Panel

panel runs consensus-panel, a non-converging workflow for asking multiple provider-backed AI panelists the same question. The output is a side-by-side, attributed panel artifact with each response, shortfalls, diagnostics, and run metadata.

The host is a neutral moderator. It frames the approved question, invokes the wrapper, reads JSONL status, and presents attributed responses. It does not add a host-authored panel answer, synthesize a recommendation, vote, or claim consensus.

Use panel when you want multiple independent perspectives on one question. Use refine when peers should converge on an improved artifact, evaluate when peers should judge an artifact against a rubric, and phone-a-friend when one advisory peer is enough.

Invocation

Run an inline question:

node plugins/consensus/skills/panel/scripts/consensus-panel.mjs \
  --question <text> \
  --panelists claude,codex \
  --output panel.md

Run a file-backed question:

node plugins/consensus/skills/panel/scripts/consensus-panel.mjs \
  --question-file <path> \
  --panel-size 3 \
  --allow-root .

Exactly one of --question <text> or --question-file <path> is required. Use question files for longer prompts or structured approved context.

Panel selection

Use --panelists <provider-id,provider-id> when you want specific panelists. The list must contain at least two providers.

Use --panel-size <n> when you want a target panel size of two or more. If no explicit panelists are supplied, the wrapper resolves configured defaults and then built-in fallback composition.

Inspect or set defaults with consensus config:

consensus config get --json --scope effective --workflow panel
consensus config set --json --scope user --panelists claude,codex --panel-size 2
consensus config set --json --scope project --panelists claude,codex,cursor --panel-size 3

From a repository checkout, the same provider CLI is available at plugins/consensus/scripts/consensus.mjs:

node plugins/consensus/scripts/consensus.mjs config get --json --scope effective --workflow panel

See Configuration for config file paths and precedence.

Output

The wrapper emits JSONL status events on stdout and writes a markdown artifact. Without --output, file-backed questions write <question-file>.panel.md; inline questions write .consensus/panel-<run-id>/panel.md.

Important JSONL events include:

• run_started
• panel_resolved
• panelist_unavailable
• panelist_started
• panelist_completed
• artifact_written
• run_completed

Use run_completed.status and the artifact frontmatter to determine final status. A passed panel has at least two successful panelist responses. A failed panel records whether fewer than two responses succeeded or an explicitly requested panelist was unavailable.

The artifact includes:

• original question
• resolved panelist attribution, including model or effort when configured
• one section per panelist response, unavailable panelist, or provider error
• shortfalls and diagnostics
• canonical JSON blocks for the panelist responses and panel artifact

Context approval

Panelists run through provider CLIs. Ask for explicit approval before sending sensitive or private context, credentials, customer data, personal data, proprietary documents, broad workspace dumps, or incident details to provider-backed panelists.

Only include context the user has approved in --question, --question-file, or files referenced by the question.

Limitations

consensus-panel is single-round and independent in v1. Panelists do not see each other's answers, debate, cross-examine, vote, or converge. Multi-round panel discussion is deferred to BL-260701-add-multi-round-panel.

The host can give a separate recommendation after the panel only if the user asks for that follow-up. That recommendation is not part of the panel result.