---
name: Ask
slug: ask-3
category: AI Engineering
description: Ask sends a request to a CCB agent so you can delegate work and control dependency, silence, compact, or artifact reply modes. Use it when project memory indicates CCB collaboration or the user asks to delegate.
github: "https://github.com/SeemSeam/claude_codex_bridge/tree/main/inherit_skills/codex_skills/ask"
language: Python
stars: 3416
forks: 337
install: "npx degit https://github.com/SeemSeam/claude_codex_bridge/tree/main/inherit_skills/codex_skills/ask ~/.claude/skills/ask"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/ask
source_path: inherit_skills/codex_skills/ask/SKILL.md
collection_size: 12
category_size: 2451
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/SeemSeam/claude_codex_bridge"
added: 2026-08-17T07:08:13.596Z
last_synced: 2026-08-17T07:08:13.596Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/ask-3"
---

# Ask

Ask sends a request to a CCB agent so you can delegate work and control dependency, silence, compact, or artifact reply modes. Use it when project memory indicates CCB collaboration or the user asks to delegate.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/SeemSeam/claude_codex_bridge/tree/main/inherit_skills/codex_skills/ask ~/.claude/skills/ask
```

## README

Use this skill when the user asks you to delegate with CCB, or when project
memory says to use CCB `ask` for collaboration.

## Decision Card

Before every ask, decide:

1. Need delegation? If no, answer directly.
2. Dependency gate:
   - Default: do not use `--chain`.
   - Use `--chain` only when the current active CCB task cannot finish until
     this exact child result arrives. Then stop for continuation.
   - Communication tests, batch sends, notifications, and independent work do
     not become chain dependencies merely because replies are requested.
3. Result intent:
   - `--silence`: publish/execute task; success result not needed. Failures,
     blockers, risks, or required next actions still surface.
   - `--compact`: result wanted, but only distilled
     findings/status/risks/blockers/next actions.
   - `+ --artifact-reply`: consultation/analysis/report where full text should
     be preserved.
   - plain `ask`: short question or short handoff where inline text is enough.
4. Request fidelity:
   - `+ --artifact-request`: exact transient input
     (logs/output/diffs/copied contents/config/JSON/YAML/table/structured text).
     Prefer repo paths when the target can read files directly.
   - `--artifact-io`: request and reply both need artifacts.

## Guardrails

- Do not probe `--chain`; if unsure there is an active parent job, use plain
  `ask`.
- If CCB says `ask --chain requires an active parent job`, retry once with
  plain `ask` for user-requested delegation.
- Never add `--chain` merely to make a rejected plain ask succeed. If the work
  is independent and no success result is needed, use `--silence`; otherwise
  report the routing limitation instead of inventing a dependency.
- `--chain` and `--silence` usually conflict; avoid mixing unless explicit.
- Avoid `--silence --artifact-reply`; silence means no caller result needed; artifact-reply preserves one.
- Artifact flags are orthogonal to `--chain`, `--silence`, and `--compact`.
  They preserve content, not dependency shape.
- Automatic spill for text over 4 KiB is a fallback, not the primary rule.
- `--artifact-*` modes are CCB/daemon managed; targets do not write artifact reply files.
- Plain nested `ask` from an active CCB task is rejected. Use `--chain` only
  for a real child dependency; use `--silence` for independent no-result work.
- In `A --silence -> B`, B still runs an active job. B-to-C depends on whether B needs C's result.
- In task chains, each needed-result hop uses `--chain`; CCB then propagates continuations.
- Finish an inbound CCB task in its current turn.
- If the original caller is a registered CCB agent, CCB routes that turn's
  terminal result through the existing lineage; do not open a new `ask` to
  report completion to the original caller.
- Direct CLI submitters read terminal results from control output such as
  `watch` or `trace`.
- If the current task is a CCB result-chain continuation, answer the current task
  directly with the final result. Do not use `ask`, `--chain`, or
  `--silence` to send that final result to the original caller; CCB routes the
  continuation completion upstream.
- `--silence` is not an active-job correction channel. Use
  `ccb followup <active_job_id> --message "<correction>"` only when the target
  provider supports exact active-turn injection; only `injected` is success.
  On `rejected`, `too_late`, or `terminal`, cancel and resubmit the complete
  corrected task instead of queueing a correction as ordinary work.
- A `completed` CCB job means provider execution ended normally; it does not by
  itself prove business acceptance.
- `ask get`, `pend`, `watch`, and `ping` are diagnostics-only commands for
  explicit debugging requests, not normal ask workflow tools.
- Do not manually append output-policy text; stable reply policy comes from managed CCB memory, and `ask` adds only requested compact/silent mode metadata.

Use no flags or insert selected flags before `"$TARGET"`:

```bash
command ask "$TARGET" <<'EOF'
$MESSAGE
EOF
```

```bash
command ask --chain --artifact-reply "$TARGET" <<'EOF'
$MESSAGE
EOF
```

After submit, stop. Do not wait for a reply, do not run `ask get` / `pend` /
`ping` / `watch`, and do not poll. For `--chain`, report only submitted.