/ask

The context-ask endpoint is an intelligent codebase question-answering system that combines semantic search with expert-level code analysis. Think of it as having a principal software engineer who instantly understands your entire codebase and can provide detailed, evidence-based answers with actual code snippets and precise implementation details.

What Makes Context Ask Unique

Unlike traditional documentation or search tools, Context Ask:

• Provides evidence-based answers with actual code snippets and line numbers

• Combines semantic search with graph-based repository knowledge

• Analyzes code relationships and dependencies across your entire codebase

• Delivers expert-level explanations with complete implementation details

• Shows actual code proof for every claim, never just descriptions

• Covers ALL aspects of complex technical questions comprehensively

API/MCP Reference

Request Format

{
  "tool": "context_ask",
  "parameters": {
    "input": "How does user authentication work in our FastAPI application? Show me the complete flow from login request to JWT token generation.",
    "repositories": ["backend/auth", "api/v1"],
    "session_id": "engineering-review-789"
  }
}

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
input	string	Yes	Technical question about your codebase. More specific questions yield better results with exact code evidence
repositories	array	No	List of repository identifiers to focus the search. Format: org/repo
session_id	string	No	Unique identifier to maintain context across related engineering questions

Response Format

{
  "response": "The authentication system works through a multi-stage process:\n\n## Stage 1: Login Validation\n\n```python\n# From backend/auth/controllers/auth.py, lines 23-35\[email protected]('/login')\nasync def login(credentials: LoginRequest):\n    user = await User.find_by_email(credentials.email)\n    if not user or not verify_password(credentials.password, user.password_hash):\n        raise HTTPException(401, 'Invalid credentials')\n    return generate_jwt_response(user)\n```\n\nThis code first retrieves the user by email (line 25), then verifies the password using bcrypt (lines 26-27)...\n\n## Stage 2: JWT Token Generation\n\n```python\n# From backend/auth/utils/jwt.py, lines 45-58\ndef generate_jwt_response(user: User) -> TokenResponse:\n    payload = {\n        'user_id': user.id,\n        'email': user.email,\n        'exp': datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(hours=24)\n    }\n    token = jwt.encode(payload, SECRET_KEY, algorithm='HS256')\n    return TokenResponse(access_token=token, token_type='bearer')\n```\n\nThe JWT generation creates a payload with user details and 24-hour expiration (lines 46-50)..."
}

Recommended Query Strategies

• Ask specific technical questions - "How does error handling work in the payment processing module?" rather than "Tell me about errors"

• Request complete implementations - Ask for end-to-end flows, not just isolated functions

• Focus on architectural patterns - Questions about how components interact yield comprehensive answers

• Specify scope with repositories - Target relevant codebases for focused, accurate responses

• Use session continuity - Maintain session_id for follow-up questions on related topics

Usage Examples

Understanding Authentication Flow

{
  "input": "Show me the complete user authentication flow from request to response, including middleware, validation, and token generation with exact code implementations",
  "repositories": ["api/auth", "middleware/security"],
  "session_id": "auth-analysis"
}

Analyzing Error Handling Patterns

{
  "input": "How are database connection errors handled across our microservices? Show me the specific error handling code and retry mechanisms",
  "repositories": ["microservices/user", "microservices/order", "shared/db"],
  "session_id": "error-analysis"
}

Exploring API Design Patterns

{
  "input": "What validation patterns do we use for API endpoints? Show me examples of request validation, schema definitions, and error responses with actual code",
  "repositories": ["api/v1", "api/v2", "shared/validators"]
}

Investigating Performance Optimizations

{
  "input": "How do we implement caching in our application? Show me the caching layers, cache key strategies, and invalidation mechanisms with complete code examples",
  "repositories": ["services/cache", "api/controllers"],
  "session_id": "performance-review"
}