Oracle Consultation

Oracle is an expensive, high-quality reasoning model (GPT-5.2). Use it wisely.

When TO Consult Oracle

| Trigger | Action | |---------|--------| | Complex architecture design | Oracle FIRST, then implement | | After completing significant work | Oracle review before marking complete | | 2+ failed fix attempts | Oracle for debugging guidance | | Unfamiliar code patterns | Oracle to explain behavior | | Security/performance concerns | Oracle for analysis | | Multi-system tradeoffs | Oracle for architectural decision |

When NOT to Consult Oracle

Simple file operations (use direct tools)
First attempt at any fix (try yourself first)
Questions answerable from code you've read
Trivial decisions (variable names, formatting)
Things you can infer from existing code patterns

Usage Pattern

Announce: "Consulting Oracle for [reason]"
Provide context: Include relevant code, error messages, what you've tried
Ask specific question: Not vague "what should I do?"
Act on response: Implement Oracle's recommendation

What Oracle Returns

Oracle structures responses as:

Bottom line: 2-3 sentence recommendation
Action plan: Numbered implementation steps
Effort estimate: Quick (<1h) / Short (1-4h) / Medium (1-2d) / Large (3d+)

Oracle Prompt Template

Context: [What you're working on]
Problem: [Specific issue or decision needed]
Tried: [What you've already attempted]
Question: [Specific question for Oracle]

Relevant code:
[code snippets]

Cost Awareness

Oracle invocations are expensive. Before invoking:

Can I answer this from code I've already read?
Is this my first attempt (try yourself first)?
Is this genuinely complex or am I being lazy?