gstack/connect-chrome/SKILL.md

---
name: connect-chrome
version: 0.1.0
description: |
  Launch real Chrome controlled by gstack with the Side Panel extension auto-loaded.
  One command: connects Claude to a visible Chrome window where you can watch every
  action in real time. The extension shows a live activity feed in the Side Panel.
  Use when asked to "connect chrome", "open chrome", "real browser", "launch chrome",
  "side panel", or "control my browser".
allowed-tools:
  - Bash
  - Read
  - AskUserQuestion

---
<!-- AUTO-GENERATED from SKILL.md.tmpl — do not edit directly -->
<!-- Regenerate: bun run gen:skill-docs -->

## Preamble (run first)

```bash
_UPD=$(~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-update-check 2>/dev/null || .claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-update-check 2>/dev/null || true)
[ -n "$_UPD" ] && echo "$_UPD" || true
mkdir -p ~/.gstack/sessions
touch ~/.gstack/sessions/"$PPID"
_SESSIONS=$(find ~/.gstack/sessions -mmin -120 -type f 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
find ~/.gstack/sessions -mmin +120 -type f -delete 2>/dev/null || true
_CONTRIB=$(~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-config get gstack_contributor 2>/dev/null || true)
_PROACTIVE=$(~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-config get proactive 2>/dev/null || echo "true")
_BRANCH=$(git branch --show-current 2>/dev/null || echo "unknown")
echo "BRANCH: $_BRANCH"
echo "PROACTIVE: $_PROACTIVE"
source <(~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-repo-mode 2>/dev/null) || true
REPO_MODE=${REPO_MODE:-unknown}
echo "REPO_MODE: $REPO_MODE"
_LAKE_SEEN=$([ -f ~/.gstack/.completeness-intro-seen ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
echo "LAKE_INTRO: $_LAKE_SEEN"
_TEL=$(~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-config get telemetry 2>/dev/null || true)
_TEL_PROMPTED=$([ -f ~/.gstack/.telemetry-prompted ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
_TEL_START=$(date +%s)
_SESSION_ID="$$-$(date +%s)"
echo "TELEMETRY: ${_TEL:-off}"
echo "TEL_PROMPTED: $_TEL_PROMPTED"
mkdir -p ~/.gstack/analytics
echo '{"skill":"connect-chrome","ts":"'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'","repo":"'$(basename "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)" 2>/dev/null || echo "unknown")'"}'  >> ~/.gstack/analytics/skill-usage.jsonl 2>/dev/null || true
# zsh-compatible: use find instead of glob to avoid NOMATCH error
for _PF in $(find ~/.gstack/analytics -maxdepth 1 -name '.pending-*' 2>/dev/null); do [ -f "$_PF" ] && ~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-telemetry-log --event-type skill_run --skill _pending_finalize --outcome unknown --session-id "$_SESSION_ID" 2>/dev/null || true; break; done
```

If `PROACTIVE` is `"false"`, do not proactively suggest gstack skills — only invoke
them when the user explicitly asks. The user opted out of proactive suggestions.

If output shows `UPGRADE_AVAILABLE <old> <new>`: read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/gstack-upgrade/SKILL.md` and follow the "Inline upgrade flow" (auto-upgrade if configured, otherwise AskUserQuestion with 4 options, write snooze state if declined). If `JUST_UPGRADED <from> <to>`: tell user "Running gstack v{to} (just updated!)" and continue.

If `LAKE_INTRO` is `no`: Before continuing, introduce the Completeness Principle.
Tell the user: "gstack follows the **Boil the Lake** principle — always do the complete
thing when AI makes the marginal cost near-zero. Read more: https://garryslist.org/posts/boil-the-ocean"
Then offer to open the essay in their default browser:

```bash
open https://garryslist.org/posts/boil-the-ocean
touch ~/.gstack/.completeness-intro-seen
```

Only run `open` if the user says yes. Always run `touch` to mark as seen. This only happens once.

If `TEL_PROMPTED` is `no` AND `LAKE_INTRO` is `yes`: After the lake intro is handled,
ask the user about telemetry. Use AskUserQuestion:

> Help gstack get better! Community mode shares usage data (which skills you use, how long
> they take, crash info) with a stable device ID so we can track trends and fix bugs faster.
> No code, file paths, or repo names are ever sent.
> Change anytime with `gstack-config set telemetry off`.

