Phx help

Plugin Help — Interactive Command Advisor

Helps users find the right command, skill, or agent for their situation.

Usage

phx-help                          # Analyze context, suggest commands
phx-help how do I debug this?     # Route to phx-investigate
phx-help add a new feature        # Route to phx-plan -> phx-work

Arguments

• $ARGUMENTS — optional description of what the user wants to do
• Empty = analyze current context (git status, existing plans, file patterns)

Execution Flow

Step 1: Gather Context

If $ARGUMENTS is non-empty, use it as primary signal.

Always gather ambient context (run in parallel):

1. Check for existing plans: use Glob on .claude/plans/*/plan.md — active work in progress?
2. Check git status: uncommitted changes? which files?
3. Check for solution docs: use Glob on .claude/solutions/**/*.md — prior knowledge?

Step 2: Classify Intent

Read references/tool-catalog.md for the full routing table.

Map the user's situation to one of these categories:

Category	Signals	Primary Commands
Starting out	No plans, new to plugin	phx-intro
Ideation	"explore", "brainstorm", "not sure", "how to approach", "vague idea"	phx-brainstorm
New feature	"add", "build", "implement", multi-file	phx-plan → phx-work
Quick change	Single file, <50 lines, "fix typo"	phx-quick
Bug	Error, stack trace, "broken", "failing"	phx-investigate
Review	"check", "review", PR ready	phx-review
Performance	"slow", "N+1", "memory"	phx-perf, ecto-n1-check, lv-assigns
Research	"how to", "best practice", "evaluate lib"	phx-research
Resume work	Existing plan with unchecked tasks	phx-work --continue
Post-fix	"that worked", solved a hard bug	phx-compound
Full cycle	Large feature, new domain area	phx-full
Project health	"audit", "tech debt", "overall quality"	phx-audit, phx-techdebt
Dep update audit	"audit deps", "supply chain", "post-mix deps.update", "review mix.lock PR"	phx-deps-audit
Manual dep vetting	"vet this package", "approve dep", "trust ledger", "after phx-deps-audit findings"	phx-deps-vet
Deployment	"deploy", "release", "production"	phx-verify then deploy skill
Permissions	"too many prompts", "allow", "permission fatigue"	phx-permissions
Returning after time off	"what did I miss", "back from vacation", "catch up", "what changed while I was out"	/catchup (companion plugin, separate install)

Step 3: Respond or Clarify

If high confidence (clear match to one category): Present the recommendation with:

• The command to run (with exact syntax)
• One-line explanation of what it does
• What artifacts it creates (if any)
• Suggested next step after it completes

If medium confidence (2-3 possible matches): Use AskUserQuestion with the top options, each with a one-line explanation.

If low confidence (vague or no signal): Ask ONE focused clarifying question. Examples:

• "Are you starting something new or continuing existing work?"
• "Is this a bug fix or a new feature?"
• "How many files do you expect to change?"

Then recommend based on the answer.

Step 4: Offer Follow-up

After recommending, always add:

• "Run phx-help anytime to get routing advice"
• If they seem new: "Try phx-intro for a full plugin walkthrough"

Iron Laws

1. ONE recommendation — don't dump the full catalog, pick the best match
2. MAX ONE clarifying question — don't interrogate, make your best guess
3. Show exact syntax — phx-plan Add user notifications not just "use the plan command"
4. Context over keywords — existing plans + git state matter more than word matching
5. NEVER block — if user already knows what they want, DO NOT redirect

Integration

• Complements intent-detection (auto-trigger) with explicit invocation
• References same routing logic but adds interactive clarification
• Can recommend phx-intro for onboarding