- name
- oracle
- description
- Best practices for using the oracle CLI (prompt + file bundling, engines, sessions, and file attachment patterns).
- homepage
- https://askoracle.dev
- metadata
oracle — 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 output as advisory: verify against code + tests.
Main use case (browser, GPT‑5.2 Pro)
Default workflow here: --engine browser with GPT‑5.2 Pro in ChatGPT. This is the common “long think” path: ~10 minutes to ~1 hour is normal; expect a stored session you can reattach to.
Recommended defaults:
- Engine: browser (
--engine browser) - Model: GPT‑5.2 Pro (
--model gpt-5.2-proor--model "5.2 Pro")
Golden path
- Pick a tight file set (fewest files that still contain the truth).
- Preview payload + token spend (
--dry-run+--files-report). - Use browser mode for the usual GPT‑5.2 Pro 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)
- Help:
- oracle --help - If the binary isn’t installed: npx -y @steipete/oracle --help (avoid pnpx here; sqlite bindings).
- Preview (no tokens):
- oracle --dry-run summary -p "<task>" --file "src/**" --file "!**/*.test.*" - oracle --dry-run full -p "<task>" --file "src/**"
- Token sanity:
- oracle --dry-run summary --files-report -p "<task>" --file "src/**"
- Browser run (main path; long-running is normal):
- oracle --engine browser --model gpt-5.2-pro -p "<task>" --file "src/**"
- Manual paste fallback:
- 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/**" - --file src/index.ts - --file docs --file README.md
- Exclude:
- --file "src/**" --file "!src/**/*.test.ts" --file "!**/*.snap"
- Defaults (implementation behavior):
- Default-ignored dirs: node_modules, dist, coverage, .git, .turbo, .next, build, tmp (skipped unless explicitly passed as literal dirs/files). - Honors .gitignore when expanding globs. - Does not follow symlinks. - Dotfiles filtered unless opted in via pattern (e.g. --file ".github/**"). - Files > 1 MB rejected.
Engines (API vs browser)
- Auto-pick:
apiwhenOPENAI_API_KEYis set; otherwisebrowser. - Browser supports GPT + Gemini only; use
--engine apifor Claude/Grok/Codex or multi-model runs. - Browser attachments:
- --browser-attachments auto|never|always (auto pastes inline up to ~60k chars then uploads).
- Remote browser host:
- 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
- Stored under
~/.oracle/sessions(override withORACLE_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
--forceonly 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, boundaries).
- Exact question + what you tried + the error text (verbatim).
- Constraints (“don’t change X”, “must keep public API”, etc).
- Desired output (“return patch plan + tests”, “give 3 options with tradeoffs”).
Safety
- Don’t attach secrets by default (
.env, key files, auth tokens). Redact aggressively; share only what’s required.
“Exhaustive prompt” restoration pattern
For long investigations, write a standalone prompt + file set so you can rerun days later:
- 6–30 sentence project briefing + the goal.
- Repro steps + exact errors + what you tried.
- Attach all context files needed (entrypoints, configs, key modules, docs).
Oracle runs are one-shot; the model doesn’t remember prior runs. “Restoring context” means re-running with the same prompt + --file … set (or reattaching a still-running stored session).