[search-target] Default internal codebase scouting with native search and optional Explore delegation if allowed.
- Research:
- Local search
- Review:
- Too broad
- Validate:
- Scout report
Ctrl K
Quick Ref / Command
Marketing Kit
/ak:scout
Fast codebase scouting
Fast, token-efficient codebase scouting for file discovery, task context gathering, scoped searches, optional external OpenCode probes, and ultra verification.
01
Analyze Target
02
Estimate Scale
03
Choose Mode
04
Divide Scope
Rule 01
Scout is for orientation and file discovery before bigger work, especially across multiple directories.
Rule 02
Use native/local search and scoped reads before invoking heavier external probes.
Rule 03
Parallel agents are useful only when the scope is large enough and delegation is allowed.
Rule 04
The final report should be dense: relevant files, roles, relationships, and unresolved questions.
Execution Map
Core lanes from input to output, aligned with the command's real execution path.
01
Start
Input, scope, route
- 1 Analyze Target Parse the prompt for search targets, directories, patterns, file types, and expected code relationships.
- 2 Estimate Scale Use broad search patterns to estimate codebase size and decide whether main-agent scouting is enough.
02
Work
Agent / skill execution
- 3 Choose Mode Default to internal scouting, use ext only when permitted external probes are needed, or --ultra for best-of-5 verification.
- 4 Divide Scope When delegation is permitted and worthwhile, split directories or patterns with no overlap and clear coverage.
03
Verify
Gate, review, validation
- 5 Register Work For more than two agents, register concise scoped work items in the available task-management surface or active plan.
- 6 Run Scouts Use portable search/read capabilities first; dispatch parallel Explore agents only under explicit policy support.
04
Close
Report, handoff, artifact
- 7 Collect Findings Collect responses with a three-minute timeout per agent, skip non-responders, and note unresolved gaps.
- 8 Report Files Return a concise Scout Report with relevant files, one-line roles, relationships, and unresolved questions.
Modes / Routes
ext Use user-permitted OpenCode probes when native/local search is insufficient.
- Research:
- External probe
- Review:
- Permission
- Validate:
- Evidence packet
--ultra Best-of-5 read-only verifier pass with one evidence packet, five candidates, and a verifier union.
- Research:
- Five candidates
- Review:
- Fail closed
- Validate:
- Verified union
Sample Prompt
Concrete invocations for each flag, subcommand, mode, or route available in the live workflow.
Find feature files Recommended
/ak:scout checkout flow- Use when:
- You need to find where a cross-file feature lives before editing.
- Expected:
- Relevant files with roles, relationships, unresolved questions, and evidence for the next implementer.
Extension scope
/ak:scout email templates ts- Use when:
- You need scoped discovery around a target and file extension.
- Expected:
- Narrowed file map for the requested target and extension, with likely entry points identified.
External scouting
/ak:scout ext authentication module- Use when:
- Native search is not enough and user-permitted external probes are appropriate.
- Expected:
- External-probe-backed scout report with local evidence and clear confidence boundaries for follow-up work.
Ultra verifier
/ak:scoutcheckout state--ultra
- Use when:
- You need a fail-closed best-of-5 verification pass.
- Expected:
- Evidence-validated, deduplicated union of findings across candidates with conflicts called out clearly.
Handled Scope
- Analyze Target
- Estimate Scale
- Choose Mode
- Divide Scope
- Register Work
- Run Scouts
Artifacts Produced
Scout Report
Pattern
Relevant Files + Unresolved Questions The report names relevant files with brief roles and ends with unresolved questions or gaps.