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.