Options:
- A) Help gstack get better! (recommended)
- B) No thanks

If A: run `~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-config set telemetry community`

If B: ask a follow-up AskUserQuestion:

> How about anonymous mode? We just learn that *someone* used gstack — no unique ID,
> no way to connect sessions. Just a counter that helps us know if anyone's out there.

Options:
- A) Sure, anonymous is fine
- B) No thanks, fully off

If B→A: run `~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-config set telemetry anonymous`
If B→B: run `~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-config set telemetry off`

Always run:
```bash
touch ~/.gstack/.telemetry-prompted
```

This only happens once. If `TEL_PROMPTED` is `yes`, skip this entirely.

## AskUserQuestion Format

**ALWAYS follow this structure for every AskUserQuestion call:**
1. **Re-ground:** State the project, the current branch (use the `_BRANCH` value printed by the preamble — NOT any branch from conversation history or gitStatus), and the current plan/task. (1-2 sentences)
2. **Simplify:** Explain the problem in plain English a smart 16-year-old could follow. No raw function names, no internal jargon, no implementation details. Use concrete examples and analogies. Say what it DOES, not what it's called.
3. **Recommend:** `RECOMMENDATION: Choose [X] because [one-line reason]` — always prefer the complete option over shortcuts (see Completeness Principle). Include `Completeness: X/10` for each option. Calibration: 10 = complete implementation (all edge cases, full coverage), 7 = covers happy path but skips some edges, 3 = shortcut that defers significant work. If both options are 8+, pick the higher; if one is ≤5, flag it.
4. **Options:** Lettered options: `A) ... B) ... C) ...` — when an option involves effort, show both scales: `(human: ~X / CC: ~Y)`
5. **One decision per question:** NEVER combine multiple independent decisions into a single AskUserQuestion. Each decision gets its own call with its own recommendation and focused options. Batching multiple AskUserQuestion calls in rapid succession is fine and often preferred. Only after all individual taste decisions are resolved should a final "Approve / Revise / Reject" gate be presented.

Assume the user hasn't looked at this window in 20 minutes and doesn't have the code open. If you'd need to read the source to understand your own explanation, it's too complex.

Per-skill instructions may add additional formatting rules on top of this baseline.

## Completeness Principle — Boil the Lake

AI-assisted coding makes the marginal cost of completeness near-zero. When you present options:

- If Option A is the complete implementation (full parity, all edge cases, 100% coverage) and Option B is a shortcut that saves modest effort — **always recommend A**. The delta between 80 lines and 150 lines is meaningless with CC+gstack. "Good enough" is the wrong instinct when "complete" costs minutes more.
- **Lake vs. ocean:** A "lake" is boilable — 100% test coverage for a module, full feature implementation, handling all edge cases, complete error paths. An "ocean" is not — rewriting an entire system from scratch, adding features to dependencies you don't control, multi-quarter platform migrations. Recommend boiling lakes. Flag oceans as out of scope.
- **When estimating effort**, always show both scales: human team time and CC+gstack time. The compression ratio varies by task type — use this reference:

| Task type | Human team | CC+gstack | Compression |
|-----------|-----------|-----------|-------------|
| Boilerplate / scaffolding | 2 days | 15 min | ~100x |
| Test writing | 1 day | 15 min | ~50x |
| Feature implementation | 1 week | 30 min | ~30x |
| Bug fix + regression test | 4 hours | 15 min | ~20x |
| Architecture / design | 2 days | 4 hours | ~5x |
| Research / exploration | 1 day | 3 hours | ~3x |

- This principle applies to test coverage, error handling, documentation, edge cases, and feature completeness. Don't skip the last 10% to "save time" — with AI, that 10% costs seconds.

**Anti-patterns — DON'T do this:**
- BAD: "Choose B — it covers 90% of the value with less code." (If A is only 70 lines more, choose A.)
- BAD: "We can skip edge case handling to save time." (Edge case handling costs minutes with CC.)
- BAD: "Let's defer test coverage to a follow-up PR." (Tests are the cheapest lake to boil.)
- BAD: Quoting only human-team effort: "This would take 2 weeks." (Say: "2 weeks human / ~1 hour CC.")

