Cerb Automations

Cerb Automations

Automations are self-contained state machines written in KATA that transform an input dictionary into an output dictionary.

KATA Syntax

See references/kata.md for the complete KATA language reference including:

• Syntax rules (indentation, keys, identifiers, values, comments, text blocks, references)
• All annotations (@bool, @int, @csv, @json, @list, @text, @key, @raw, etc.)
• Scripting (Twig-based): variables, operators, conditionals, loops, string/array/date handling
• All functions (~50) and filters (79)

Automations

See references/automations.md for the complete automations reference including:

• Structure (inputs, exit states, error handling, simulation, continuations, timers)
• All commands: set:, decision:, repeat:, while:, return:, error:, await:, http.request:, record.create/get/search/update/upsert/delete:, function:, data.query:, storage.get/set/delete:, file.read/write:, llm.chat/agent/embed:, queue.push/pop:, metric.increment:, email.parse:, encrypt.pgp/decrypt.pgp:, api.command:, log:
• All 18 triggers (automation.function, interaction.worker, webhook.respond, etc.)
• All 16 events (mail.received, record.changed, mail.route, etc.)
• Policies (callers, commands, time limits)

Record Types

See references/record-types.md for the full list of record types and their field schemas.

The Type field is used to refer to a record type in automation commands like record.create.

Fields marked with a * are required when creating a new record.

Search Queries

For search query construction, invoke /cerb-search — it is a dedicated specialist with the full field reference for every record type.

Fall back to references/search-queries.md for filter types, operators, deep search syntax, boolean groups, sorting, query parameters, and per-record-type field listings.

Toolbars

See references/toolbars.md for toolbar configuration including:

• record.card and record.profile toolbar KATA (placeholders, caller params, return values)
• Form elements for interaction.worker (fileDownload, say, text, textarea, chooser, sheet, editor, fileUpload, submit)

Workflows

See references/workflows.md for the workflow KATA schema including:

• Template structure (name, version, description, requirements)
• Config types (chooser, picklist, text)
• Extensions (activity, permission, translation)
• Records (deletionPolicy, fields, updatePolicy)
• Placeholders (static template-time, dynamic runtime with cerb_workflow_config() and cerb_workflow_resources())

Important: When a workflow record field contains {{placeholders}} that must be preserved literally and not evaluated at template-time, use the @raw annotation. This is critical for fields like script@raw:, policy_kata@raw:, and event_kata@raw: which contain automation code with runtime placeholders.

Cerb Documentation

For Cerb documentation, invoke /cerb-docs — it has 1011 local reference pages and knows how to search and fetch from the live docs when needed.

Related Skills

These skills are always installed alongside this one:

• /cerb-docs — look up Cerb documentation, features, configuration, integrations
• /cerb-dev — make changes to the Cerb PHP/MySQL codebase (new record types, extensions, migrations)
• /cerb-search — build search queries for any record type

Reference Files

• references/kata.md -- KATA syntax, annotations, scripting, functions, and filters
• references/automations.md -- automation commands, triggers, events, and policies
• references/record-types.md -- record types, field schemas
• references/toolbars.md -- toolbar configuration, form elements
• references/workflows.md -- workflow KATA schema, config, extensions, records, placeholders
• references/search-queries.md -- search query syntax, operators, filters, and fields by record type
• references/icons.md -- icon names for toolbar interactions and widgets

Guides

• references/guide-record-dictionaries.md -- record dictionaries, key expansion, event placeholders vs command output, profile URLs, record type checking
• references/guide-drafts.md -- creating draft records to send email (transactional, compose, reply, forward)
• references/guide-record-changed.md -- record.changed event automations (filtering, detecting field changes, complete workflow example)
• references/guide-custom-fields.md -- setting and reading custom field values in automations
• references/guide-legacy-interactions.md -- legacy behavior worker interactions (form + chat prompt actions), packaging legacy behaviors, {{{uid.x}}} cross-refs, binding to the global menu (chat registrar chain, form toolbar section + behavior URI)

Source & license

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

• Author: cerb
• Source: cerb/claude-skills
• License: MIT

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