How do I install the Oracle skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add mary-ext/oracle 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 Oracle 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 Oracle?

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 Oracle free to use?

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

Who published Oracle?

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

Oracle by mary-ext — Agent Skill

Name: Oracle
Author: mary-ext

Oracle

An independent advisor. Call this before performing or planning any substantive work, when you believe the task is complete, when you believe you are stuck, when you are considering a change of approach, or when you need a second opinion.

mary-ext 5fb4c92 5 files · 12.3 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

General advice (`ask.sh`)

Use ask.sh for planning, debugging, architecture questions, and general second opinions.

# run_in_background: true
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/ask.sh "Your detailed question with full context here"

With file attachments (use -- separator, then list files or directories):

# run_in_background: true
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/ask.sh "Review this auth flow for security issues" -- src/auth/login.ts src/auth/session.ts

You can also attach entire directories when the oracle needs broader context:

# run_in_background: true
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/ask.sh "How does the plugin system work?" -- src/plugins/

Adversarial review (`review.sh`)

Use review.sh when you want your work pressure-tested before shipping. Unlike ask.sh, the reviewer defaults to skepticism — it actively tries to break confidence in the change rather than validate it. It focuses on expensive, dangerous, or hard-to-detect failures: auth gaps, data loss, race conditions, rollback safety, idempotency, and observability blind spots.

The output includes a verdict (SHIP, NEEDS ATTENTION, or DO NOT SHIP) and structured findings with severity, location, failure scenario, evidence, and a concrete fix recommendation.

# run_in_background: true
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/review.sh "Review these changes for safety issues" -- src/db/migration.ts src/api/handler.ts

Directories work here too — the oracle will explore them as needed:

# run_in_background: true
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/review.sh "Check the new middleware stack for auth gaps" -- src/middleware/

You can also provide a focus area to steer the review:

# run_in_background: true
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/review.sh "Focus on race conditions and retry behavior in the queue processor" -- src/queue/processor.ts

If the task requires orientation first (finding files, seeing what's there), do that first.

Run oracle in the background and do not pipe it to head, tail or grep.

The oracle explores freely, avoid modifying any files that oracle might touch while it is running.

The oracle takes minutes to reason and the answer is not streamed. If you have nothing unrelated to work on, either call TaskOutput(block: true) or end your turn and wait for the completion notification.

Formulating good questions

Be specific and self-contained. Each invocation starts with fresh context, the oracle has no memory of previous questions or answers, so every question must stand on its own.

Include:

What you're trying to achieve
What you've tried or considered so far
Relevant constraints or requirements

File attachments are optional. Attach them if you believe it may be immediately useful to the oracle, avoid attaching them by reflex.

Interpreting results

Treat the oracle's response as an advisory opinion, not a directive. After receiving it, do your own investigation using the oracle's analysis as a starting point, then decide on a final approach.

---name: oracledescription: An independent advisor. Call this before performing or planning any substantive work, when you believe the task is complete, when you believe you are stuck, when you are considering a change of approach, or when you need a second opinion.---### General advice (`ask.sh`)Use `ask.sh` for planning, debugging, architecture questions, and general second opinions.```bash# run_in_background: true${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/ask.sh "Your detailed question with full context here"```**With file attachments** (use `--` separator, then list files or directories):```bash# run_in_background: true${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/ask.sh "Review this auth flow for security issues" -- src/auth/login.ts src/auth/session.ts```You can also attach entire directories when the oracle needs broader context:```bash# run_in_background: true${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/ask.sh "How does the plugin system work?" -- src/plugins/```### Adversarial review (`review.sh`)Use `review.sh` when you want your work pressure-tested before shipping. Unlike `ask.sh`, thereviewer defaults to skepticism — it actively tries to break confidence in the change rather thanvalidate it. It focuses on expensive, dangerous, or hard-to-detect failures: auth gaps, data loss,race conditions, rollback safety, idempotency, and observability blind spots.The output includes a verdict (`SHIP`, `NEEDS ATTENTION`, or `DO NOT SHIP`) and structured findingswith severity, location, failure scenario, evidence, and a concrete fix recommendation.```bash# run_in_background: true${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/review.sh "Review these changes for safety issues" -- src/db/migration.ts src/api/handler.ts```Directories work here too — the oracle will explore them as needed:```bash# run_in_background: true${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/review.sh "Check the new middleware stack for auth gaps" -- src/middleware/```You can also provide a focus area to steer the review:```bash# run_in_background: true${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/review.sh "Focus on race conditions and retry behavior in the queue processor" -- src/queue/processor.ts```---If the task requires orientation first (finding files, seeing what's there), do that first.Run oracle in the background and do not pipe it to `head`, `tail` or `grep`.The oracle explores freely, avoid modifying any files that oracle might touch while it is running.The oracle takes minutes to reason and the answer is not streamed. If you have nothing unrelated towork on, either call TaskOutput(block: true) or end your turn and wait for the completionnotification.## Formulating good questionsBe specific and self-contained. Each invocation starts with fresh context, the oracle has no memoryof previous questions or answers, so every question must stand on its own.Include:- What you're trying to achieve- What you've tried or considered so far- Relevant constraints or requirementsFile attachments are optional. Attach them if you believe it may be immediately useful to theoracle, avoid attaching them by reflex.## Interpreting resultsTreat the oracle's response as an advisory opinion, not a directive. After receiving it, do your owninvestigation using the oracle's analysis as a starting point, then decide on a final approach.

Frequently asked questions