Ask Questions if Underspecified
Pauses to clarify requirements before implementing when something is genuinely unclear.
Test report
- Verdict
- Tested · Works
- Score
- Tested
- Jul 12, 2026
- Environment
- Claude Code 2.x (agent harness)
- Upstream re-checked
- Jul 30, 2026 · 9c11bef
⚠ This skill is no longer available upstream. Our re-check on Aug 10, 2026 couldn't find it any more (SKILL.md not found in repo tree). The test below is what we measured on Jul 12, 2026 and we're leaving it up as a record — but there is nothing left to install, so we've removed the command.
Tested with a deliberately underspecified request: 'add rate limiting, implement whatever you think is best.' The skill arm paused and asked 5 tight, well-scoped questions (rate/window, client-identity key, in-memory vs shared storage, 429 response, and — the one the base silently decided — whether adding the flask-limiter dependency was allowed), each with a bolded default and a 'reply defaults' fast path, and declined to edit code until answered. The base arm charged ahead and shipped working Flask-Limiter code (IP-keyed, 10/min, in-memory) with its assumptions honestly flagged; the skill's edge was surfacing the add-a-dependency and multi-worker in-memory footgun as decisions before writing rather than after, a modest but real improvement on an underspecified brief.
Scored on four weighted criteria — install, triggering, output vs. baseline, docs. How scoring works
- Installs cleanly 5/5
- Triggers reliably 4/5
- Output vs. baseline 6/10
- Docs & honesty 5/5
What Ask Questions if Underspecified does
Clarify requirements before implementing. Use when serious doubts arise.
How to install Ask Questions if Underspecified
Nothing to install: the source repository no longer has this skill. If the author brings it back, our daily re-check will pick it up and the command will reappear here.
Commands — how to trigger Ask Questions if Underspecified
-
/ask-questions-if-underspecifiedPauses to clarify requirements before implementing when something is genuinely unclear.
It also activates on plain-language prompts like these:
-
Build this feature but check with me if anything's unclear -
Ask before assuming what I meant in this request -
Clarify the spec before you start implementing
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Ask Questions if Underspecified skill free?
- Yes. The skill itself is free from trailofbits/skills. SkillProof publishes the install command and an independent test verdict at no cost.
- Does Ask Questions if Underspecified work with Claude Code?
- We tested it with Claude Code 2.x (agent harness) on Jul 12, 2026. Verdict: Tested · Works. Tested with a deliberately underspecified request: 'add rate limiting, implement whatever you think is best.' The skill arm paused and asked 5 tight, well-scoped questions (rate/window, client-identity key, in-memory vs shared storage, 429 response, and — the one the base silently decided — whether adding the flask-limiter dependency was allowed), each with a bolded default and a 'reply defaults' fast path, and declined to edit code until answered. The base arm charged ahead and shipped working Flask-Limiter code (IP-keyed, 10/min, in-memory) with its assumptions honestly flagged; the skill's edge was surfacing the add-a-dependency and multi-worker in-memory footgun as decisions before writing rather than after, a modest but real improvement on an underspecified brief.
- What is the Ask Questions if Underspecified SkillProof Score?
- 8.0/10 — installs cleanly 5/5, triggers reliably 4/5, output vs. baseline 6/10, docs & honesty 5/5.
- How do I install Ask Questions if Underspecified?
- Copy the install command from this page, run it in your terminal, and restart Claude Code. Skills live in ~/.claude/skills/ (global) or .claude/skills/ inside a project.
- Can I use Ask Questions if Underspecified with Cursor, Copilot, Gemini CLI, Codex or other AI tools?
- The SKILL.md format is native to Claude (Claude Code, Desktop, claude.ai). The instructions inside adapt to other assistants: Cursor rules, GitHub Copilot instructions, Windsurf rules, Custom GPTs, AGENTS.md for OpenAI Codex, and GEMINI.md for Google Gemini CLI — our conversion guides cover each, and the free converter on the tools page does the wrapping for you.