Second Opinion Command

Get input from Gemini and Codex on the current problem or question. By default, iterates if responses lack confidence.

Usage

/second-opinion <question or context>
/second-opinion --quick <question>        # Single pass, no iteration
/second-opinion --words=300 <question>    # Limit response to 300 words
/second-opinion --timeout=120 <question>  # Set timeout to 120s
/second-opinion                           # Uses current conversation context

Parameters

How It Works

Default Flow (Iterative)

1. •Summarize the current problem/question from the conversation (or use what the user provides)
2. •Query both Gemini and Codex in parallel for their perspectives
3. •Evaluate confidence in both responses
4. •If confidence is LOW for either advisor, re-query with additional context (up to 2 iterations)
5. •Present final results with your synthesis

Quick Mode (--quick)

1. •Query both advisors once
2. •Present results immediately without iteration
3. •Useful when you just want fast input without refinement

Execution

Step 1: Prepare the Context

Extract or use the user's question/problem. If not explicitly provided, summarize:

• •What is the current task or problem?
• •What approaches are being considered?
• •Any relevant file paths or code context

Write the prompt to .second-opinion.md in the current working directory (dotfile so it stays out of the way; in the project directory so sandboxed agents like Codex can read it). Use this exact filename for all subsequent steps:

Read-only consultation. Do not modify any files.

I need a second opinion: {problem_summary}

Give your perspective in {words} words or less. Focus on:
- Key considerations I might be missing
- Potential issues with the current approach
- Alternative approaches worth considering

If you need more context to give a confident answer, say so clearly.

Step 2: Query Advisors (in parallel)

Run both commands in parallel, using {timeout} as the Bash timeout:

Gemini:

gemini -s --approval-mode default "Read the file at .second-opinion.md and follow the instructions within it."

Codex:

codex exec -s read-only "Read the file at .second-opinion.md and follow the instructions within it."

Step 3: Evaluate Confidence

After receiving responses, evaluate each for confidence level:

High Confidence Indicators:

• •Direct, specific recommendations
• •References to specific code, files, or patterns
• •Clear reasoning with concrete examples
• •Definitive statements about approach

Low Confidence Indicators:

• •Hedging language: "It depends", "possibly", "might", "could be"
• •Requests for more context: "I'd need to see", "without more context"
• •Very generic advice that could apply to any situation
• •Uncertainty markers: "I'm not sure", "hard to say"
• •Questions back to you about the problem

Step 4: Iterate If Needed (Default Mode Only)

If confidence is LOW for either advisor:

1. •Identify what context is missing based on their feedback
2. •Gather additional context (read relevant files, clarify requirements)
3. •Overwrite .second-opinion.md with enhanced context
4. •Re-query the low-confidence advisor using the same file-reference command
5. •Can iterate up to 2 times per advisor

Skip this step entirely if --quick flag was used.

Step 5: Present Results

Format the responses for the user:

## Second Opinions

### Gemini
{gemini_response}

### Codex
{codex_response}

### My Take
{your brief synthesis - where they agree, disagree, and your recommendation}

If iteration occurred, note it:

*Note: Re-queried {advisor} with additional context after initial response lacked confidence.*

Step 6: Clean Up

Delete .second-opinion.md using the Bash tool:

rm .second-opinion.md

Timeouts

Use the {timeout} value (default 300s) for each advisor's Bash timeout.

Error Handling

• •If one advisor fails, continue with the other
• •If both fail, inform the user and offer to retry

Key Differences from /debate

Examples

/second-opinion Should I use useCallback here or is it premature optimization?
/second-opinion Is this the right place to add error handling?
/second-opinion Review my approach to implementing this feature
/second-opinion --quick Just tell me if this pattern looks right
/second-opinion  # Uses current context from conversation

Troubleshooting

Advisor times out or fails to respond

Solution: Increase the timeout with --timeout=600 or use --quick to skip iteration. If one advisor consistently fails, the other's response is still presented.

All advisors agree with no diversity of opinion

Solution: Rephrase your question to include a specific alternative approach you want evaluated, or provide more context about trade-offs you are considering to prompt more nuanced responses.