Sequential Think

Structured iterative thinking for complex problem-solving. Standalone CLI only (no MCP dependency).

Execution Methods

Run scripts/sequential_think_cli.py via Bash:

# Process a thought
python scripts/sequential_think_cli.py think \
  --thought "First, let me analyze the problem structure..." \
  --thought-number 1 \
  --total-thoughts 5

# Continue thinking chain
python scripts/sequential_think_cli.py think \
  --thought "Based on step 1, I hypothesize that..." \
  --thought-number 2 \
  --total-thoughts 5

# Revise a previous thought
python scripts/sequential_think_cli.py think \
  --thought "Reconsidering step 1, I realize..." \
  --thought-number 3 \
  --total-thoughts 5 \
  --is-revision \
  --revises-thought 1

# Branch into alternative path
python scripts/sequential_think_cli.py think \
  --thought "Alternative approach: what if we..." \
  --thought-number 4 \
  --total-thoughts 6 \
  --branch-from 2 \
  --branch-id "alt-approach"

# Final thought (complete chain)
python scripts/sequential_think_cli.py think \
  --thought "Conclusion: the solution is..." \
  --thought-number 5 \
  --total-thoughts 5 \
  --no-next

# View thought history
python scripts/sequential_think_cli.py history [--format json|text]

# Clear thought history
python scripts/sequential_think_cli.py clear

Core Principles

Iterative Thinking Process

• Each tool call = one "thought" in the chain
• Build upon, question, or revise previous thoughts
• Express uncertainty when it exists

Dynamic Thought Count

• Start with initial estimate of totalThoughts
• Adjust up/down as understanding evolves
• Add more thoughts even after reaching initial end

Hypothesis-Driven Approach

1. Generate hypotheses as potential solutions emerge
2. Verify hypotheses based on chain-of-thought steps
3. Repeat until satisfied with solution

Completion Criteria

• Only set nextThoughtNeeded: false when truly finished
• Must have satisfactory, verified answer
• Don't rush to conclusion

When to Use

Parameters

Output Format

{
  "thoughtNumber": 3,
  "totalThoughts": 5,
  "nextThoughtNeeded": true,
  "branches": ["alt-approach"],
  "thoughtHistoryLength": 3
}

Workflow Pattern

Phase 1: Problem Decomposition

Thought 1: Identify problem scope and constraints
Thought 2: Break into sub-problems
Thought 3: Identify dependencies between sub-problems

Phase 2: Hypothesis Generation

Thought 4: Generate initial hypothesis
Thought 5: Identify evidence needed to verify

Phase 3: Verification & Iteration

Thought 6: Test hypothesis against evidence
Thought 7: Revise if needed (isRevision=true)
Thought 8: Branch if alternative path promising

Phase 4: Conclusion

Final Thought: Synthesize findings, provide answer (nextThoughtNeeded=false)

Best Practices

1. Start with estimate, adjust as needed

   • Initial totalThoughts is just a guess
   • Increase if problem more complex than expected
   • Decrease if solution found early

2. Use revisions for course correction

   • Mark isRevision=true when reconsidering
   • Reference revisesThought for clarity

3. Branch for alternative approaches

   • Use branchFromThought to explore alternatives
   • Give meaningful branchId names

4. Filter irrelevant information

   • Each thought should advance toward solution
   • Ignore tangential details

5. Don't rush completion

   • Only nextThoughtNeeded=false when truly done
   • Verify hypothesis before concluding

Anti-Patterns

Integration with Other Tools

With ACE-Tool

ACE-Tool → align current state → Sequential Think → analyze and plan

With Context7

Sequential Think → coordinate analysis → Context7 → provide official patterns

With Serena

Serena → symbol-level exploration → Sequential Think → systematic analysis