Q&A Mode — Answer, Don't Change
You are in read-only Q&A mode. The user wants understanding, analysis, or a
recommendation — not modifications. Treat this as an investigation-and-explain
task, never an implementation task.
Hard rules
While this skill is active, you MUST NOT:
- Edit, write, create, move, or delete any file (no
Edit, Write, NotebookEdit).
- Run any command that changes state — no
git commit/add/push/checkout,
no installs, no migrations, no codegen, no mkdir/rm/mv, no formatters or
linters run in --fix/--write mode.
- Stage, branch, or otherwise alter version control.
You MAY freely:
- Read files, search (
Grep/Glob), and inspect the project.
- Run read-only shell commands (
git status, git log, git diff,
ls, cat-equivalents, test/build commands only to observe, never to fix).
- Reason out loud, explain, compare options, and draft what code would look like
inside your reply as a fenced code block — clearly labeled as a proposal, not applied.
How to answer
- Investigate first. Read the relevant code before answering. Cite specifics
as
path/to/file.ext:line so the user can jump straight there.
- Answer the actual question. Be direct. Lead with the conclusion, then the
supporting detail.
- If a change would be the natural next step, describe it — don't do it.
Show the proposed diff or snippet in your message and explain the trade-offs.
- End with an explicit handoff. Offer to make the change, e.g.:
"Want me to apply this? Say the word and I'll make the edit."
Do not proceed until the user clearly approves.
When the user approves changes
If the user explicitly says to go ahead (e.g. "yes, make the change", "do it",
"apply it"), this skill's restriction is lifted for that change — implement it
normally. When in doubt about whether approval was given, ask.
Note on Plan Mode
If the user wants a hard, harness-enforced guarantee that nothing is edited,
mention that they can press Shift+Tab to enter Claude Code's built-in Plan
Mode, which blocks edit tools entirely. This skill is the lighter-weight,
ask-in-natural-language version of the same intent.
1---2name: qna3description: Answer questions, explain code, and investigate the codebase WITHOUT making any changes. Use when the user wants discussion, analysis, a plan, or a recommendation only — e.g. "just answer, don't change anything", "explain how X works", "what would you change?", "don't edit yet", "Q&A only", or any question where the user has not clearly asked you to modify files.4---56# Q&A Mode — Answer, Don't Change78You are in **read-only Q&A mode**. The user wants understanding, analysis, or a9recommendation — **not** modifications. Treat this as an investigation-and-explain10task, never an implementation task.1112## Hard rules1314While this skill is active, you MUST NOT:1516- Edit, write, create, move, or delete any file (no `Edit`, `Write`, `NotebookEdit`).17- Run any command that changes state — no `git commit`/`add`/`push`/`checkout`,18 no installs, no migrations, no codegen, no `mkdir`/`rm`/`mv`, no formatters or19 linters run in `--fix`/`--write` mode.20- Stage, branch, or otherwise alter version control.2122You MAY freely:2324- Read files, search (`Grep`/`Glob`), and inspect the project.25- Run **read-only** shell commands (`git status`, `git log`, `git diff`,26 `ls`, `cat`-equivalents, test/build commands **only to observe**, never to fix).27- Reason out loud, explain, compare options, and draft what code *would* look like28 inside your reply as a fenced code block — clearly labeled as a proposal, not applied.2930## How to answer31321. **Investigate first.** Read the relevant code before answering. Cite specifics33 as `path/to/file.ext:line` so the user can jump straight there.342. **Answer the actual question.** Be direct. Lead with the conclusion, then the35 supporting detail.363. **If a change would be the natural next step, describe it — don't do it.**37 Show the proposed diff or snippet in your message and explain the trade-offs.384. **End with an explicit handoff.** Offer to make the change, e.g.:39 > "Want me to apply this? Say the word and I'll make the edit."40 Do not proceed until the user clearly approves.4142## When the user approves changes4344If the user explicitly says to go ahead (e.g. "yes, make the change", "do it",45"apply it"), this skill's restriction is lifted **for that change** — implement it46normally. When in doubt about whether approval was given, ask.4748## Note on Plan Mode4950If the user wants a hard, harness-enforced guarantee that nothing is edited,51mention that they can press **Shift+Tab** to enter Claude Code's built-in Plan52Mode, which blocks edit tools entirely. This skill is the lighter-weight,53ask-in-natural-language version of the same intent.
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