ask-gate

Triages and quality-gates handler-facing questions before surfacing them via AskUserQuestion.

14|1|Updated Jun 14, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/allemaar/open-skills --skill ask-gate-allemaar
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: ask-gate
Source: https://github.com/allemaar/open-skills/tree/main/skills/ask-gate
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/allemaar/open-skills --skill ask-gate-allemaar

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? AI agents often ask users questions they could have answered themselves, or frame high-stakes decisions poorly, wasting the user's attention. The Ask-Gate Protocol (AGP) inserts a deliberate quality gate before any handler-facing question so only genuinely necessary, well-framed questions reach the user. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Anti-nag triage: Resolves questions from the request, code, or sensible defaults before ever asking the handler. - Stakes classification: Routes routine questions through a lightweight inline checklist (mutually exclusive options, recommended-first, ≤4 options) and escalates high-stakes or branching decisions through /insight-critique and /insight-assess. - Recursion safety: Uses an AG-RESOLVED depth-1 marker so escalated sub-skills never re-enter the protocol. - Use Case: Before asking a user which architecture to adopt for a new service, run /ask-gate to critique the candidate questions, refine the option set, and surface a recommended-first question instead of a raw prompt. ## Quick Start Run /ask-gate on the question you are about to ask me to check whether it is necessary and well-framed.

Frequently Asked Questions about ask-gate

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I stop an AI agent from asking unnecessary questions?

Apply an anti-nag triage step before any user-facing question: resolve anything answerable from the request, code, or sensible defaults, state the choice made, and only ask what genuinely requires the handler's decision.

How to quality-check questions before asking users in Claude Code?

Run the /ask-gate protocol on the pending question. Routine questions pass an inline checklist covering mutually exclusive options, recommended-first ordering, and limits of four options per question, while high-stakes ones escalate through critique and assessment.

Does ask-gate work without the AskUserQuestion tool?

Yes. On runtimes like Codex that lack a structured-question tool, the protocol presents the options and recommendation as a numbered prose list and waits for the reply. Triage, classification, critique, and assessment are runtime-agnostic.

When should a question be escalated instead of asked directly?

Escalate when a question is architecturally load-bearing, hard to reverse, commits significant resources, has three or more viable options with uncertain framing, or shapes a plan or roadmap. When in doubt, treat it as high-stakes.

What is the difference between ask-gate, caller-options, and next-skills?

Caller-options runs before a skill to route venue and mode, next-skills runs after to recommend successors, and ask-gate wraps the question itself, deciding whether and how to ask. They never conflict and can nest.