Oracle (CLI) — best use

Oracle bundles your prompt + selected files into one “one-shot” request so another model can answer with real repo context (API or browser automation). Treat outputs as advisory: verify against the codebase + tests.

Main use case (browser, GPT‑5.2 Pro)

Default workflow here: --engine browser with GPT‑5.2 Pro in ChatGPT. This is the “human in the loop” path: it can take ~10 minutes to ~1 hour; expect a stored session you can reattach to.

Recommended defaults:

• Engine: browser (--engine browser )

• Model: GPT‑5.2 Pro (either --model gpt-5.2-pro or a ChatGPT picker label like --model "5.2 Pro" )

• Attachments: directories/globs + excludes; avoid secrets.

Golden path (fast + reliable)

• Pick a tight file set (fewest files that still contain the truth).

• Preview what you’re about to send (--dry-run

• --files-report when needed).

• Run in browser mode for the usual GPT‑5.2 Pro ChatGPT workflow; use API only when you explicitly want it.

• If the run detaches/timeouts: reattach to the stored session (don’t re-run).

Commands (preferred)

Show help (once/session):

• npx -y @steipete/oracle --help

Preview (no tokens):

• npx -y @steipete/oracle --dry-run summary -p "<task>" --file "src/" --file "!/.test."

• npx -y @steipete/oracle --dry-run full -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

Token/cost sanity:

• npx -y @steipete/oracle --dry-run summary --files-report -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

Browser run (main path; long-running is normal):

• npx -y @steipete/oracle --engine browser --model gpt-5.2-pro -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

Manual paste fallback (assemble bundle, copy to clipboard):

• npx -y @steipete/oracle --render --copy -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

• Note: --copy is a hidden alias for --copy-markdown .

Attaching files (--file )

--file accepts files, directories, and globs. You can pass it multiple times; entries can be comma-separated.

Include:

• --file "src/**" (directory glob)

• --file src/index.ts (literal file)

• --file docs --file README.md (literal directory + file)

Exclude (prefix with ! ):

• --file "src/" --file "!src//.test.ts" --file "!**/.snap"

Defaults (important behavior from the implementation):

• Default-ignored dirs: node_modules , dist , coverage , .git , .turbo , .next , build , tmp (skipped unless you explicitly pass them as literal dirs/files).

• Honors .gitignore when expanding globs.

• Does not follow symlinks (glob expansion uses followSymbolicLinks: false ).

• Dotfiles are filtered unless you explicitly opt in with a pattern that includes a dot-segment (e.g. --file ".github/**" ).

• Hard cap: files > 1 MB are rejected (split files or narrow the match).

Budget + observability

• Target: keep total input under ~196k tokens.

• Use --files-report (and/or --dry-run json ) to spot the token hogs before spending.

• If you need hidden/advanced knobs: npx -y @steipete/oracle --help --verbose .

Engines (API vs browser)

• Auto-pick: uses api when OPENAI_API_KEY is set, otherwise browser .

• Browser engine supports GPT + Gemini only; use --engine api for Claude/Grok/Codex or multi-model runs.

• API runs require explicit user consent before starting because they incur usage costs.

• Browser attachments:

• --browser-attachments auto|never|always (auto pastes inline up to ~60k chars then uploads).

• Remote browser host (signed-in machine runs automation):

• Host: oracle serve --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9473 --token <secret>

• Client: oracle --engine browser --remote-host <host:port> --remote-token <secret> -p "<task>" --file "src/**"

Sessions + slugs (don’t lose work)

• Stored under ~/.oracle/sessions (override with ORACLE_HOME_DIR ).

• Runs may detach or take a long time (browser + GPT‑5.2 Pro often does). If the CLI times out: don’t re-run; reattach.

• List: oracle status --hours 72

• Attach: oracle session <id> --render

• Use --slug "<3-5 words>" to keep session IDs readable.

• Duplicate prompt guard exists; use --force only when you truly want a fresh run.

Prompt template (high signal)

Oracle starts with zero project knowledge. Assume the model cannot infer your stack, build tooling, conventions, or “obvious” paths. Include:

• Project briefing (stack + build/test commands + platform constraints).

• “Where things live” (key directories, entrypoints, config files, dependency boundaries).

• Exact question + what you tried + the error text (verbatim).

• Constraints (“don’t change X”, “must keep public API”, “perf budget”, etc).

• Desired output (“return patch plan + tests”, “list risky assumptions”, “give 3 options with tradeoffs”).

“Exhaustive prompt” pattern (for later restoration)

When you know this will be a long investigation, write a prompt that can stand alone later:

• Top: 6–30 sentence project briefing + current goal.

• Middle: concrete repro steps + exact errors + what you already tried.

• Bottom: attach all context files needed so a fresh model can fully understand (entrypoints, configs, key modules, docs).

If you need to reproduce the same context later, re-run with the same prompt + --file … set (Oracle runs are one-shot; the model doesn’t remember prior runs).

Safety

• Don’t attach secrets by default (.env , key files, auth tokens). Redact aggressively; share only what’s required.

• Prefer “just enough context”: fewer files + better prompt beats whole-repo dumps.

Attribution

This skill was copied from steipete/agent-scripts. Upstream: https://github.com/steipete/agent-scripts License: MIT (see LICENSE)