How do I install the Pickbrain skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add dropbox/pickbrain-2 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Pickbrain safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Pickbrain?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Pickbrain free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Pickbrain?

dropbox (@dropbox) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Pickbrain by dropbox — Agent Skill

Name: Pickbrain
Author: dropbox

Pickbrain

Recall and semantic search over previous Pi coding sessions. Use when the user wants to find, remember, or reference prior Pi work — e.g. "what did we discuss about X", "find the session where we fixed Y", "search my history for Z".

dropbox b23663f 2.7 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Pickbrain — Recall for Pi

Search previous Pi sessions semantically and use the results to answer the user with citations/excerpts. Pickbrain can also search Claude Code, Codex, and Slack when explicitly requested, but in Pi it should default to Pi history.

Preferred Pi Usage

If the pickbrain_search tool is available, use it first. It automatically:

defaults to type: "pi"
passes the current Pi session to pickbrain
suppresses ingest progress noise
limits results to a small useful set unless asked otherwise

Examples:

Search Pi history: { "query": "auth middleware fix" }
Search current Pi session: { "query": "install target", "current": true }
Exclude current Pi session: { "query": "dropbox witchcraft", "excludeCurrent": true }
Search all coding agents: { "query": "extension api", "type": "pi,claude,codex" }
Search everything, including Slack: { "query": "launch plan", "allSources": true }
Dump a session: { "dump": "<session-id>", "turns": "2-4" }

Slash Command

The Pi extension also registers:

/pickbrain <query>

This searches Pi sessions by default. Pass flags to override:

/pickbrain --type pi,claude,codex auth middleware
/pickbrain --dump <session-id> --turns 2-4

Bash Fallback

If the tool is unavailable, run pickbrain via Bash:

pickbrain -q --type pi "$ARGUMENTS"

Pickbrain automatically ingests new sessions before each search. First run can take longer while building the local database.

Interpreting Results

Each result includes:

timestamp and project directory
source: usually pi, or claude, codex, slack if requested
session ID and turn number
relevant matching text

Present results as a concise summary and quote the most relevant excerpts. To dig deeper:

pickbrain -q --dump <session-id> --turns <start>-<end>

Useful CLI Filters

pickbrain -q --type pi "<query>"       # only Pi sessions
pickbrain -q --current "<query>"       # current calling session when detectable
pickbrain -q --exclude-current "<query>"
pickbrain -q --session <session-id> "<query>"
pickbrain -q --since 7d "<query>"
pickbrain -q -n 20 "<query>"

Notes

The database lives at ~/.pickbrain/pickbrain.db.
Results are ranked by semantic similarity and may not contain exact query words.
For best Pi integration, keep the Pi extension installed in ~/.pi/agent/extensions/pickbrain/.

---name: pickbrain-2description: Recall and semantic search over previous Pi coding sessions. Use when the user wants to find, remember, or reference prior Pi work — e.g. "what did we discuss about X", "find the session where we fixed Y", "search my history for Z".---# Pickbrain — Recall for PiSearch previous Pi sessions semantically and use the results to answer the user with citations/excerpts. Pickbrain can also search Claude Code, Codex, and Slack when explicitly requested, but in Pi it should default to Pi history.## Preferred Pi UsageIf the `pickbrain_search` tool is available, use it first. It automatically:- defaults to `type: "pi"`- passes the current Pi session to pickbrain- suppresses ingest progress noise- limits results to a small useful set unless asked otherwiseExamples:- Search Pi history: `{ "query": "auth middleware fix" }`- Search current Pi session: `{ "query": "install target", "current": true }`- Exclude current Pi session: `{ "query": "dropbox witchcraft", "excludeCurrent": true }`- Search all coding agents: `{ "query": "extension api", "type": "pi,claude,codex" }`- Search everything, including Slack: `{ "query": "launch plan", "allSources": true }`- Dump a session: `{ "dump": "<session-id>", "turns": "2-4" }`## Slash CommandThe Pi extension also registers:```text/pickbrain <query>```This searches Pi sessions by default. Pass flags to override:```text/pickbrain --type pi,claude,codex auth middleware/pickbrain --dump <session-id> --turns 2-4```## Bash FallbackIf the tool is unavailable, run `pickbrain` via Bash:```bashpickbrain -q --type pi "$ARGUMENTS"```Pickbrain automatically ingests new sessions before each search. First run can take longer while building the local database.## Interpreting ResultsEach result includes:- timestamp and project directory- source: usually `pi`, or `claude`, `codex`, `slack` if requested- session ID and turn number- relevant matching textPresent results as a concise summary and quote the most relevant excerpts. To dig deeper:```bashpickbrain -q --dump <session-id> --turns <start>-<end>```## Useful CLI Filters```bashpickbrain -q --type pi "<query>" # only Pi sessionspickbrain -q --current "<query>" # current calling session when detectablepickbrain -q --exclude-current "<query>"pickbrain -q --session <session-id> "<query>"pickbrain -q --since 7d "<query>"pickbrain -q -n 20 "<query>"```## Notes- The database lives at `~/.pickbrain/pickbrain.db`.- Results are ranked by semantic similarity and may not contain exact query words.- For best Pi integration, keep the Pi extension installed in `~/.pi/agent/extensions/pickbrain/`.

Frequently asked questions