Query Mode

Query mode is DUUMBI’s read-only conversational mode. Use it when you want to understand the current workspace before making a change.

What Query can do

Query may:

inspect workspace modules, graphs, intents, dependencies, and session context
explain how a function, module, or intent fits together
compare possible changes and call out trade-offs
recommend an Agent or Intent handoff when a question turns into work
answer with source, confidence, model, and handoff metadata when available

Query must not:

patch the semantic graph
write files
create or execute intents
build as a side effect
silently turn a question into a mutation

Mode selection

Request shape	Preferred mode	Behavior
”What is…”, “Why…”, “Where…”, “Explain…”, “Compare…”	Query	Answer with evidence and no writes
”Add…”, “Fix…”, “Change…”, “Refactor this one thing…”	Agent	Apply a bounded graph mutation after explicit handoff
”Build a feature…”, “Plan…”, “Implement with tests…”	Intent	Create and execute an intent-driven plan
Ambiguous question with possible action	Query	Explain options and offer an explicit handoff

REPL usage

Start DUUMBI in a workspace:

duumbi

Use Query directly:

/query "what functions exist?"
/ask "why is this intent failing?"
/mode query

The mode cycle is:

query -> agent -> intent -> query

Query is the safe default because it preserves state. When DUUMBI suggests a write-capable next step, choose Agent or Intent explicitly.

Example questions

What modules exist in this workspace?
Why did this intent fail validation?
Where should a power function live?
What changes if I modify this function signature?
Can you summarize the previous session?

For mutation-shaped prompts, Query should explain the likely work and suggest a handoff instead of applying changes:

User: Can you add clamp to math/ops?
Query: This requires a graph mutation. Suggested handoff: /agent "add clamp to math/ops"

Provider setup

Query uses the same provider configuration as Agent and Intent. Configure providers with [[providers]] entries and let DUUMBI route model choice through the provider catalog:

[[providers]]
provider = "anthropic"
role = "primary"
api_key_env = "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"

[[providers]]
provider = "minimax"
role = "fallback"
api_key_env = "MINIMAX_API_KEY"

See the config reference and provider catalog for supported provider keys.

Evidence discipline

Query answers should be grounded in DUUMBI state. Good answers identify the workspace, graph node, intent, command output, session turn, or source document that supports the claim. When the answer is inferred, it should say so rather than presenting speculation as fact.