Contextualize

You need to fully contextualize yourself in this repository before doing any work.

Step 1: Search Total Recall

First, search Total Recall for relevant context about this project. Use whichever tool name is available:

Claude Code:

mcp__plugin_totalrecall_memory-total-recall__synthesis_search({ query: "project name/key terms recent work decisions made", max_results: 15 })

Codex/other:

totalrecall.synthesis_search({ query: "project name/key terms recent work decisions made", max_results: 15 })

Look for:

• Recent conversations about this project

• Decisions that were made

• Problems that were solved

• Patterns established

• Gotchas discovered

Step 2: Delegate Oracle for Deep Context

Delegate an Oracle worker for deep context gathering:

teams(action: 'delegate', tasks: [{ text: 'Contextualize yourself deeply in this repository. [see investigation checklist below]', assignee: 'oracle' }])

If teams is not available, perform the investigation yourself directly.

Investigation Checklist

Whether delegated to Oracle or done directly, cover these areas:

Project Identity

• Read AGENTS.md, README.md, package.json (or equivalent)

• What is this project? What does it do?

• What are the core technologies and patterns?

• What are the established conventions?

Current Work Status

• Check for active plan tickets (tk list --tag plan )

• Check for pending work tickets (tk list )

• Check git status and recent commits (git log -10 --oneline)

• What was being worked on? What's in progress?

Decision History

• Check for decision tickets (tk list --tag decision )

• What major decisions have been made?

• What constraints exist from past choices?

Architecture Overview

• Map the key directories and their purposes

• Identify core modules/services

• Understand the data flow

Pain Points & Context

• Look for TODOs, FIXMEs, HACKs in code

• Check for any KNOWN_ISSUES or TROUBLESHOOTING docs

• Identify technical debt markers

Deliverable Format

Project Summary

[What this is, in 2-3 sentences]

Current Status

• Active work: [what's in progress]
• Blocked items: [if any]
• Recent changes: [last few commits summary]

Key Decisions to Remember

• [Decision 1]
• [Decision 2]

Established Patterns

• [Pattern 1]: [where/how used]
• [Pattern 2]: [where/how used]

Conventions & Constraints

• [Convention from AGENTS.md]
• [Technical constraint]

Recommended Next Steps

Based on current state, suggest what to focus on.

Step 3: Synthesize and Report

After gathering context from memory and investigation:

• Summarize the key findings for the user

• Highlight anything that seems urgent or blocked

• Confirm understanding of current priorities

• Ask if there's specific context you're missing

When to Use This Command

• Starting a new session on a project

• Returning to a project after time away

• Before making significant changes

• When feeling uncertain about project state

• After another developer has made changes

Remember: Context prevents mistakes. Take the time to understand before acting.