gather-context

Gather Context

When to use

Use this skill when any of these apply:

• The user explicitly asks for background, research, or a catch-up on a topic
• The task touches a named system or feature area that may have prior decisions (e.g. auth, billing, a specific pipeline, a shared library)
• The task requires architectural judgment or multi-file changes, not a mechanical edit
• You notice domain jargon, product names, or module names you don't have context on

Skip it when:

• The task is a mechanical edit, typo fix, or obvious single-file change
• You already have the context from the current conversation
• The user explicitly wants you to just act, not research

Workflow

Start with knowledge base search — it's the fastest way to surface prior decisions and past work. Work outward from there:

1. Knowledge base first — Search for the topic area:

   mcp__plugin_halyard_ask-expert__search_knowledge(query: "the feature area or system")
   

   If results look relevant, follow up with explore_knowledge(entry_id: "...") to pull in connected decisions and prior work.

2. Codebase — Read relevant files, check git log/git blame for recent changes and who owns the area.

3. Web — Search externally only when the topic genuinely extends beyond the repo (third-party APIs, standards, recent releases).

If knowledge base tools are unavailable, rely on codebase exploration and web search. Either way, synthesize findings into a brief summary (2–4 bullets) before proceeding with the task — this doubles as a sanity check that you gathered enough.