Overview

/stack is a production command in the Stack Mode category of the Prismatic Platform. It displays the complete conversation stack showing all frames, their summaries, key decisions, assumptions, and checkpoint markers. The stack is the fundamental data structure for conversation state management on the Prismatic Platform, and this command provides the primary interface for inspecting that state. Every Claude interaction creates an immutable frame, and /stack reveals the full history of the current conversation branch.

This command operates under the Universal authority level and is executed by the stack-conversation-manager agent. It is part of the platform's 216-command slash command registry, built on the AIAD (Autonomous Intelligence Agent Design) standard. The Universal authority level means every operator, regardless of privilege level, can inspect the conversation stack. Transparency of conversation state is a foundational principle of the stack-based conversation mode.

Stack-based conversation mode is a P0 absolute enforcement requirement for all Claude interactions on the Prismatic Platform. The stack paradigm replaces traditional linear conversation history with a structured, branching, checkpointed model. Each frame captures the user input summary, assistant output summary, key assumptions, and key decisions. This structure enables precise state management: operators can pop frames to undo decisions, fork branches to explore alternatives, and checkpoint important milestones for later restoration. /stack is the window into this system.

Architecture

The stack display system reads from the StackConversation GenServer and formats the current stack state for human consumption.

Stack Architecture

             /stack
                |
        Stack Renderer
                |
          +-----+-----+
          |     |     |
       Frame  Branch  Checkpoint
       List   Info    Markers
          |     |     |
    +-----+-+ +-+-+ +-+-----+
    |   |   | | | | |   |   |
   ID  Sum  Dec Cur Act Name Mark
       mary ision rent ive  Map  Time
    |   |   | | | | |   |   |
    +---+---+-+-+-+-+---+---+
                |
        Formatted Output
                |
          +-----+-----+
          |     |     |
       Compact Detailed JSON
       View    View    Export

Stack Data Model

Element	Type	Mutability	Description
Frame	Struct	Immutable	Single conversation turn with metadata
Frame ID	Integer	Assigned once	Sequential identifier, never reused
User Summary	String	Immutable	1-2 line summary of user input
Assistant Summary	String	Immutable	1-3 line summary of assistant response
Key Assumptions	List	Immutable	Assumptions made during the response
Key Decisions	List	Immutable	Decisions made during the response
Checkpoint	Named marker	Persistent	Optional named bookmark on a frame
Branch	Tree node	Append-only	Fork point creating conversation branch

Stack Operations Model

Operation	Command	Effect	Reversibility
View	`/stack`	Read-only display	N/A (read-only)
Inspect	`/frame N`	Show frame details	N/A (read-only)
Remove	`/pop N`	Remove last N frames	DESTRUCTIVE -- frames lost
Branch	`/fork N`	Create branch from frame N	DESTRUCTIVE -- new branch
Bookmark	`/checkpoint name`	Mark current frame	Persistent
Restore	`/goto name`	Return to checkpoint	State change

Usage

# Display full conversation stack
/stack

# Display stack with detailed frame contents
/stack --verbose

# Display stack in compact format (frame IDs and summaries only)
/stack --compact

# Display stack with checkpoint markers highlighted
/stack --checkpoints

# Display stack with branch information
/stack --branches

# Export stack as JSON
/stack --format json

# Display last N frames only
/stack --last 5

# Display stack with decision trail
/stack --decisions

# Display stack with assumption chain
/stack --assumptions

Practical Examples

# Quick status check of conversation state
/stack --compact

# Full stack review before making a destructive operation
/stack --verbose --checkpoints

# Review decision chain for the current session
/stack --decisions --verbose

# Export stack for external review or documentation
/stack --format json > ./conversation-stack.json

# Check how deep the current conversation is
/stack --last 3 --verbose

# Display stack with branch tree for complex conversations
/stack --branches --verbose

Options

Option	Type	Default	Description
`--verbose`	`flag`	false	Show full frame details (summaries, assumptions, decisions)
`--compact`	`flag`	false	Minimal display: frame IDs and one-line summaries
`--checkpoints`	`flag`	false	Highlight checkpoint markers in the stack
`--branches`	`flag`	false	Show branch information and fork points
`--decisions`	`flag`	false	Show decision trail across all frames
`--assumptions`	`flag`	false	Show assumption chain across all frames
`--format`	`enum`	`text`	Output format: `text`, `json`, `markdown`
`--last`	`integer`	all	Show only the last N frames
`--from`	`integer`	0	Display frames starting from frame ID
`--to`	`integer`	current	Display frames up to frame ID

Execution Flow

Phase 1: State Retrieval

The command calls StackConversation.get_stack/0 on the GenServer to retrieve the current stack state. This is a read-only operation that does not modify any state. The GenServer returns the complete frame list, active branch identifier, and checkpoint map.

