Mid-conversation reflection skill that pauses execution and zooms out from detail-mode to honestly reassess direction, assumptions, and bias.

MITAuto-check passedAgent Workflows

Install Reflect

skills CLI
$ npx skills add alirezarezvani/claude-skills --skill reflect -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install alirezarezvani/claude-skills reflect --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/alirezarezvani/claude-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/productivity/reflect/skills/reflect .claude/skills/reflect && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
reflect
GitHub stars
28k
Used in
1 other repo
Token cost
~2.4k tokens
SKILL.md length
1,112 words
Files
7 (incl. scripts, references)
Skills in repo
342
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Mid-conversation reflection skill that pauses execution and zooms out from detail-mode to honestly reassess direction, assumptions, and bias.

  • Works in 5 steps: Macro Perspective → Gap Analysis → Reflective Inquiry → …
  • The user says reflect
  • SKILL.md covers Invocation Triggers, Stop Directive (Before…, Grill-Me Optional Clarifier and The 5-Dimension Analysis…, plus 6 more sections
  • Runs Python scripts from its folder

What it does

Reflect is an agent skill from alirezarezvani/claude-skills. Mid-conversation reflection skill that pauses execution and zooms out from detail-mode to honestly reassess direction, assumptions, and bias. Use when the user says 'reflect', 'take a step back', 'step back', 'zoom out', 'are we missing something', 'bigger picture', 'sanity check this', 'are we on track', 'are we overthinking this', 'forest for the trees', or any variation signaling intent to break out of detail-mode and reassess. Also trigger when the conversation has gone deep on implementation details without…

Its SKILL.md is about 2.4k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 8 other files, including scripts and reference files (for example `references/cognitive_bias_canon.md`, `references/conversation_reflection_practice.md` and `references/honest_output_discipline.md`).

It sits in Agent Workflows. The repository describes itself as: 380 Claude Code skills & agent skills & plugins (30+ Agents, 70+ custom commands, 380+ skills, customizable references, scripts)for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Cursor, and 8… The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • The user says reflect
  • Take a step back
  • Are we missing something
  • Sanity check this

Example prompts

  • “reflect”
  • “take a step back”
  • “step back”
  • “/reflect”

Requirements

  • Python 3

Workflow steps

5 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

  1. Macro Perspective
  2. Gap Analysis
  3. Reflective Inquiry
  4. Bias Check
  5. Contextual Alignment

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 19392f7. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Ships 3 files in scripts/ (Python), which the agent can run.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Reflect loads about 2.4k tokens when it runs, and up to ~9.2k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 213 tokens; SKILL.md has 1,112 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~213
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.4k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~9.2k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); the scripts in this folder are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from alirezarezvani/claude-skills at commit 19392f7, republished under its MIT licence (© alirezarezvani). 1,112 words, ~2,438 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/reflect/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 6 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
reflect
description
Mid-conversation reflection skill that pauses execution and zooms out from detail-mode to honestly reassess direction, assumptions, and bias. Use when the user says 'reflect', 'take a step back', 'step back', 'zoom out', 'are we missing something', 'bigger picture', 'sanity check this', 'are we on track', 'are we overthinking this', 'forest for the trees', or any variation signaling intent to break out of detail-mode and reassess. Also trigger when the conversation has gone deep on implementation details without strategic check-in, or when the user shows signs of being stuck — that's often a signal the framing needs a reset, not more detail work. Intentionally low-intake: runs the 5-dimension analysis immediately when prior context is rich enough; asks one forcing clarifier only when invocation context is too thin to reassess from.
license
MIT
metadata.source_spec
megaprompts/02-reflect-megaprompt.md
metadata.build_pattern
Path B (direct conversion)
metadata.version
1.0.0

Reflect — Mid-Conversation Reassessment

Portability: Pure-reasoning skill. No external tools required. Works in Claude Code CLI + Claude.ai web natively. Most portable in the v2 collection.

When invoked mid-conversation, this skill pauses execution and produces a frank reassessment of where the conversation has been heading. Output is flowing analysis (no headers, conversational tone) covering macro perspective, gap analysis, reflective inquiry, bias check, and contextual alignment. The skill ends with a clear directional recommendation: continue, pivot, or pause to answer a specific question.

