Defame1297
83277f4e5c
Add references/description-quality.md and references/body-discipline.md to skill-audit — condensed, rubric-focused extracts from the agentskills.io specification docs. Both files are loaded conditionally via progressive disclosure triggers added to Step 3 (Description and Body discipline dimensions), so the agent consults the spec source when a finding is borderline rather than relying solely on inline heuristics developed during the skill-write authoring cycle. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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Body Discipline Reference
Source: agentskills.io — skill-authoring
The core test
For every sentence in the body, ask: "Would the agent get this wrong without this instruction?"
If no — cut it. The agent already knows it from general training. Adding it wastes tokens and dilutes the signal of what matters.
What belongs in the body
Include content the agent lacks:
- Project-specific conventions and domain procedures it cannot infer
- Non-obvious edge cases and environment-specific gotchas
- The specific tools or sequences to use (not the full range of options)
- One default per decision point with one escape hatch
Do not include:
- Concepts the agent already knows (what JSON is, how HTTP works, what a CSV is)
- Exhaustive option lists — pick a default; the agent doesn't benefit from choosing
- Steps the agent handles independently — over-specifying leads to unproductive paths
- Restatements of the description — it's already in context
Calibrating control
Be prescriptive when operations are fragile, consistency matters, or a specific sequence must be followed:
Run exactly:
\`\`\`bash
python scripts/migrate.py --verify --backup
\`\`\`
Do not modify the command or add additional flags.
Give freedom when multiple approaches are valid. Explaining why outperforms rigid directives — agents make better decisions when they understand the purpose.
Defaults not menus
Never present a list of equivalent options — pick one and mention the alternative briefly:
# Too many options
Use pypdf, pdfplumber, PyMuPDF, or pdf2image...
# Default with escape hatch
Use pdfplumber for text extraction. For scanned PDFs requiring OCR, use pdf2image instead.
Gotchas sections
Highest value content — environment-specific facts that defy reasonable assumptions. Place near the top of the body so the agent reads them before encountering the situation.
## Gotchas
- The `users` table uses soft deletes. Always include `WHERE deleted_at IS NULL`.
- User ID is `user_id` in the database, `uid` in auth, `accountId` in billing. Same value.
Each entry must be a specific, surprising fact — not a general tip or reminder.
Progressive disclosure
Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines. When more content is needed, move it to references/ and load conditionally:
If the API returns a non-200 status, read `references/api-errors.md`.
"If X, read Y" is more useful than "see references/ for details." The agent loads on demand rather than up front.
Auditing guidance
Flag as FAIL if:
- A sentence answers "no" to the core test (would agent get this wrong without it?) — it is padding
- Decision points present a menu of options with no default
- Instructions repeat content already in the description
- Prescriptive sequences are used where flexibility is fine, or vice versa
Flag as SUGGESTION if:
- A rationale is missing from an include/exclude rule (present but unexplained)
- Gotchas are correct but placed late in the body rather than near the top
- A conditional reference trigger is vague ("see references/") rather than specific ("If X, read Y")