Phase 2: Branch Resolution

If the conversation has branches (created by /fork), the current active branch is resolved. Only frames on the active branch are included in the default display. With --branches, fork points and alternative branches are annotated.

Phase 3: Checkpoint Annotation

Frames that have associated checkpoints are annotated with their checkpoint names. With --checkpoints, these annotations are visually highlighted in the output.

Phase 4: Content Filtering

Based on display options (--compact, --verbose, --decisions, --assumptions), the appropriate content is extracted from each frame. Compact mode shows only frame IDs and user input summaries. Verbose mode shows all frame fields. Decision and assumption modes extract those specific fields into consolidated trails.

Phase 5: Rendering

The filtered content is rendered in the requested format. Text format uses structured indentation with visual separators between frames. JSON format produces a machine-readable array of frame objects. Markdown format generates a document suitable for external sharing.

Integration Points

Component	Integration Type	Description
/frame	Drill-down	Frame inspection for detailed view of single frame
/pop	State modification	Remove frames from stack (DESTRUCTIVE)
/fork	State modification	Create conversation branch (DESTRUCTIVE)
/checkpoint	State annotation	Mark frames as named checkpoints
/goto	State restoration	Restore to named checkpoint
/stack-utils	Administration	Advanced maintenance and debugging
StackConversation GenServer	Runtime	OTP GenServer providing stack infrastructure
Telemetry	Monitoring	Stack display operations tracked

Best Practices

Frequent Stack Inspection

Run /stack --compact regularly during complex sessions to maintain awareness of conversation state. Deep stacks without checkpoints risk context confusion, and frequent inspection helps identify when a checkpoint is overdue.

Pre-Destructive Operation Review

Always run /stack --verbose --checkpoints before any /pop or /fork operation. Understanding the full stack state prevents accidental loss of important frames. Export the stack with /stack --format json as a backup before destructive operations.

Decision Trail Review

Use /stack --decisions at session milestones to review the chain of decisions made. This provides a structured audit trail that is useful for documenting architectural choices, debugging unexpected outcomes, and communicating session progress to stakeholders.

Checkpoint Discipline

When /stack shows more than 10 frames without a checkpoint, create one immediately with /checkpoint. Long uncheckpointed sequences are fragile: any accidental /pop loses all intermediate work without a restoration point.

Error Handling

Error Code	Description	Resolution
`STACK_EMPTY`	No frames in the current stack	Create first frame through interaction
`GENSERVER_DOWN`	StackConversation GenServer not running	Start application; stack mode requires running GenServer
`BRANCH_NOT_FOUND`	Requested branch does not exist	Check available branches with `/stack --branches`
`FRAME_RANGE_INVALID`	`--from`/`--to` range contains no frames	Adjust range to valid frame IDs
`FORMAT_ERROR`	Cannot serialize stack to requested format	Check for non-serializable frame content

Advanced Usage

Stack Diffing

Compare current stack against a checkpoint to see what changed:

/stack --diff-from "checkpoint-name"

Stack Search

Search frame contents for specific keywords:

/stack --search "refactor" --verbose

Stack Metrics

Display quantitative metrics about the conversation:

/stack --metrics
# Output: Depth: 47 frames, Branches: 3, Checkpoints: 5, Decisions: 23, Duration: 2h 15m

Doctrine Compliance

All commands operate under the NO MERCY, NO DOUBTS doctrine:

NO MERCY: Zero tolerance for incomplete execution or quality violations. Stack display is always accurate and complete; no frames are hidden or summarized without explicit request.
NO DOUBTS: Full investigation before action, evidence-based results. Stack state is read directly from the authoritative GenServer, never from stale caches or approximations.

/frame - Inspect specific conversation frame by ID
/pop - Remove last N frames from conversation stack (DESTRUCTIVE)
/fork - Branch conversation from specific frame (DESTRUCTIVE)
/checkpoint - Mark current frame as named checkpoint
/goto - Restore conversation to named checkpoint
/stack-utils - Advanced Stack Mode utility commands for maintenance and debugging
/ramon-mode - Ramon mode guardian for specialized help and assistance

Connect & Contribute

Created by Tomáš Korcak (korczis) | Open Source under GHL

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