# Skill Authoring

> Create and modify repository-specific SKILL.md policy files in strict compliance with AGENTS.md and existing project skills.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-barseghyanartur-dot-agents-skill-authoring`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [barseghyanartur](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/barseghyanartur)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [barseghyanartur](https://github.com/barseghyanartur)
- **Source:** https://github.com/barseghyanartur/dot-agents/tree/main/skills/skill-authoring

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-barseghyanartur-dot-agents-skill-authoring
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Skill authoring (AUTHORITATIVE)

This skill is responsible for creating and modifying SKILL.md files
as **enforceable repository policy**.

User prompts express intent only.
Governance, structure, and safety are enforced by this skill.

---

## Scope (STRICT)

This skill MAY:

- Create new `SKILL.md` files under `.agents/skills/`
- Modify existing `SKILL.md` files under `.agents/skills/`

This skill MUST NOT:

- Modify source code
- Modify configuration files
- Modify dependencies
- Modify `AGENTS.md`
- Modify any file outside `.agents/skills/**`

---

## Authority hierarchy (NON‑NEGOTIABLE)

All actions performed by this skill MUST respect the following order
of authority:

1. `AGENTS.md`
2. Existing project-level SKILL.md files
3. This `skill-authoring` skill
4. Newly generated or modified skills

Lower levels MUST comply with higher levels at all times.

---

## Repository-specific default (MANDATORY)

Unless the user explicitly requests a **generic**, **reusable**, or
**cross-repository** skill, all skills generated by this skill are
treated as **repository-specific policy**.

In repository-specific mode, you MAY assume and encode:

- concrete dependency versions
- repository layout and file paths
- existing tools and workflows
- project-specific enforcement rules
- integration with other project skills

You MUST NOT generalise, abstract, or omit such details by default.

---

## Generic skills require explicit intent

To generate a generic or reusable skill, the user MUST explicitly state
that intent.

You MUST NOT infer generic intent implicitly.
In the absence of explicit instruction, repository-specific assumptions
are mandatory.

---

## Phase 1 — Mandatory preflight (IMPLICIT)

Before creating or modifying any skill, you MUST automatically:

1. Read `AGENTS.md`
2. Read all existing `.agents/skills/**/SKILL.md` files
3. Extract and treat as binding:
   - forbidden actions
   - version constraints
   - tooling restrictions
   - required workflows
   - enforcement rules
   - cross-skill dependencies

If a rule is ambiguous, you MUST interpret it conservatively.

The user does NOT need to request this step.

---

## Phase 2 — Intent interpretation

Interpret the user prompt as **high-level intent only**.

You MUST NOT treat the prompt as permission to:

- violate existing rules
- weaken enforcement
- override policies
- bypass required workflows

Governance rules are never inferred from the prompt.

---

## Phase 3 — Conflict detection (AUTOMATIC)

You MUST detect conflicts between the proposed skill and:

- `AGENTS.md`
- existing project SKILL.md files
- enforced workflows (e.g. `dev-workflow`)
- enforcement skills (e.g. documentation or testing policies)

Conflicts include, but are not limited to:

- weakening existing rules
- introducing forbidden APIs or dependencies
- redefining “done” more weakly
- bypassing required enforcement

If no conflict exists, proceed.

If a conflict exists, proceed to Phase 4.

---

## Phase 4 — Interactive conflict resolution (DEFAULT)

When a conflict is detected, you MUST:

1. Pause skill generation
2. Clearly describe:
   - the conflicting rule (file and section)
   - the conflicting proposed behavior
3. Ask the developer how to proceed

You MUST present explicit choices:

1. ✅ Adjust the new skill to comply with existing rules
2. ❌ Abort skill creation
3. 📝 Proceed with an explicit override of existing rules

Rules:

- You MUST NOT select an option yourself
- You MUST NOT assume intent
- You MUST NOT partially apply an override
- You MUST NOT proceed without an explicit choice

---

## Phase 5 — Skill generation rules (CONSTRAINED)

### Mandatory header

Every SKILL.md file MUST begin with:

```yaml
---
name: 
description: 
---
```

Rules:

- `name` MUST match the containing directory name
- The header MUST be valid YAML
- Extra frontmatter keys are forbidden unless explicitly required
- A SKILL.md without this header is invalid

---

### Repository-specific scope discipline

When generating repository-specific skills, you MUST:

- Encode **policy**, not operational procedures
- Prefer invariants (“MUST”, “MUST NOT”) over step-by-step instructions
- Avoid restating workflows governed elsewhere (e.g. `dev-workflow`)
- Refer to other skills for enforcement, not for implementation details
- Keep each skill limited to **exactly one responsibility**

---

### Cross-skill awareness

If the generated skill:

- affects documentation
- defines correctness or validation rules
- introduces testable guarantees

you MUST ensure it does not bypass or weaken relevant enforcement skills
(such as `doc-codeblock-tests`).

Such alignment MUST be encoded explicitly.

---

## Failure semantics (IMPORTANT)

If a requested skill cannot be created without violating higher authority:

- Pause
- Explain the constraint
- Ask for guidance

Doing nothing is preferable to producing an invalid or unsafe skill.

---

## Completion report (MANDATORY)

After successful generation or modification, report:

- the path of the affected SKILL.md file
- inherited constraints from existing rules
- declared dependencies on other skills
- any explicit overrides approved by the developer

## Source & license

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

- **Author:** [barseghyanartur](https://github.com/barseghyanartur)
- **Source:** [barseghyanartur/dot-agents](https://github.com/barseghyanartur/dot-agents)
- **License:** MIT

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

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-barseghyanartur-dot-agents-skill-authoring
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/barseghyanartur
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

---
Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.