## Repo Ownership Mode — See Something, Say Something

`REPO_MODE` from the preamble tells you who owns issues in this repo:

- **`solo`** — One person does 80%+ of the work. They own everything. When you notice issues outside the current branch's changes (test failures, deprecation warnings, security advisories, linting errors, dead code, env problems), **investigate and offer to fix proactively**. The solo dev is the only person who will fix it. Default to action.
- **`collaborative`** — Multiple active contributors. When you notice issues outside the branch's changes, **flag them via AskUserQuestion** — it may be someone else's responsibility. Default to asking, not fixing.
- **`unknown`** — Treat as collaborative (safer default — ask before fixing).

**See Something, Say Something:** Whenever you notice something that looks wrong during ANY workflow step — not just test failures — flag it briefly. One sentence: what you noticed and its impact. In solo mode, follow up with "Want me to fix it?" In collaborative mode, just flag it and move on.

Never let a noticed issue silently pass. The whole point is proactive communication.

## Search Before Building

Before building infrastructure, unfamiliar patterns, or anything the runtime might have a built-in — **search first.** Read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/ETHOS.md` for the full philosophy.

**Three layers of knowledge:**
- **Layer 1** (tried and true — in distribution). Don't reinvent the wheel. But the cost of checking is near-zero, and once in a while, questioning the tried-and-true is where brilliance occurs.
- **Layer 2** (new and popular — search for these). But scrutinize: humans are subject to mania. Search results are inputs to your thinking, not answers.
- **Layer 3** (first principles — prize these above all). Original observations derived from reasoning about the specific problem. The most valuable of all.

**Eureka moment:** When first-principles reasoning reveals conventional wisdom is wrong, name it:
"EUREKA: Everyone does X because [assumption]. But [evidence] shows this is wrong. Y is better because [reasoning]."

Log eureka moments:
```bash
jq -n --arg ts "$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)" --arg skill "SKILL_NAME" --arg branch "$(git branch --show-current 2>/dev/null)" --arg insight "ONE_LINE_SUMMARY" '{ts:$ts,skill:$skill,branch:$branch,insight:$insight}' >> ~/.gstack/analytics/eureka.jsonl 2>/dev/null || true
```
Replace SKILL_NAME and ONE_LINE_SUMMARY. Runs inline — don't stop the workflow.

**WebSearch fallback:** If WebSearch is unavailable, skip the search step and note: "Search unavailable — proceeding with in-distribution knowledge only."

## Contributor Mode

If `_CONTRIB` is `true`: you are in **contributor mode**. You're a gstack user who also helps make it better.

**At the end of each major workflow step** (not after every single command), reflect on the gstack tooling you used. Rate your experience 0 to 10. If it wasn't a 10, think about why. If there is an obvious, actionable bug OR an insightful, interesting thing that could have been done better by gstack code or skill markdown — file a field report. Maybe our contributor will help make us better!

**Calibration — this is the bar:** For example, `$B js "await fetch(...)"` used to fail with `SyntaxError: await is only valid in async functions` because gstack didn't wrap expressions in async context. Small, but the input was reasonable and gstack should have handled it — that's the kind of thing worth filing. Things less consequential than this, ignore.

**NOT worth filing:** user's app bugs, network errors to user's URL, auth failures on user's site, user's own JS logic bugs.

**To file:** write `~/.gstack/contributor-logs/{slug}.md` with **all sections below** (do not truncate — include every section through the Date/Version footer):

```
# {Title}

Hey gstack team — ran into this while using /{skill-name}:

**What I was trying to do:** {what the user/agent was attempting}
**What happened instead:** {what actually happened}
**My Rating:** {0-10} — {one sentence on why it wasn't a 10}

## Steps to reproduce
1. {step}

## Raw output
```
{paste the actual error or unexpected output here}
```

## What would make this a 10
{one sentence: what gstack should have done differently}

**Date:** {YYYY-MM-DD} | **Version:** {gstack version} | **Skill:** /{skill}
```

Slug: lowercase, hyphens, max 60 chars (e.g. `browse-js-no-await`). Skip if file already exists. Max 3 reports per session. File inline and continue — don't stop the workflow. Tell user: "Filed gstack field report: {title}"

## Completion Status Protocol

When completing a skill workflow, report status using one of:
- **DONE** — All steps completed successfully. Evidence provided for each claim.
- **DONE_WITH_CONCERNS** — Completed, but with issues the user should know about. List each concern.
- **BLOCKED** — Cannot proceed. State what is blocking and what was tried.
- **NEEDS_CONTEXT** — Missing information required to continue. State exactly what you need.

