms and processes
- Activation methods
- Examples and templates
- Anti-patterns to avoid
See patterns.md.
Success Criteria
A thinking pattern is successfully applied when:
