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Overview

The help command displays the complete GSD command reference with descriptions and usage examples. It provides a quick reference guide to all available commands without any project-specific analysis.

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Syntax

/gsd:help

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How It Works

Displays the complete GSD command reference from the help workflow. Output includes:
  • Command categories (Project, Phase, Session, Utilities)
  • Command syntax and arguments
  • Brief descriptions
  • Common usage patterns
  • Links to detailed documentation
Important: The help command outputs ONLY the reference content with no additions:
  • ❌ No project-specific analysis
  • ❌ No git status or file context
  • ❌ No next-step suggestions
  • ❌ No commentary beyond the reference

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Command Categories

GSD commands are organized into logical categories:

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Project Management

  • new-project - Initialize new project with goals and roadmap
  • map-codebase - Analyze existing codebase
  • discuss - Explore ideas and capture decisions

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Phase Workflow

  • plan-phase - Create detailed phase plan
  • execute - Execute phase plan
  • finalize - Review and complete phase

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Session Management

  • resume-work - Resume from previous session
  • pause-work - Create checkpoint before pausing
  • progress - Check progress and route to next action

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Utilities

  • quick - Execute quick tasks
  • debug - Systematic debugging
  • add-todo - Capture ideas as todos
  • check-todos - List and work on todos
  • settings - Configure GSD options
  • set-profile - Switch model profile
  • health - Diagnose and repair issues
  • help - Show this help
  • update - Update GSD to latest version

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Usage Examples

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Basic help

/gsd:help
Output: 
GSD Command Reference
═══════════════════════════════════════════

## Project Management

/gsd:new-project
  Initialize new project with goals and roadmap.
  Creates .planning/ directory with STATE.md and ROADMAP.md.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:new-project

/gsd:map-codebase [focus-area]
  Analyze existing codebase with parallel mapper agents.
  Produces 7 documents in .planning/codebase/.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:map-codebase          # Map entire codebase
    /gsd:map-codebase api      # Focus on API subsystem

/gsd:discuss [topic]
  Explore ideas and capture decisions in CONTEXT.md.
  Lightweight discussion before planning.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:discuss
    /gsd:discuss "caching strategy"

## Phase Workflow

/gsd:plan-phase [--no-research] [--gaps]
  Create detailed phase plan with research and breakdown.
  
  Flags:
    --no-research   Skip research agent
    --gaps          Plan addresses specific gap or issue
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:plan-phase
    /gsd:plan-phase --no-research
    /gsd:plan-phase --gaps

/gsd:execute <phase-number> [--no-verify] [--branch]
  Execute phase plan with optional verification.
  
  Arguments:
    phase-number    Phase number to execute (required)
  
  Flags:
    --no-verify     Skip post-execution verification
    --branch        Create feature branch for this phase
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:execute 3
    /gsd:execute 5 --branch

/gsd:finalize [phase-number]
  Review implementation and complete phase.
  Creates SUMMARY.md and updates STATE.md.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:finalize
    /gsd:finalize 3

## Session Management

/gsd:resume-work
  Resume from previous session with full context restoration.
  Detects checkpoints and incomplete work.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:resume-work

/gsd:pause-work
  Create checkpoint before pausing mid-phase.
  Saves complete work state to .continue-here.md.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:pause-work

/gsd:progress
  Check project progress and route to next action.
  Analyzes recent work and upcoming tasks.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:progress

## Utilities

/gsd:quick [--discuss] [--full]
  Execute quick tasks with GSD guarantees.
  
  Flags:
    --discuss       Enable discussion phase
    --full          Enable plan-checking and verification
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:quick
    /gsd:quick --discuss
    /gsd:quick --full

/gsd:debug [issue-description]
  Systematic debugging with persistent state.
  Uses subagents for deep investigation.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:debug                           # List active sessions
    /gsd:debug "login fails with OAuth" # New session

/gsd:add-todo [description]
  Capture idea or task as structured todo.
  Extracts context from conversation if no description.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:add-todo Add rate limiting
    /gsd:add-todo                  # Extract from context

/gsd:check-todos [area]
  List pending todos and select one to work on.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:check-todos              # All todos
    /gsd:check-todos api          # Filter by area

/gsd:settings
  Configure GSD workflow agents and model profile.
  Interactive 5-question prompt.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:settings

/gsd:set-profile <profile>
  Quick switch model profile.
  
  Arguments:
    profile    quality | balanced | budget (required)
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:set-profile balanced
    /gsd:set-profile quality

/gsd:health [--repair]
  Diagnose and optionally repair planning directory issues.
  
  Flags:
    --repair        Automatically fix detected issues
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:health
    /gsd:health --repair

/gsd:help
  Show this command reference.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:help

/gsd:update
  Update GSD to latest version with changelog.
  
  Usage:
    /gsd:update

## Common Workflows

**New Project (Greenfield)**
  /gsd:new-project
  /gsd:plan-phase
  /gsd:execute 1

**New Project (Brownfield)**
  /gsd:map-codebase
  /gsd:new-project
  /gsd:plan-phase

**Daily Work Cycle**
  /gsd:resume-work
  /gsd:progress
  [work]
  /gsd:pause-work

**Quick Fix**
  /gsd:quick
  [describe task]

**Complex Investigation**
  /gsd:debug
  [gather symptoms]
  [agent investigates]
  [fix or plan]

**Idea Management**
  /gsd:add-todo [idea]
  [accumulate todos]
  /gsd:check-todos
  [work on selected]

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For detailed documentation: https://gsd-docs.example.com
For issues or feedback: https://github.com/gsd/issues

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When to Use

Use help command

  • Forgot command syntax
  • New to GSD framework
  • Need quick reference
  • Exploring available commands
  • Looking for appropriate command
  • Sharing GSD with teammates

Use documentation

  • Detailed command behavior
  • Workflow explanations
  • Best practices
  • Troubleshooting
  • Advanced usage
  • Configuration details

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Output Characteristics

What help includes:
  • ✅ Command list with syntax
  • ✅ Brief descriptions
  • ✅ Common usage examples
  • ✅ Workflow patterns
  • ✅ Links to documentation
What help excludes:
  • ❌ Project-specific information
  • ❌ Current git status
  • ❌ File context or analysis
  • ❌ Suggestions based on project state
  • ❌ Commentary or explanations beyond reference

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Quick Command Lookup

Need to…Command
Start new project/gsd:new-project
Understand existing code/gsd:map-codebase
Plan next feature/gsd:plan-phase
Implement plan/gsd:execute N
Quick bug fix/gsd:quick
Debug issue/gsd:debug
Resume work/gsd:resume-work
Check progress/gsd:progress
Save and pause/gsd:pause-work
Capture idea/gsd:add-todo
Review todos/gsd:check-todos
Configure GSD/gsd:settings
Change models/gsd:set-profile
Fix issues/gsd:health --repair
Update GSD/gsd:update