[IMPORTANT] Use TaskCreate to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting — including tasks for each file read. This prevents context loss from long files. For simple tasks, AI MUST ask user whether to skip.

Quick Summary

Goal: Solve complex problems through structured, reflective thought sequences with dynamic adjustment and revision.

Workflow:

Estimate — Start with loose thought count, adjust as understanding evolves
Structure Thoughts — One aspect per thought; state assumptions and uncertainties
Revise/Branch — Mark revisions of earlier thoughts; branch for alternative approaches
Hypothesize & Verify — Generate solution hypothesis, test it, iterate until verified
Complete — Mark final only when solution verified and confidence achieved

Key Rules:

Dynamically expand/contract thought count as complexity changes
Explicitly mark revisions with original reasoning and why it changed
Can apply explicitly (visible markers) or implicitly (internal methodology)

Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence percentages (Idea should be more than 80%).

Sequential Thinking

Structured problem-solving via manageable, reflective thought sequences with dynamic adjustment.

When to Apply

Complex problem decomposition
Adaptive planning with revision capability
Analysis needing course correction
Problems with unclear/emerging scope
Multi-step solutions requiring context maintenance
Hypothesis-driven investigation/debugging

Core Process

1. Start with Loose Estimate

Thought 1/5: [Initial analysis]

Adjust dynamically as understanding evolves.

2. Structure Each Thought

Build on previous context explicitly
Address one aspect per thought
State assumptions, uncertainties, realizations
Signal what next thought should address

3. Apply Dynamic Adjustment

Expand: More complexity discovered → increase total
Contract: Simpler than expected → decrease total
Revise: New insight invalidates previous → mark revision
Branch: Multiple approaches → explore alternatives

4. Use Revision When Needed

Thought 5/8 [REVISION of Thought 2]: [Corrected understanding]
- Original: [What was stated]
- Why revised: [New insight]
- Impact: [What changes]

5. Branch for Alternatives

Thought 4/7 [BRANCH A from Thought 2]: [Approach A]
Thought 4/7 [BRANCH B from Thought 2]: [Approach B]

Compare explicitly, converge with decision rationale.

6. Generate & Verify Hypotheses

Thought 6/9 [HYPOTHESIS]: [Proposed solution]
Thought 7/9 [VERIFICATION]: [Test results]

Iterate until hypothesis verified.

7. Complete Only When Ready

Mark final: Thought N/N [FINAL]

Complete when:

Solution verified
All critical aspects addressed
Confidence achieved
No outstanding uncertainties

Application Modes

Explicit: Use visible thought markers when complexity warrants visible reasoning or user requests breakdown.

Implicit: Apply methodology internally for routine problem-solving where thinking aids accuracy without cluttering response.

Scripts (Optional)

Optional scripts for deterministic validation/tracking:

scripts/process-thought.js - Validate & track thoughts with history
scripts/format-thought.js - Format for display (box/markdown/simple)

See README.md for usage examples. Use when validation/persistence needed; otherwise apply methodology directly.

References

Load when deeper understanding needed:

references/core-patterns.md - Revision & branching patterns
references/examples-api.md - API design example
references/examples-debug.md - Debugging example
references/examples-architecture.md - Architecture decision example
references/advanced-techniques.md - Spiral refinement, hypothesis testing, convergence
references/advanced-strategies.md - Uncertainty, revision cascades, meta-thinking

Closing Reminders

MUST break work into small todo tasks using TaskCreate BEFORE starting
MUST search codebase for 3+ similar patterns before creating new code
MUST cite file:line evidence for every claim (confidence >80% to act)
MUST add a final review todo task to verify work quality

sequential-thinking