Ultrathink

Overview

Use this skill to generate high-depth planning outputs, always enforce the planning posture: plan first, surface big forks early, compare tradeoffs, then recommend a path.

Workflow

1. Build a compact context bundle from the current user query.
2. Add optional augmentation from web search results, codebase findings, and other relevant constraints.
3. Run scripts/run_ultrathink.sh to submit a background response with priority tier.
4. Poll until completion (up to 2 hours by default), or resume later with the response id.
5. Return the output with explicit forks, tradeoffs, and a recommended execution path.

Build Context Input

• Start with the user request verbatim.
• Add only high-signal context:
  • codebase: key rg findings, relevant files, current errors.
  • web: concise sourced notes when recency matters.
  • constraints: deadlines, non-goals, compatibility or infra limits.
• Prefer short summaries over large dumps.

Dynamic Query Construction (required)

Do not use a static query string. Construct the request dynamically from the current turn:

1. Extract the user's exact ask for this turn.
2. Add relevant codebase findings (files, errors, diffs, constraints).
3. Add web findings when recency or external facts matter.
4. Add other operational constraints (time, infra, rollout risk, compatibility).
5. Send that assembled payload to Pro.

Recommended structure for the assembled query text:

• User request
• Codebase context
• Web context (with sources/dates if used)
• Constraints
• Task to model: plan first and surface big forks early

Run Command

Use the helper script. It reads OPENAI_API_KEY from the shell environment. Dependencies: curl, jq, bash.

Recommended: write artifacts into the current working directory (repo/project) so results are durable and parallel-safe:

cat /tmp/ultrathink_query.md | bash /Users/andrewg/.codex/skills/ultrathink/scripts/run_ultrathink.sh \
  --query-stdin \
  --cwd-artifacts \
  --run-label "maintainability"

Tip: --repo-artifacts writes under <git_root>/.codex/ultrathink (useful if you want one shared location for a whole repo).

Artifacts include:

• assembled_input.txt, instructions.txt, payload.json
• response.json, response_initial.json, response_id.txt
• output.md

If you don’t want artifacts committed, add .codex/ultrathink/ to your repo’s .gitignore.

bash /Users/andrewg/.codex/skills/ultrathink/scripts/run_ultrathink.sh \
  --query-file /tmp/ultrathink_query.md \
  --context-text "Constraint: zero downtime." \
  --context-file /tmp/codebase-notes.md

Or pipe the dynamically assembled query directly:

cat /tmp/ultrathink_query.md | bash /Users/andrewg/.codex/skills/ultrathink/scripts/run_ultrathink.sh \
  --query-stdin \
  --context-file /tmp/codebase-notes.md

Defaults:

• model=gpt-5.4-pro
• service_tier=priority
• background=true
• plan-first/fork-first instruction prefix
• poll timeout 7200 seconds

Debugging / local-only:

• --assemble-only builds prompt/payload and exits without calling the API (no OPENAI_API_KEY needed).
• --show-payload prints the JSON request payload sent to the API.

Submit And Resume

Submit only and return response id:

bash /Users/andrewg/.codex/skills/ultrathink/scripts/run_ultrathink.sh \
  --query-file /tmp/ultrathink_query.md \
  --submit-only

Resume polling later:

bash /Users/andrewg/.codex/skills/ultrathink/scripts/run_ultrathink.sh \
  --resume-response-id resp_123

Output Contract

When presenting results back to the user, keep this shape:

1. Plan summary.
2. Major forks and tradeoffs.
3. Recommended path.
4. Immediate next actions.

If the background response is still running, return the response id and status, then provide the exact resume command.

Notes

• Background responses are pollable for roughly 10 minutes after completion.
• Priority requests can be downgraded to default tier during rapid traffic ramps; verify service_tier in the final response.