scout

Scout - Confidence-Gated Exploration

Assess whether there's enough context to implement a task confidently.

Runs in the background so you can continue working while it explores.

Trigger

Use before starting implementation of unfamiliar or complex tasks.

Workflow

1. Receive task description
2. Explore the codebase to understand scope
3. Score confidence (0-100)
4. If >= 70: GO with findings
5. If < 70: Identify what's missing, gather more context, re-score

Confidence Scoring

Rate each dimension (0-20 points):

• Scope clarity - Do you know exactly what files need to change?
• Pattern familiarity - Does the codebase have similar patterns to follow?
• Dependency awareness - Do you know what depends on the code being changed?
• Edge case coverage - Can you identify the edge cases?
• Test strategy - Do you know how to verify the changes work?

Output

SCOUT REPORT
Task: [description]
Confidence: [score]/100

Dimensions:
  Scope clarity:        [x]/20
  Pattern familiarity:  [x]/20
  Dependency awareness: [x]/20
  Edge case coverage:   [x]/20
  Test strategy:        [x]/20

VERDICT: GO / HOLD

Rules

• Never edit files. Read-only exploration.
• Be honest about gaps. A false GO wastes more time than a HOLD.
• Re-score after gathering context. If still < 70 after 2 rounds, escalate to user.
• Runs in isolated worktree to avoid interfering with main session.