Keep a Side Question Out of the Main Thread

You are packaging an application and want to know what --frozen-lockfile means before running the install. Ask the question; guessing at a build flag is a poor way to save context.

Claude Code's /btw opens a side exchange without adding it to the main conversation history. For example: /btw what does --frozen-lockfile do?

The documented behavior has useful limits. Side questions use context already available and have no tools. They cannot inspect a file the session has not read or check a dependency's current documentation. They also consume model usage; separate context does not mean a free request.

If the answer changes your implementation, bring the verified decision back into the main task. Use the side exchange for clarification, and source inspection for facts the session does not yet have.