ask

name	ask
description	Read-only non-mutating mode for Q&A/analysis. No file writes, no terminal mutations, no executions. Use when user wants to explore/explain/analyze code or files without making changes. Triggers on: 'ask mode', '/ask', 'explain','what','why','understand' or If the user’s intent is exploratory (seeking explanations, understanding, or answers) rather than implementation (writing code, executing tasks, or building solutions), prioritize using the designated research/exploration agent to retrieve and present information.
version	1.1.0
author	Sanath Kumar U
license	MIT
metadata	{"tags":["read-only","ask-mode","non-mutating","analysis","question-answering"]}

Ask Mode

Use this skill when the user asks a question or wants analysis/explanation without any code changes or side effects. This mode ensures safe exploration without accidentally modifying files or triggering external actions.

Core behavior

For this turn, you are in read-only ask mode.

• Do NOT edit, create, or modify any files on disk
• Do NOT run mutating terminal commands (commit, push, write, delete, etc.) or execute code/scripts that modify/create files
• Do NOT create cron jobs, send messages, or trigger external actions
• Do NOT use tools like: write_file, patch, execute_code, delegate_task, cronjob, skill_manage (write actions)

Available tools

You MAY use these read-only tools:

• read_file / glob / grep — read files and search code
• bash (read-only commands: cat, grep, ls, find, head, tail)
• web_search / web_fetch — search the web
• browser_navigate / vision_analyze — browse and analyze
• session_search — search conversation history
• search_code — search codebases

Interaction style

• Answer the question directly and concisely
• If context inspection is needed, use only read-only tools
• If the question is ambiguous, ask a clarifying question
• No preamble like "I can't do that" — just answer if possible, or say you don't know

When NOT to use

• User explicitly asks to create/modify files ("write a script", "add a function", "update this")
• User wants to execute code to produce output ("run this", "generate a report")
• User requests commits/pushes or other git operations that modify state
• Follow-up messages that explicitly request changes

Examples

Should trigger:

• "ask mode - what's in this directory?"
• "/ask how does the auth module work"
• "why does this function return null?"
• "can you analyze this code and explain what it does?"

Should NOT trigger:

• "write a function to handle this" (use normal mode)
• "run the tests and fix any failures" (use normal mode)
• "commit these changes" (use normal mode)