# Official Docs First

> Use this skill ALWAYS whenever the task touches an external technology (SDK, API, library, framework, database, MCP server, AI provider) OR any knowledge after the model's cutoff date. Trigger this skill EVEN for technologies you think you know — your training data may be outdated by months. This skill is MANDATORY before writing any code that uses external dependencies.

- Skill: `engsimsoft/official-docs-first` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add engsimsoft/official-docs-first`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/engsimsoft/official-docs-first/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: engsimsoft (https://skillmd.com/u/engsimsoft)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/engsimsoft/official-docs-first

---


# Official docs FIRST (R2 enforcement)

## Trigger
- ANY external technology in scope: SDK, API, library, framework, package, database driver, AI provider, MCP server
- Knowledge cutoff is months old. Frameworks ship breaking changes weekly.
- "I think I know this library" is exactly when you're wrong (knowledge drift on familiar things is highest)

## Mandatory steps BEFORE writing code

### 1. Identify external technologies in scope
- List explicitly: "This task touches: Pydantic AI 0.0.x, FastAPI, SQLModel, Alembic, OpenAI SDK"
- Don't assume "minor versions don't matter" — they do for active projects

### 2. For each: query Context7 MCP
```
mcp__context7__resolve-library-id   →  get the /org/library ID
mcp__context7__get-library-docs     →  fetch current docs
```

### 3. If Context7 has nothing → WebFetch official URL
- Find the canonical documentation page (NOT a tutorial blog post)
- WebFetch it
- Quote the specific clause that affects your code + URL

### 4. Compare with HANDOFF/SPEC hypothesis
- If existing notes say "API takes parameter X" — verify in fetched docs
- Flag any contradiction explicitly

### 5. Cite in your work
Format in your reasoning:
> Per [docs URL]: "exact quoted clause about the API"
> Therefore the call shape is: `client.method(arg=X, optional=Y)`

### 6. ONLY THEN start writing code
- Code must reference what you read
- If docs are ambiguous → escalate to owner WITH proposed default (R4), not as open question

## Verified provider docs to know

| Provider | Canonical docs URL |
|---|---|
| Anthropic | https://docs.anthropic.com |
| Claude Code | https://code.claude.com/docs/en |
| OpenAI | https://platform.openai.com/docs |
| Pydantic AI | https://ai.pydantic.dev |
| FastAPI | https://fastapi.tiangolo.com |
| SQLModel | https://sqlmodel.tiangolo.com |
| Alembic | https://alembic.sqlalchemy.org |
| xAI | https://docs.x.ai |

## Anti-patterns
- ✗ "I'll just write it from memory, this library hasn't changed much"
- ✗ Reading a 2-year-old blog post instead of current official docs
- ✗ Trusting auto-generated docs from a fork without checking canonical
- ✗ Citing docs without quoting the specific clause