### Escalation

It is always OK to stop and say "this is too hard for me" or "I'm not confident in this result."

Bad work is worse than no work. You will not be penalized for escalating.
- If you have attempted a task 3 times without success, STOP and escalate.
- If you are uncertain about a security-sensitive change, STOP and escalate.
- If the scope of work exceeds what you can verify, STOP and escalate.

Escalation format:
```
STATUS: BLOCKED | NEEDS_CONTEXT
REASON: [1-2 sentences]
ATTEMPTED: [what you tried]
RECOMMENDATION: [what the user should do next]
```

## Telemetry (run last)

After the skill workflow completes (success, error, or abort), log the telemetry event.
Determine the skill name from the `name:` field in this file's YAML frontmatter.
Determine the outcome from the workflow result (success if completed normally, error
if it failed, abort if the user interrupted).

**PLAN MODE EXCEPTION — ALWAYS RUN:** This command writes telemetry to
`~/.gstack/analytics/` (user config directory, not project files). The skill
preamble already writes to the same directory — this is the same pattern.
Skipping this command loses session duration and outcome data.

Run this bash:

```bash
_TEL_END=$(date +%s)
_TEL_DUR=$(( _TEL_END - _TEL_START ))
rm -f ~/.gstack/analytics/.pending-"$_SESSION_ID" 2>/dev/null || true
~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-telemetry-log \
  --skill "SKILL_NAME" --duration "$_TEL_DUR" --outcome "OUTCOME" \
  --used-browse "USED_BROWSE" --session-id "$_SESSION_ID" 2>/dev/null &
```

Replace `SKILL_NAME` with the actual skill name from frontmatter, `OUTCOME` with
success/error/abort, and `USED_BROWSE` with true/false based on whether `$B` was used.
If you cannot determine the outcome, use "unknown". This runs in the background and
never blocks the user.

## Plan Status Footer

When you are in plan mode and about to call ExitPlanMode:

1. Check if the plan file already has a `## GSTACK REVIEW REPORT` section.
2. If it DOES — skip (a review skill already wrote a richer report).
3. If it does NOT — run this command:

\`\`\`bash
~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-review-read
\`\`\`

Then write a `## GSTACK REVIEW REPORT` section to the end of the plan file:

- If the output contains review entries (JSONL lines before `---CONFIG---`): format the
  standard report table with runs/status/findings per skill, same format as the review
  skills use.
- If the output is `NO_REVIEWS` or empty: write this placeholder table:

\`\`\`markdown
## GSTACK REVIEW REPORT

| Review | Trigger | Why | Runs | Status | Findings |
|--------|---------|-----|------|--------|----------|
| CEO Review | \`/plan-ceo-review\` | Scope & strategy | 0 | — | — |
| Codex Review | \`/codex review\` | Independent 2nd opinion | 0 | — | — |
| Eng Review | \`/plan-eng-review\` | Architecture & tests (required) | 0 | — | — |
| Design Review | \`/plan-design-review\` | UI/UX gaps | 0 | — | — |

**VERDICT:** NO REVIEWS YET — run \`/autoplan\` for full review pipeline, or individual reviews above.
\`\`\`

**PLAN MODE EXCEPTION — ALWAYS RUN:** This writes to the plan file, which is the one
file you are allowed to edit in plan mode. The plan file review report is part of the
plan's living status.

# /connect-chrome — Launch Real Chrome with Side Panel

Connect Claude to a visible Chrome window with the gstack extension auto-loaded.
You see every click, every navigation, every action in real time.

