Agent skill

ask-questions-if-underspecified

Clarify requirements before implementing. Do not use automatically, only when invoked explicitly.

MoizIbnYousafgithub.com/MoizIbnYousafGitHub ↗
claude-codecodexcursorMIT
Install
npx skills add MoizIbnYousaf/Ai-Agent-Skills --skill ask-questions-if-underspecified --agent claude-code

Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.

Facts
Files in the skill folder: 1
SKILL.md size: 4 KB
Bundled scripts: none
Version: 4.1.0
Path: skills/ask-questions-if-underspecified/SKILL.md
Open the folder on GitHub →
Where it comes from
Stars: 1,114
Language: JavaScript

Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.

From the SKILL.md

# Ask Questions If Underspecified ## Goal Ask the minimum set of clarifying questions needed to avoid wrong work; do not start implementing until the must-have questions are answered (or the user explicitly approves proceeding with stated assumptions). ## Workflow ### 1) Decide whether the request is underspecified Treat a request as underspecified if after exploring how to perform the work, some or all of the following are not clear: - Define the objective (what should change vs stay the same) - Define "done" (acceptance criteria, examples, edge cases) - Define scope (which files/components/users are in/out) - Define constraints (compatibility, performance, style, deps, time) - Identify environment (language/runtime versions, OS, build/test runner) - Clarify safety/reversibility (data migration, rollout/rollback, risk) If multiple plausible interpretations exist, assume it is underspecified. ### 2) Ask must-have questions first (keep it small) Ask 1-5 questions in the first pass. Prefer questions that eliminate whole branches of work. Make questions easy to answer: - Optimize for scannability (short, numbered questions; avoid paragraphs) - Offer multiple-choice options when possib

What's inside
Steps it walks through
  1. Goal
  2. Workflow
  3. 1) Decide whether the request is underspecified
  4. 2) Ask must-have questions first (keep it small)
  5. 3) Pause before acting
  6. 4) Confirm interpretation, then proceed
  7. Question templates
  8. Anti-patterns
More from Ai-Agent-Skills
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About this skill
What does the ask-questions-if-underspecified skill do?

Clarify requirements before implementing. Do not use automatically, only when invoked explicitly.

How do I install it?

Run `npx skills add MoizIbnYousaf/Ai-Agent-Skills --skill ask-questions-if-underspecified --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.

Where does this skill come from?

From MoizIbnYousaf/Ai-Agent-Skills, a repository with 1,114 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.

Is a popular skill a good skill?

Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.

Keep going