Goal Meta Skill

Goal Meta Skill

把一个模糊任务，收敛成 Codex 可以持续执行、可以验证、知道何时停止和何时暂停的 /goal 指令。

> In the commands below, `` is this skill's base directory, announced > when the skill loads. Substitute the literal path; it is not an environment > variable. The script self-locates, so only the path to it must resolve.

Operating Mode

Run as a production-lite meta skill.

Default assumptions:

• The user wants a paste-ready Codex /goal command, not a general prompt.
• The executable slash command stays /goal. Do not output /目标 as the command unless the user's environment explicitly documents that alias.
• In current Codex, /goal sets a persistent goal, /goal views the current goal, and /goal pause, /goal resume, and /goal clear manage it. If the user asks to inspect, pause, resume, or clear an existing goal, give the relevant management command instead of drafting a new objective.
• If /goal is missing from the slash command list, tell the user to enable features.goals in Codex config or run the equivalent Codex feature enable command for their environment.
• Goal objectives must be non-empty and at most 4,000 characters. For longer instructions, draft a compact /goal that points at a local instruction file and put the long contract in that file content or a separate copy block.
• The first goal block should be the best recommended executable version, not a half-filled template. Users often copy the first draft directly.
• For Chinese users, output Chinese content and Chinese field names by default while keeping the command prefix /goal.
• For Chinese users, include both 推荐执行版（中文，可直接复制） and Goal Draft (English-compatible) unless the user asks for one language only.
• If the task is still vague but low-risk, choose the best conservative defaults and continue. Ask only when the answer changes cost, risk, ownership, or product direction.
• If the domain is unfamiliar or specialized, create a discovery-first goal that makes the agent inspect authoritative project/docs/runtime evidence before implementation instead of inventing domain rules.
• If the missing detail is low-risk, make an explicit assumption and continue.
• Do not start the work described by the goal unless the user explicitly asks. This skill creates the goal instruction.
• Prefer concrete verification commands and artifacts over vague confidence phrases.
• Prefer narrow write boundaries and explicit forbidden paths over broad permission.
• Treat Stop when and Pause if as part of the same completion/blocking contract.

Workflow

1. Restate the task as an outcome, not an activity.
2. Classify the task using references/default-goal-strategy.md: familiar vs unknown domain, low vs high risk, new work vs existing project.
3. Choose best defaults for low-risk unknowns and write a one-sentence reason.
4. Identify missing information across the Goal contract:

• success criteria
• verification commands, artifacts, or evidence
• constraints that must not change
• allowed writes and forbidden paths
• iteration policy
• completion evidence
• blocked stop conditions, human decisions, or budget caps

1. If the task is under-specified, prefer numbered multiple-choice adjustments with defaults. Use references/interview-checklist.md.
2. For Chinese-first users, produce the Chinese recommended execution goal first, then an English-compatible mirror that preserves the same meaning and keeps English field labels.
3. Check the command against references/goal-command-playbook.md.
4. If the task is about an existing active goal, use /goal, /goal pause, /goal resume, or /goal clear guidance rather than inventing a replacement goal.
5. Keep the executable /goal objective within the 4,000 character limit. When the contract is longer, use a file-pointer pattern such as /goal Follow the task contract in .planning/.md and stop only when its verification section is satisfied.
6. For file deliverables, run python "/scripts/lint_goal_command.py" or py -3 "/scripts/lint_goal_command.py" before calling the goal done. Add --require-chinese-companion when validating Chinese-first output.

Output Contract

When enough information is known, output the best recommended command first. Do not leave placeholders in real output.

/goal Create a first-version local MVP for the requested task, inspect project-provided commands before changing code, implement the core user-visible workflow, and keep unrelated systems unchanged.
Verification: run the smallest project-provided checks, start the local app or relevant runtime, complete the core workflow once, and capture logs/screenshots or command output as evidence.
Constraints: do not add accounts, paid services, production changes, destructive operations, or unrelated features unless requested.
Boundaries: write only inside the new project directory or the directly related existing project files.
Iteration policy: implement one focused workflow at a time, rerun checks after meaningful changes, inspect logs before retrying, and make at most 3 focused improvement rounds before reporting remaining risks.
Stop when: the core workflow is proven by runtime evidence and checks pass or missing checks are explicitly reported.
Pause if: credentials, payments, production data, destructive changes, legal/medical/financial decisions, copyrighted assets, or unclear ownership is required.

For Chinese-first users, prefer this equivalent shape:

/goal 基于用户需求创建第一版本地 MVP，先读取项目已有命令和约束，实现核心用户可见流程，并避免改动无关系统。
验证：运行项目提供的最小相关检查，启动本地应用或对应运行环境，完整走通一次核心流程，并用日志、截图或命令输出作为证据。
约束：不加入账号、付费服务、生产变更、破坏性操作或无关功能，除非用户明确要求。
边界：只写入新项目目录，或只修改现有项目中与该功能直接相关的文件。
迭代策略：一次实现一个聚焦工作流，每次有意义改动后重跑检查，重试前先读日志，最多做 3 轮聚焦改进后报告剩余风险。
完成条件：核心流程有运行证据证明可用，检查通过或明确说明缺少配置。
暂停条件：需要凭证、付费、生产数据、破坏性操作、法律/医疗/金融判断、版权素材或所有权不清时暂停。

When the task is vague, output:

1. 推荐执行版（中文，可直接复制）: the best default /goal.
2. 默认选择理由: one concise sentence.
3. 可选调整: numbered choices with recommended defaults and short option labels.
4. 你可以直接回复: an example such as 按默认 or 1B 2A 3C.
5. Goal Draft (English-compatible): a faithful English-compatible mirror with English field labels.

If the user writes in English, output only the English-compatible draft unless they ask for Chinese too.

If the user asks how to manage an existing Codex goal, answer with the minimal command:

• /goal to view the current goal.
• /goal pause to pause it.
• /goal resume to continue it.
• /goal clear to remove it.

Do not output long generic coaching unless the user asks for explanation.

Quality Bar

A strong goal:

• has one concrete outcome
• names exact checks or evidence
• protects unrelated files, user data, secrets, and default branches
• defines the write boundary
• tells the agent how to iterate after failures
• says when to stop because completion is proven
• says when to pause because a human decision, credential, account state, budget, or repeated blocker is required
• fits inside Codex's 4,000 character objective limit, or points to a file that contains the longer contract

Reject or revise a goal that:

• says only make it better, finish this, or fix bugs
• lacks verification
• lets the agent edit the whole machine or repo without reason
• asks for repeated retries without a new source of evidence
• has no pause condition for external auth, secrets, payments, destructive actions, or ambiguous product decisions
• leaves placeholders such as [Outcome] in user-facing executable drafts
• treats vague words such as 高级, 有质感, or professional as verification instead of translating them into screenshots, runtime checks, review criteria, or iteration rules

Reference Files

• references/goal-command-playbook.md: the core /goal template, when to use it, examples, and anti-patterns.
• references/default-goal-strategy.md: lazy-user defaults, unknown-domain discovery, risk classification, and direct-copy output rules.
• references/interview-checklist.md: question bank for turning vague tasks into strong goals.
• scripts/lint_goal_command.py: lightweight checker for required /goal labels, unresolved placeholders, and optional Chinese-first companion sections.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: bahayonghang
• Source: bahayonghang/my-ai-cli-toolkit
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.