Ask Expert

Expert Consultation Document Creator

Create comprehensive technical consultation documents by extracting code, diffs, and architectural context within LLM token limits (125KB).

Document Structure

Follow this proven structure:

Part 1: Problem Context (~15-25 KB)

1. Problem - Issue, errors, test failures
2. Our Solution - What was implemented and why
3. Concerns - Code smells, coupling, architectural questions
4. Alternatives - Other approaches, trade-offs

Part 2: Complete Architecture (~60-90 KB)

5. Architecture Overview - ASCII diagram, data flow, patterns
6. Components - Frontend, tests, controllers
7. Services - Implementation and interfaces
8. Models - Domain entities with relationships

Part 3: Expert Request (~5-10 KB)

9. Questions - Specific technical questions
10. Success Criteria - Requirements and priorities

Workflow

Step 1: Write Problem Context

Create descriptive filename like {topic}-consultation.md:

cat > feature-consultation.md << 'EOF'
# Expert Consultation: [Feature Name]

## 1. Problem
[Describe the issue]

## 2. Our Solution
[What was implemented]

## 3. Concerns
[Technical concerns]

## 4. Alternatives
[Other approaches considered]

## 5. Architecture Overview
[ASCII diagram]

---
# Complete Architecture Context
EOF

Step 2: Extract Code

Use the bundled extraction script with size tracking.

💡 The script accepts multiple files in one call - batch files for efficiency:

node scripts/extract-code.js \
  --track-size --output=doc.md \
  --section="Core Files" \
  file1.ts file2.ts file3.ts \
  --section="Tests" \
  test1.ts test2.ts

File format options:

• Full file: src/Service.cs
• Line ranges: src/Service.cs:100-200 or src/Service.cs:1-30,100-150
• Git diff: src/Service.cs:diff or src/Service.cs:diff=master..HEAD

Prefer FULL files over chunks for better expert analysis. Use chunks only for very large files.

Step 3: Add Expert Request

cat >> consultation.md << 'EOF'

---
# Expert Guidance Request

## Questions
1. [Specific question about architecture]
2. [Question about trade-offs]
3. [Question about refactoring approach]

## Success Criteria
- [Required constraints]
- [Priorities]

**Please answer in English**
EOF

Step 4: Verify Size

wc -c consultation.md  # Should be 100-125 KB

DO NOT read the full file back (exceeds context).

Code Extraction Examples

See EXAMPLES.md for detailed usage patterns.

Basic extraction:

node scripts/extract-code.js \
  --track-size --output=doc.md \
  src/Component.vue tests/Component.test.ts

With sections:

node scripts/extract-code.js \
  --track-size --output=doc.md \
  --section="What Changed" \
  src/Service.cs:diff \
  --section="Implementation" \
  src/Service.cs src/Model.cs

Using config file:

node scripts/extract-code.js \
  --config=extraction-plan.json

Config File Format

Create reusable extraction plans:

{
  "output": "consultation.md",
  "trackSize": true,
  "sections": [
    {
      "header": "What Changed",
      "files": ["src/Service.cs:diff"]
    },
    {
      "header": "Core Implementation",
      "files": ["src/Service.cs", "src/Model.cs"]
    }
  ]
}

See scripts/extract-code-example.json for complete example.

Critical Rules

• ✅ Use --track-size to stay within 125 KB
• ✅ Batch multiple files in single command
• ✅ Use absolute path to script from any directory
• ✅ Include FULL files when possible
• ✅ Add architecture diagrams
• ✅ Include working AND failing tests
• ❌ Don't read completed file back
• ❌ Don't send only bug fix without context

Troubleshooting

Script not found:

# Verify script exists
ls scripts/extract-code.js

# Show help
node scripts/extract-code.js --help

Git diff errors:

git status              # Verify git repo
git rev-parse master    # Verify branch exists

Exceeding 125 KB:

• Use line ranges instead of full files for large services
• Remove boilerplate and simple DTOs
• Focus on core interfaces and modified code
• Split into multiple consultations

Code Inclusion Priority

Must include:

• Core interfaces/abstractions
• Modified/bug-fix code
• Domain models
• Key service methods
• Test examples

Skip if tight on space:

• Boilerplate
• Simple DTOs
• Repetitive test setups