ask-expert
Creates expert consultation documents with code extraction, git diffs, and size tracking (125KB limit). Use when user asks to "create an expert consultation document", "prepare code for expert review", "gather architecture context", or needs comprehensive technical documentation for external analysis. Requires Node.js 18+.
$ Installer
git clone https://github.com/propstreet/claude-powerpack /tmp/claude-powerpack && cp -r /tmp/claude-powerpack/skills/ask-expert ~/.claude/skills/claude-powerpack// tip: Run this command in your terminal to install the skill
name: ask-expert description: Creates expert consultation documents with code extraction, git diffs, and size tracking (125KB limit). Use when user asks to "create an expert consultation document", "prepare code for expert review", "gather architecture context", or needs comprehensive technical documentation for external analysis. Requires Node.js 18+. allowed-tools:
- Read
- Write
- Edit
- Bash(node:*)
- Bash(git:*)
- Bash(wc:*)
- Bash(ls:*)
- Bash(cat:*) user-invocable: true context: fork
Expert Consultation Document Creator
Create comprehensive technical consultation documents by extracting code, diffs, and architectural context within LLM token limits (125KB).
Document Structure
Follow this proven structure:
Part 1: Problem Context (~15-25 KB)
- Problem - Issue, errors, test failures
- Our Solution - What was implemented and why
- Concerns - Code smells, coupling, architectural questions
- Alternatives - Other approaches, trade-offs
Part 2: Complete Architecture (~60-90 KB)
- Architecture Overview - ASCII diagram, data flow, patterns
- Components - Frontend, tests, controllers
- Services - Implementation and interfaces
- Models - Domain entities with relationships
Part 3: Expert Request (~5-10 KB)
- Questions - Specific technical questions
- Success Criteria - Requirements and priorities
Workflow
Step 1: Write Problem Context
Create descriptive filename like {topic}-consultation.md:
cat > feature-consultation.md << 'EOF'
# Expert Consultation: [Feature Name]
## 1. Problem
[Describe the issue]
## 2. Our Solution
[What was implemented]
## 3. Concerns
[Technical concerns]
## 4. Alternatives
[Other approaches considered]
## 5. Architecture Overview
[ASCII diagram]
---
# Complete Architecture Context
EOF
Step 2: Extract Code
Use the bundled extraction script with size tracking.
💡 The script accepts multiple files in one call - batch files for efficiency:
node scripts/extract-code.js \
--track-size --output=doc.md \
--section="Core Files" \
file1.ts file2.ts file3.ts \
--section="Tests" \
test1.ts test2.ts
File format options:
- Full file:
src/Service.cs - Line ranges:
src/Service.cs:100-200orsrc/Service.cs:1-30,100-150 - Git diff:
src/Service.cs:difforsrc/Service.cs:diff=master..HEAD
Prefer FULL files over chunks for better expert analysis. Use chunks only for very large files.
Step 3: Add Expert Request
cat >> consultation.md << 'EOF'
---
# Expert Guidance Request
## Questions
1. [Specific question about architecture]
2. [Question about trade-offs]
3. [Question about refactoring approach]
## Success Criteria
- [Required constraints]
- [Priorities]
**Please answer in English**
EOF
Step 4: Verify Size
wc -c consultation.md # Should be 100-125 KB
DO NOT read the full file back (exceeds context).
Code Extraction Examples
See EXAMPLES.md for detailed usage patterns.
Basic extraction:
node scripts/extract-code.js \
--track-size --output=doc.md \
src/Component.vue tests/Component.test.ts
With sections:
node scripts/extract-code.js \
--track-size --output=doc.md \
--section="What Changed" \
src/Service.cs:diff \
--section="Implementation" \
src/Service.cs src/Model.cs
Using config file:
node scripts/extract-code.js \
--config=extraction-plan.json
Config File Format
Create reusable extraction plans:
{
"output": "consultation.md",
"trackSize": true,
"sections": [
{
"header": "What Changed",
"files": ["src/Service.cs:diff"]
},
{
"header": "Core Implementation",
"files": ["src/Service.cs", "src/Model.cs"]
}
]
}
See scripts/extract-code-example.json for complete example.
Critical Rules
- ✅ Use
--track-sizeto stay within 125 KB - ✅ Batch multiple files in single command
- ✅ Use absolute path to script from any directory
- ✅ Include FULL files when possible
- ✅ Add architecture diagrams
- ✅ Include working AND failing tests
- ❌ Don't read completed file back
- ❌ Don't send only bug fix without context
Troubleshooting
Script not found:
# Verify script exists
ls scripts/extract-code.js
# Show help
node scripts/extract-code.js --help
Git diff errors:
git status # Verify git repo
git rev-parse master # Verify branch exists
Exceeding 125 KB:
- Use line ranges instead of full files for large services
- Remove boilerplate and simple DTOs
- Focus on core interfaces and modified code
- Split into multiple consultations
Code Inclusion Priority
Must include:
- Core interfaces/abstractions
- Modified/bug-fix code
- Domain models
- Key service methods
- Test examples
Skip if tight on space:
- Boilerplate
- Simple DTOs
- Repetitive test setups
Repository
