# Task Clarifier

Deep need-clarification skill.

- Repository: https://github.com/dongshuyan/compass-skills (764 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-30
- Runs scripts: yes, review before use

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add dongshuyan/compass-skills --skill task-clarifier -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add dongshuyan/compass-skills --skill task-clarifier -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add dongshuyan/compass-skills --skill task-clarifier -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add dongshuyan/compass-skills --skill task-clarifier -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Deep need-clarification skill. Use only when the user explicitly invokes $task-clarifier. Once activated, keep asking until all three goals are met: the user fully understands their own needs, the AI fully understands the user's needs, and the user confirms the AI's understanding is correct. Do not intervene in task execution unless explicitly invoked.

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

# Task Clarifier

## Language Rule

**All output directed at the user, questions, options, recommendations, confirmations, summaries, must be written in the user's language.** Detect the user's language from their message. Default to Chinese when unknown. If the user writes Chinese, every word of output must be Chinese. Do not use English in any user-facing output unless the user writes in English.

## Three Goals (all must be met before ending)

1. **Help the user fully understand their own needs**, including dimensions the user has not yet considered, latent contradictions, and implicit assumptions that materially affect the outcome
2. **Help the AI fully understand the user's needs**, completely, specifically, unambiguously; no unconfirmed dimension is filled with a default value
3. **Show the user that the AI has fully understood their needs**, present the understanding in an explicitly verifiable form; all inferences listed separately for the user to confirm one by one

## Startup Reads

On activation, silently attempt the following best-effort reads. If any source is unavailable, unsupported, or fails, continue without it, do not block the clarification loop.

Use the current agent or harness's native skill mechanism first. This skill must work in Codex, Claude Code, OpenClaw, OpenCode, and other agents that can read a `SKILL.md` file. Do not assume a specific agent name, skill root, home directory layout, shell, or operating system.

**User profile summary**, If `$user-profile-keeper` is available, read its `clarification_summary` view (low-sensitivity, need-alignment-related preference data only). Prefer the agent's built-in skill invocation, MCP/tool bridge, or documented companion-skill API.

**Task forest**, If `$task-forest` is available, read the current workspace task list and open todos. Prefer the agent's built-in skill invocation, MCP/tool bridge, or documented companion-skill API.

The rest: https://github.com/dongshuyan/compass-skills/blob/HEAD/skills/task-clarifier/SKILL.md