Second Opinion

Project Instructions

Problems with a kendex-owned skill go through kendex report; check ownership in the file first.

Second Opinion

Cross-model second opinion via external AI CLI. Every mode walks the SECOND_OPINION_MODELS roster in priority order and takes the first target that is available and runs a different model: Codex from a Claude Code session, Claude from a Codex session; when nothing eligible remains the run refuses and says why. Full contract: second-opinion --help.

.agents/skills/second-opinion/scripts/second-opinion <mode> [options]

Workflows

Execution Rules

• Execute all workflow sections in order. The workflow decides what to skip via "Skip if" conditions. Never skip based on your own scope assessment.
• <output_format> tags are literal templates: fill [PLACEHOLDERS], omit empty lines, add nothing else, do not paraphrase.
• Pass --target when the user explicitly requests a specific model/CLI (e.g., "use Claude", "ask Codex"). Otherwise omit it. The script selects from the roster and the current session's model. A forced target that runs this session's model is refused; report the refusal, do not work around it.
• Do not pass --timeout unless the user explicitly asks for a different value for this specific call. The script reads the default from project config.
• Always pass --cwd with the absolute project root path. Never use --cwd ..
• Pass --foreground when the call can outlast the harness foreground cap. This detaches the run and prints its artifact, deadline, and wait command.
• Execute the exact printed wait command and follow its exit handling in second-opinion --help until terminal.
• For quick mode, you can pass the question inline: .agents/skills/second-opinion/scripts/second-opinion quick "your question here" --cwd /path --foreground.

Session identity

Cross-model is enforced in every mode: a run with no eligible target exits 1 naming every candidate and its reason, writing nothing and invoking nothing. In a multi-model front end (Pi, OpenCode, Cursor) or an undetected harness, export SECOND_OPINION_CURRENT_MODEL in that session's own environment (none when there is no session model), never in a project settings file. Identity resolution, normalization, and the refusal rules: second-opinion --help.

Multi-lane review

SECOND_OPINION_COUNT of 2 or more makes review run up to that many distinct eligible models in parallel on one pinned scope and write a single union artifact. Lane resolution, merge rules, artifact placement and permissions, scratch durability, and the failure taxonomy: references/multi-lane.md.

Configuration

Set non-sensitive defaults in kendex.settings.toml under [env]; .env.local wins over it, and a .env file is never read. SECOND_OPINION_FOREGROUND_CAP is session-only; a project-file foreground-cap declaration is refused, and shipped workflows pass --foreground directly. This skill marks no key # required, so an install writes nothing into kendex.settings.toml; assign a key there only to change a default the scripts already read (SECOND_OPINION_TARGET has none). Keys, defaults, and the built-in claude/codex commands: second-opinion --help.

Error Handling

On script failure, stderr carries a JSON error object ({"error": "description", "target": "codex"}) or a plain Error: line for pre-flight configuration errors; exit codes, preserved-response paths, and the output-clearing/ownership rules are in second-opinion --help. Report the stated reason. An ineligible-target refusal is fixed by installing the CLI or adjusting SECOND_OPINION_<NAME>_CMD, SECOND_OPINION_MODELS, or SECOND_OPINION_CURRENT_MODEL, never by forcing the same model. For a timeout, suggest a larger --timeout or a narrower --range.

If the script fails during the orch review-pr or submit-pr (local pre-PR review) workflows, continue. External review is advisory.