# Ask Va Oracle > Ask a stronger Zo instance for planning, judgment, debugging guidance, or adjacent thinking through a minimal token-light oracle pattern using /zo/ask plus URL-based context drops. - Skill: `thevibethinker/ask-va-oracle` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add thevibethinker/ask-va-oracle` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/thevibethinker/ask-va-oracle/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: thevibethinker (https://skillmd.com/u/thevibethinker) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/thevibethinker/ask-va-oracle --- # Ask VA Oracle Use this skill when this Zo should consult a stronger partner Zo instead of spending local model tokens on deep reasoning. The goal is deliberately simple: 1. Put large context in a URL-accessible place such as `zopub`, GitHub, a gist, or an internal file link the oracle can access. 2. Send a short, self-contained prompt to the partner Zo's `/zo/ask` endpoint using an access token. 3. Use the answer as planning guidance, LLM-judge output, debugging advice, or adjacent strategic thinking. Do not build a relay system, bundle protocol, audit stack, or confidence-scoring framework unless the user explicitly asks for that heavier system. ## Requirements - A Zo access token for the oracle Zo, stored as an environment variable on the calling Zo. - Recommended env var name: `VA_ORACLE_TOKEN`. - Optional: a return token for the partner Zo to call back, stored only as a secret on the oracle Zo. Do not paste token values into prompts, files, logs, or Git. ## When To Ask Ask the oracle for: - planning a multi-step task before the local Zo executes it - judging or scoring candidate outputs against a rubric - debugging after one or two local attempts have failed - architecture or strategy tradeoffs where a stronger model is worth the spend - adjacent thinking: "what am I missing?", "what is the best frame?", "what should I do next?" Handle locally for: - simple file edits - obvious command syntax - routine summarization - tasks where all required context is tiny and low stakes - actions that require local credentials, local UI state, or external writes ## Context Transfer Prefer URLs over pasted bulk. Good context references: - `zopub` collection URLs for files or folders - GitHub blob, commit, issue, or PR URLs - public docs, specs, and pages - short inline excerpts when the relevant context is under about 100 lines Bad context references: - "you know the thing from earlier" without restating it - massive pasted logs when a URL would work - secrets, credentials, tokens, private keys, or unredacted sensitive records If the oracle cannot access a URL, paste the smallest relevant excerpt and say what was omitted. ## Basic Call Use the token as a bearer token. Keep prompts self-contained because each `/zo/ask` call may start a fresh session unless a `conversation_id` is supplied. ```bash curl -s https://api.zo.computer/zo/ask \ -H "Authorization: Bearer ${VA_ORACLE_TOKEN}" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Accept: application/json" \ -d @- <<'JSON' { "input": "You are advising a separate Zo instance. Task: ... Context: ... Return concise, executable guidance." } JSON ``` ## Model Selection The calling Zo may request a specific oracle model per call by adding `model_name` to the `/zo/ask` JSON payload. Do not hard-code one model in the skill; make model choice explicit at the call site so the caller can trade off cost, speed, and reasoning quality. Recommended caller behavior: 1. Accept a model alias from the local task or operator, such as `default`, `fable`, `opus`, or `gpt-5.5`. 2. Translate the alias to the exact model string supported by the oracle Zo. 3. Include `model_name` only when the caller intentionally wants to override the oracle default. 4. If `/zo/ask` rejects a requested model, preserve the error and retry once without `model_name` or with a configured fallback. Do not silently pretend the requested model was used. Known example aliases for VA's oracle Zo: | Alias | `model_name` | |---|---| | `default` | omit `model_name` | | `fable` | `anthropic:claude-code-fable` | | `gpt-5.5` | `openai:gpt-5.5-2026-04-23` | Treat this table as configuration, not universal platform truth. A different oracle Zo may expose different model strings. Example Fable request: ```bash curl -s https://api.zo.computer/zo/ask \ -H "Authorization: Bearer ${VA_ORACLE_TOKEN}" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Accept: application/json" \ -d @- <<'JSON' { "model_name": "anthropic:claude-code-fable", "input": "You are advising a separate Zo instance. Task: ... Context: ... Return concise, executable guidance." } JSON ``` If the platform supports it for your token, include `persona_id` or `conversation_id` only when there is a concrete reason: - `persona_id`: ask a specific oracle persona such as Debugger, Strategist, Writer, or Builder. - `conversation_id`: continue a thread and avoid re-sending context. When unsure, omit optional fields and let the oracle Zo use its configured default. ## Prompt Templates ### Planner Use this when the local Zo needs an execution plan. ```text You are the planning oracle for a separate Zo instance. Goal: Context: Constraints: Return: 1. Recommended approach 2. Step-by-step execution plan the local Zo can follow 3. Key assumptions and unknowns 4. Risks and what to verify Be concise. Do not perform external actions. Do not assume access to the local Zo's files unless they are included or linked. ``` ### Judge Use this when the local Zo needs scoring, ranking, or critique. ```text Act as an LLM judge for a separate Zo instance. Subject: Candidate output(s): Rubric: Return: 1. Verdict 2. Score per criterion 3. Top 3 fixes, in priority order 4. Any disqualifying issue or uncertainty Be decisive. Do not rewrite unless asked. ``` ### Debug Adviser Use this when the local Zo is stuck or has failed twice. ```text You are debugging adviser for a separate Zo instance. System expected: Observed: Already tried: Relevant files or docs: Return: 1. Most likely root cause 2. Evidence for that hypothesis 3. Smallest next test 4. If that test passes/fails, what to do next Do not guess past the evidence. If context is insufficient, say exactly what evidence is missing. ``` ## Output Handling The local Zo should treat oracle output as advice, not permission to mutate external state. Before executing any irreversible, public, outbound, or credential-sensitive step, the local Zo must still follow its local operating policy and ask the user when required. For useful reusable answers, save a short local note with: - timestamp - question - context URL(s) - oracle answer - follow-up action taken This can be a plain markdown or JSONL log. Do not create a complex audit system by default. ## Token Discipline - Send links instead of bulk text. - Ask one clear question at a time. - Reuse `conversation_id` for follow-ups when available. - Ask for text-only answers unless structured JSON is genuinely needed by a script. - Cache good plans and judge rubrics locally so they can be reused without another oracle call. ## Security - Never commit token values. - Never print token values. - Never send secrets in oracle prompts. - Redact private customer, patient, employee, or financial data unless the user has explicitly authorized sharing it with the oracle Zo. - Remember that `zopub` is public file sharing. Do not use it for sensitive context. ## Minimal Success Test Run a harmless connectivity check: ```bash curl -s https://api.zo.computer/zo/ask \ -H "Authorization: Bearer ${VA_ORACLE_TOKEN}" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Accept: application/json" \ -d '{"input":"Reply with exactly: oracle-ok"}' ``` Expected result: the response contains `oracle-ok`. If it fails, check: 1. `VA_ORACLE_TOKEN` exists in the calling Zo secrets. 2. The token has not expired or been revoked. 3. The request uses a bearer authorization header. 4. The endpoint is reachable from the calling Zo.