Invocation Triggers

Explicit phrases:

  • "reflect"
  • "take a step back" / "step back"
  • "zoom out"
  • "are we missing something"
  • "bigger picture"
  • "what are we missing"
  • "let's pause"
  • "sanity check this"
  • "are we on track"
  • "are we overthinking this"
  • "forest for the trees"

Implicit signals (no phrase needed):

  • Conversation has gone 10+ turns deep on implementation details without strategic check-in
  • User shows signs of frustration or stuck-ness
  • Repeated dead-ends or pivots within a short span

When you detect an implicit trigger, don't auto-invoke — ask the user if they want to step back. Implicit signals are a prompt to OFFER reflection, not to unilaterally run it.

Stop Directive (Before Reassessing)

Halt the current thread. Don't continue execution of the in-progress task. Reflection is a pause, not a side-quest.

This matters because:

  • Continuing detail work while "reflecting on the side" defeats the purpose — you'll over-weight the current direction
  • The user expects a clear break in cadence
  • The reassessment needs full attention to the conversation history

Grill-Me Optional Clarifier

This skill is intentionally low-intake — most invocations should run the 5-dimension analysis immediately without questions. The grill-me discipline applies only when the invocation is ambiguous (e.g., user pastes "step back" at the start of a fresh conversation with no prior context to reassess).

Q1 (optional, asked only when context is too thin to reassess)

What specifically should I reassess? Pick one:

  1. The goal — are we solving the right problem?
  2. The approach — is the path we're on the best one?
  3. The assumptions — what are we taking for granted?
  4. All of the above (default if you have time)

Why I'm asking: I'm seeing limited prior context to reassess, so I want to focus the reflection rather than guess. If you'd rather I do all three, that's fine — say so.

Forcing choice with default. Asked only when context is genuinely thin; otherwise skip and run the full analysis on existing conversation.

Stop condition: One question max. If the user invokes mid-conversation with normal context, no questions are asked — the skill runs directly.

The 5-Dimension Analysis Framework

Re-read the full conversation from the original goal forward — not just recent turns. The discipline that distinguishes real reflection from local-context summary.

1. Macro Perspective
  • Original goal: What did the user actually start trying to do?
  • Drift detection: Has the conversation moved away from that goal? Toward something better or worse?
  • Connection check: How does current work connect to the larger objective?

Anchor with specific evidence: "At turn 3 the goal was X; by turn 12 we're working on Y. Is Y a productive narrowing of X, or a drift away?"

2. Gap Analysis
  • Unverified assumptions — what are we taking for granted that we haven't checked?
  • Missing stakeholders / audiences / users — who needs this beyond the immediate context?
  • Skipped constraints — technical, regulatory, resource limits not addressed
  • Dismissed alternatives — paths considered but rejected; revisit briefly
  • External factors — timing, market, dependencies not in scope
3. Reflective Inquiry
  • Is the problem framed correctly?
  • Solving the right problem vs. an adjacent easier one?
  • Simpler path being overcomplicated?
  • Harder but more valuable path being avoided?
  • Fresh-eyes perspective: would someone else approach this differently?
4. Bias Check

Five biases — recognize each through specific conversation patterns:

BiasRecognition cue
Confirmation biasEvidence cited only supports the working hypothesis; counter-evidence absent or dismissed
Sunk cost fallacy"We've already invested X" / "we're far enough in to..." instead of fresh cost/benefit
AnchoringStuck on first option mentioned; new options compared against it rather than evaluated independently
Complexity biasAdding features / steps / safeguards without specific justification for each
Recency biasOver-weighting last few turns; older but important context being ignored

For each detected bias: name it, cite the specific evidence, suggest a corrective move.

See references/cognitive_bias_canon.md for the full canon.

Show full SKILL.md (414 more words)Show less
5. Contextual Alignment
  • Does the direction serve the user's actual goals (as known from context)?
  • Are external factors being ignored?
  • Is this the best use of the user's time and energy right now?
  • Connection to other known projects or priorities?

Tone and Format Rules

The skill must produce:

  • Flowing prose — no headers, no bullet lists, no structured-report formatting
  • Tight but thorough — neither a one-liner nor a wall of text
  • Direct critique when warranted — with specific evidence from the conversation
  • Validation when warranted — with specific reasoning for why the path is solid
  • No vague reassurance — "looks good!" without reasoning is rejected
  • No manufactured problems — when the path is genuinely solid, say so with specific reasons; don't invent issues

See references/honest_output_discipline.md for the anti-manufactured-problems framing.

