# Oac Approach

Use before any implementation, understands the request, discovers project context, and...

- Repository: https://github.com/darrenhinde/OpenAgentsControl (4967 stars)
- Category: Writing
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-26
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add darrenhinde/OpenAgentsControl --skill oac-approach -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add darrenhinde/OpenAgentsControl --skill oac-approach -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add darrenhinde/OpenAgentsControl --skill oac-approach -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add darrenhinde/OpenAgentsControl --skill oac-approach -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add darrenhinde/OpenAgentsControl`

## Description

Use before any implementation, understands the request, discovers project context, and proposes a concise plan for user approval before writing any code.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Plan Before You Code

## Overview

Understand the request, discover relevant context, propose a concise plan, get approval. Keep it fast, the goal is alignment, not a design workshop.

<HARD-GATE>
Do NOT write any code or make any file changes until the user has approved your proposed approach.
</HARD-GATE>

## The Process

### Step 1: Understand the Request

Read the user's message. You already have the "what", don't ask a series of questions up front. Only ask clarifying questions if:
- The request is genuinely ambiguous (two different valid interpretations)
- You discover during context check that key details are missing (e.g. which framework, which database)

In those cases, ask the specific questions you need, not a blanket "tell me more". Be explicit about what you need and why.

### Step 2: Discover Context

Invoke `oac:context-discovery` with the task topic to find relevant project standards and patterns.

**If context-discovery reports no context installed:** proceed anyway, note it as "none" in the proposal and include the context hint (see Step 4). Do not pause or ask the user before proposing.

**If context found:** note the key files returned, reference them in your proposal.

### Step 3: Ask Clarifying Questions (if needed)

After reviewing the context and the request, if there are still gaps that would significantly change the approach, ask them now, explicitly and concisely:

```
Before I propose an approach, I need a couple of details:

1. {specific question}, because {why it matters to the approach}
2. {specific question}, because {why it matters to the approach}
```

Keep it to the minimum needed. If you can make a reasonable assumption, state it in the proposal instead of asking.

### Step 4: Propose

Present a lightweight plan. Short, not a full spec:

```
## Proposed Approach

The rest: https://github.com/darrenhinde/OpenAgentsControl/blob/HEAD/plugins/claude-code/skills/oac-approach/SKILL.md