## SETUP (run this check BEFORE any browse command)

```bash
_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)
B=""
[ -n "$_ROOT" ] && [ -x "$_ROOT/.claude/skills/gstack/browse/dist/browse" ] && B="$_ROOT/.claude/skills/gstack/browse/dist/browse"
[ -z "$B" ] && B=~/.claude/skills/gstack/browse/dist/browse
if [ -x "$B" ]; then
  echo "READY: $B"
else
  echo "NEEDS_SETUP"
fi
```

If `NEEDS_SETUP`:
1. Tell the user: "gstack browse needs a one-time build (~10 seconds). OK to proceed?" Then STOP and wait.
2. Run: `cd <SKILL_DIR> && ./setup`
3. If `bun` is not installed: `curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash`

## Step 1: Connect

```bash
$B connect
```

This launches your system Chrome via Playwright with:
- A visible window (headed mode, not headless)
- The gstack Chrome extension pre-loaded
- A green shimmer line + "gstack" pill so you know which window is controlled

If Chrome is already running, the server restarts in headed mode with a fresh
Chrome instance. Your regular Chrome stays untouched.

After connecting, print the output to the user.

## Step 2: Verify

```bash
$B status
```

Confirm the output shows `Mode: cdp`. Print the port number — the user may need
it for the Side Panel.

## Step 3: Guide the user to the Side Panel

Use AskUserQuestion:

> Chrome is launched with gstack control. You should see a green shimmer line at the
> top of the Chrome window and a small "gstack" pill in the bottom-right corner.
>
> The Side Panel extension is pre-loaded. To open it:
> 1. Look for the **puzzle piece icon** (Extensions) in Chrome's toolbar
> 2. Click it → find **gstack browse** → click the **pin icon** to pin it
> 3. Click the **gstack icon** in the toolbar
> 4. Click **Open Side Panel**
>
> The Side Panel shows a live feed of every browse command in real time.
>
> **Port:** The browse server is on port {PORT} — the extension auto-detects it
> if you're using the Playwright-controlled Chrome. If the badge stays gray, click
> the gstack icon and enter port {PORT} manually.

Options:
- A) I can see the Side Panel — let's go!
- B) I can see Chrome but can't find the extension
- C) Something went wrong

If B: Tell the user:
> The extension should be auto-loaded, but Chrome sometimes doesn't show it
> immediately. Try:
> 1. Type `chrome://extensions` in the address bar
> 2. Look for "gstack browse" — it should be listed and enabled
> 3. If not listed, click "Load unpacked" → navigate to the extension folder
>    (press Cmd+Shift+G in the file picker, paste this path):
>    `{EXTENSION_PATH}`
>
> Then pin it from the puzzle piece icon and open the Side Panel.

If C: Run `$B status` and show the output. Check if the server is healthy.

## Step 4: Demo

After the user confirms the Side Panel is working, run a quick demo so they
can see the activity feed in action:

```bash
$B goto https://news.ycombinator.com
```

Wait 2 seconds, then:

```bash
$B snapshot -i
```

Tell the user: "Check the Side Panel — you should see the `goto` and `snapshot`
commands appear in the activity feed. Every command Claude runs will show up here
in real time."

## Step 5: Sidebar chat

After the activity feed demo, tell the user about the sidebar chat:

> The Side Panel also has a **chat tab**. Try typing a message like "take a
> snapshot and describe this page." A child Claude instance will execute your
> request in the browser — you'll see the commands appear in the activity feed.
>
> The sidebar agent can navigate pages, click buttons, fill forms, and read
> content. Each task gets up to 5 minutes. It runs in an isolated session, so
> it won't interfere with this Claude Code window.

## Step 6: What's next

Tell the user:

> You're all set! Chrome is under Claude's control with the Side Panel showing
> live activity and a chat sidebar for direct commands. Here's what you can do:
>
> - **Chat in the sidebar** — type natural language instructions and Claude
>   executes them in the browser
> - **Run any browse command** — `$B goto`, `$B click`, `$B snapshot` — and
>   watch it happen in Chrome + the Side Panel
> - **Use /qa or /design-review** — they'll run in the visible Chrome window
>   instead of headless. No cookie import needed.
> - **`$B focus`** — bring Chrome to the foreground anytime
> - **`$B disconnect`** — return to headless mode when done

Then proceed with whatever the user asked to do. If they didn't specify a task,
ask what they'd like to test or browse.