Closing Recommendation (Mandatory)

Every run ends with one of three directional recommendations:

RecommendationWhenFormat
ContinuePath is solid"Continue. {specific reasoning for why}."
Pivot to {X}Drift has occurred OR better path surfaced"Pivot toward {X}, away from {what to drop}. {specific evidence}."
Pause for {Q}A specific question needs answering before continuing"Pause for {Q}. Without answering this, the next step risks {specific cost}."

The closing is always specific — never "you should think more about this" or "consider your options."

Error Handling

SituationBehavior
Conversation is very short (no real context to reassess)Acknowledge limitation, ask user what they want reassessed (Q1 fires)
Current direction is genuinely solidState this clearly with reasoning; don't manufacture problems
User invokes mid-task with no clear questionDefault to macro perspective + bias check; offer to dig deeper
Implicit trigger seems possible but unclearDon't invoke proactively; ask user if they want to step back

Tooling

ScriptRole
scripts/bias_pattern_detector.pyScan conversation text for patterns indicative of each of the 5 biases
scripts/conversation_depth_analyzer.pyCount turns + detect implicit-trigger signals (10+ detail turns, frustration markers)
scripts/directional_recommendation_validator.pyVerify output ends with Continue / Pivot / Pause + specific reasoning

References

Anti-Patterns To Reject

  • Hardcoded user names or specific domain references
  • Structured-report output (headers, bullet lists) when prose is required
  • Manufactured problems when things are actually fine
  • Vague reassurance ("looks good!") instead of specific reasoning
  • Reassessing only recent turns instead of the full conversation
  • Skipping the closing directional recommendation
  • Continuing the in-progress task while "reflecting on the side"

Version: 1.0.0 Source spec: megaprompts/02-reflect-megaprompt.md (maintainer-local draft spec — gitignored, not present in the public repository) Build pattern: Path B (direct conversion). Productivity light-prompt-flow sibling of capture.

© alirezarezvani, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 6 other files (scripts, references) in productivity/reflect/skills/reflect of alirezarezvani/claude-skills.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/cognitive_bias_canon.md
  • references/conversation_reflection_practice.md
  • references/honest_output_discipline.md
  • scripts/bias_pattern_detector.py
  • scripts/conversation_depth_analyzer.py
  • scripts/directional_recommendation_validator.py

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 19392f7

Used in 1 other repository

We found 2 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 1 other GitHub owner. This page covers the copy in alirezarezvani/claude-skills, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

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Categories

Questions about Reflect

What does Reflect do?

Mid-conversation reflection skill that pauses execution and zooms out from detail-mode to honestly reassess direction, assumptions, and bias. Reflect is an agent skill from alirezarezvani/claude-skills. Mid-conversation reflection skill that pauses execution and zooms out from detail-mode to honestly reassess direction, assumptions, and bias.

When should I use Reflect?

Reflect fits situations like: the user says reflect; take a step back; are we missing something; sanity check this.

How do I install Reflect in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add alirezarezvani/claude-skills --skill reflect -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (productivity/reflect/skills/reflect in alirezarezvani/claude-skills) into .claude/skills/reflect in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Reflect in Codex?

Run `npx skills add alirezarezvani/claude-skills --skill reflect -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (productivity/reflect/skills/reflect in alirezarezvani/claude-skills) into .agents/skills/reflect in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Reflect in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add alirezarezvani/claude-skills --skill reflect -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/reflect, .gemini/skills/reflect, .github/skills/reflect and .opencode/skills/reflect in your project.

What does Reflect need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Reflect needs Python for the scripts in its folder. Our summary lists: Python 3.

Does Reflect access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Reflect safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. The check reads SKILL.md only: the scripts in the folder are not scanned, so read them before running anything.

What licence does Reflect use?

Reflect is published under the MIT licence (declared in SKILL.md). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Reflect use?

About 2.4k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 9.8k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 6.7k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Reflect?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Reflect: MCP Server Builder (anthropics/skills, 180k stars), Hook Development for Claude Code Plugins (anthropics/claude-plugins-official, 37k stars), Using Superpowers (farm-fe/farm, 5.6k stars) and Executing Plans Inline (obra/superpowers, 296k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Reflect?

alirezarezvani (a GitHub user) maintains it in alirezarezvani/claude-skills, which has 27,788 GitHub stars. The repository holds 342 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 30, 2026.

Source: alirezarezvani/claude-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.