why
Why
Investigate the motivation and intent behind code.
Companion to the how skill. how answers what the code does and how it works. why answers what forces led to its shape.
Read Paseo list_profiles before launching. Exploration uses pstack-explorer, default codex/gpt-6.1-sol xhigh. Explanation and synthesis use pstack-judge, always codex/gpt-6-astra with thinkingOptionId: xhigh. Copy Explorer's model and effort from its profile when present. Set settings.modeId to full-access for Codex or bypassPermissions for Claude; keep exploration read-only through the prompt. Never substitute another model or effort for Judge. If Astra xhigh is unavailable, report the blocked judgment step. Use notifyOnFinish: true.
Operating Posture
Operate as a careful, cautious, and precise investigator. Be honest about what you know vs what you're inferring. Read references/epistemics.md for the full confidence framework and phrasing guide. The synthesizer must follow it.
Step 1. Understand the Target and the Question
Parse what the user is asking. The target is usually a chunk of code, a pattern, a feature, or a named design decision. The question is usually a design rationale, a tradeoff, a motivating edge case, an external constraint, dead code, or a broad history sweep.
If the target is vague ("why do we do it this way?" with no clear referent), make your best guess from conversation context (open files, recent edits, selected code, what was just discussed). State your interpretation briefly so the user can redirect if you're off, then proceed.