# Why

> Recover why a system or decision exists by triangulating source history and connected evidence. Use for rationale archaeology and historical questions.

- Skill: `theonlyfusioncube/why` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add theonlyfusioncube/why`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/theonlyfusioncube/why/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: TheOnlyFusionCube (https://skillmd.com/u/theonlyfusioncube)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/theonlyfusioncube/why

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# Why

Recover rationale without inventing intent.

1. State the exact decision whose rationale matters.
2. Discover available evidence sources. Prefer source history, code review/PRs, issues, design docs, chat, observability, and analytics in roughly that order of directness for the claim at hand.
3. If `search`/connected systems and `delegate` exist, query independent evidence categories in parallel. Otherwise search sequentially.
4. Separate contemporaneous evidence from later interpretation. A current comment is not proof of an old motive.
5. Triangulate at least two sources for strong intent claims when possible.
6. Return: decision, strongest evidence, inferred rationale, alternatives considered if evidenced, what changed since, and unresolved uncertainty.

