doc-query

Documentation Query Skill

Query real-time documentation for configured tools and technologies using Context7 API.

When to Use This Skill

ALWAYS invoke this skill in these scenarios:

1. Before using Python 3.14+ features

   • Async features (async/​await, TaskGroup, AsyncExitStack)
   • Type hints (new syntax, generics, Annotated)
   • New stdlib modules or functions
   • When uncertain about current API

2. Before using Claude Code CLI features

   • Skills, agents, hooks, slash commands
   • MCP integration, settings configuration
   • Plugin development

3. When encountering errors with configured tools

   • Parse error messages for tool names
   • Query tool-specific troubleshooting docs

4. When user asks "How do I... <tool-name>..." questions

   • Extract tool name from question
   • Query documentation before attempting answer

Why This Matters

Training data may be outdated for:

• Python 3.14+ (released after training cutoff)
• Claude Code CLI (rapidly evolving)
• Other modern tools (ruff, uv, etc.)

Context7 provides real-time access to current documentation.

Instructions

Step 1: Check Available Sources

.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​list-sources

This shows all configured documentation sources.

Step 2: Query Documentation

.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​query <source> "<topic>" [tokens]

Parameters:

• source: Source name from doc-sources.toml (e.g., "python", "claude-code")
• topic: Search query (e.g., "async context managers")
• tokens: Optional token limit (uses source default if omitted)

Examples:

.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​query python "async context managers"
.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​query claude-code "create skill" 2000
.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​query py "type hints"  # Using alias

Step 3: Process Results

The script outputs markdown documentation from Context7. Process this to:

1. Extract relevant code examples
2. Identify key patterns
3. Answer user's question with current information

Alias Support

Sources can have aliases for convenience:

• py → python
• claude → claude-code

Check .claude/​doc-sources.toml for configured aliases.

Configuration

Documentation sources are configured in .claude/​doc-sources.toml:

[sources.python]
context7_id = "websites/​python_3_14"
description = "Python 3.14+ standard library"
default_tokens = 3000
aliases = ["py", "python3"]

To add new sources, use the add-doc skill.

Error Handling

If CONTEXT7_API_KEY not set:

Error: CONTEXT7_API_KEY environment variable not set.
See CONTRIBUTING.md for setup instructions.

If source not found:

Error: Unknown documentation source: 'ruff'
Available sources: python, claude-code
Run '.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​list-sources' to see all sources.

Examples

Example 1: Python async features

User: "How do I create an async context manager in Python 3.14?"

Skill execution:

.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​query python "async context manager" 2000

Process results → Provide answer with current API.

Example 2: Claude Code skill creation

User: "How do I create a custom skill?"

Skill execution:

.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​query claude-code "create skill"

Process results → Show skill directory structure and SKILL.md format.

Example 3: Using aliases

User: "What's new in Python type hints?"

Skill execution:

.claude/​skills/​doc-query/​scripts/​query py "type hints new features" 3000

Integration with Other Skills

When adopting new tools:

1. Create/​update ADR (adr skill)
2. Add documentation source (add-doc skill)
3. Query documentation (this skill)

See CLAUDE.md for workflow details.

Token Efficiency

• Default token limits per source (2000-3000)
• Only query when needed (not preloaded)
• Local processing (no LLM overhead for queries)
• Cost: ~0 Sonnet tokens (direct API call)

Technical Details

Implementation:

• Python 3.12+ stdlib only (urllib, tomllib)
• TOML-based configuration
• Generic Context7 client
• Modern type hints

See: ADR-0003