deep-think

name	deep-think
description	Mediator-first deep reasoning protocol for high-difficulty tasks. Triggers: deep-think, multi-hypothesis reasoning, structured refinement, mediator triage.

deep-think

Usage

Use this skill when a task needs more than a single direct specialist pass: novel architecture, ambiguous tradeoffs, high-cost mistakes, or deliberate multi-hypothesis reasoning.

This is a repository-fit protocol surface for the active mediator stack. It is executed by @deep-think-mediator, not by the orchestrator or a leaf specialist directly.

Responsibility

This skill owns protocol-local reasoning flow only:

• Normalize the intake for @deep-think-mediator.
• Triage whether the task should stay in deep-think or redirect to @dt-council-mediator.
• Shape a bounded multi-hypothesis reasoning pass using the active agent fleet.
• Return a normalized payload back to the orchestrator.

Out of scope:

• Lifecycle writes, TODO ownership, and approval gates.
• User interaction and memory persistence.
• File editing or publication decisions.
• Direct vendor integration beyond the leaf-proxy boundary.

Active Repo Surfaces

Use the active repository surfaces instead of assuming the full reference stack:

• First protocol hop: @deep-think-mediator
• Council redirect target: @dt-council-mediator
• Optional Gemini runtime surface: host-provided native Gemini access outside the repo-owned runtime, when available
• Candidate reasoning participants: @architect, @planner-gpt, @planner-gemini, @planner-claude, @research-gpt, @research-gemini, @research-claude, @validator
• Optional runtime helpers when configured: session-gate and context-manager

Protocol

1. Normalize intake

• Require: objective, constraints, budget hint, and expected output shape.
• If a protocol asset reference is provided, prefer that asset. Otherwise run this local repo-fit protocol.

2. Run triage

• Classify difficulty as lite, standard, or deep.
• Classify diversity need as low, medium, or high.
• If diversity need is high enough that disagreement handling is the main value, return redirect metadata for @dt-council-mediator instead of forcing deep-think.

3. Build the reasoning set

• Choose 2 to 3 distinct reasoning participants from the active agent fleet.
• Prefer structural diversity over duplicated roles.
• Use a Gemini-family runtime path only if it is explicitly needed and the host environment provides native Gemini access outside the repo-owned runtime.

4. Generate and critique

• Produce parallel hypotheses.
• Require each hypothesis to receive a self-critique or cross-check before synthesis.
• Keep the protocol bounded. If the budget hint is tight, reduce branch count before reducing verification.

5. Synthesize

• Merge compatible findings.
• Preserve unresolved disagreements instead of flattening them.
• Return the best current answer plus explicit risks, weak points, and any redirect rationale.

Output Contract

Return one of these shapes:

deep_think_mediator_result:
  status: complete
  tier: lite | standard | deep
  summary: <short outcome>
  final_payload:
    recommendation: <result>
    risks: [<risk>]
    open_questions: [<question>]
  metadata:
    protocol_asset: local-repo-fit | <path>
    phases_completed: [triage, hypotheses, critique, synthesis]
    participants: [<agent labels>]

deep_think_mediator_result:
  status: redirect
  suggested_redirect_target: dt-council-mediator
  reason: <why council routing is preferred>
  redirect_context: <handoff payload>

deep_think_mediator_result:
  status: blocked | error
  reason: <missing dependency or failure>
  partial_payload: <optional>

Exit Criteria

• Intake is normalized.
• A bounded deep-think pass or a clean council redirect is produced.
• The result respects lifecycle ownership boundaries.
• No leaf vendor path is assumed without host-provided runtime access.

Failure Handling

• Missing mediator context or protocol inputs: return blocked.
• Required Gemini leaf path unavailable: return blocked or a degraded payload without vendor participation.
• Budget exhausted before critique and synthesis: return error with the best partial payload.