Skill Archetypes

Identify which archetype fits best and follow its structure.

1. CLI Reference Skill

For tools, CLIs, APIs. Structure by operations, minimize prose.

Authentication

[How to authenticate]

Core Operations

Common Workflows

[Task-oriented examples]

Examples: kamal-coder , wrangler-coder , gh-cli

2. Methodology Skill

For development practices, workflows, philosophies.

Core Philosophy

[Why this approach matters - 2-3 sentences max]

The Process

1. [Step with criteria]
2. [Step with criteria]

Decision Criteria

Examples: tdd-workflow , dhh-coder , founder-mode

3. Safety/Security Skill

For operations with risk. Include tiered approvals.

Risk Tiers

Blocking Patterns

[What to never do]

Allowing Patterns

[Safe operations]

Examples: infra-security-review , devops-verifier

4. Orchestration Skill

For multi-step processes that coordinate other tools.

Quick Start

[Minimal invocation]

Workflow Phases

1. [Phase]: [What happens]
2. [Phase]: [What happens]

Machine-Readable Output

[JSON/YAML schema for automation]

Examples: build-task-workflow , quality-gate

Advanced Patterns

THE EXACT PROMPT Pattern

For reproducible agent-to-agent handoffs, encode prompts in ALL CAPS:

THE EXACT PROMPT

ANALYZE THE FOLLOWING CODE FOR SECURITY VULNERABILITIES:

1. CHECK FOR HARDCODED SECRETS
2. IDENTIFY SQL INJECTION RISKS
3. FLAG INSECURE DEPENDENCIES

RETURN FINDINGS AS JSON WITH SEVERITY LEVELS.

Checklist Pattern

For multi-step processes with progress tracking:

Checklist

• Step 1: [Action with success criteria]
• Step 2: [Action with success criteria]
• Step 3: [Action with success criteria]

Mark each complete before proceeding.

Feedback Loop Pattern

For operations requiring validation:

Validation Loop

1. Execute action
2. Verify result matches criteria
3. If FAIL: diagnose → fix → goto 1
4. If PASS: proceed to next step

Never advance without validation passing.