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skill

Define, surface, and record outcomes for structured skills in a shared catalog, enabling agents to discover and improve procedures.

Instructions

Substrate-native agent skill catalog — define, surface, record outcomes.

Skills are structured catalog entries (skill_id, applies_to, body, type) — different from loose how-to memories (use procedure for those). Writes go to the skill_substrate namespace so every yantrikdb consumer (this MCP, yantrikdb-hermes-plugin, Lane B SDK, WisePick) sees the same catalog.

Schema-validated at write time:

  • skill_id: lowercase dot-separated segments, e.g. "workflow.git.commit_clean"

  • body: 50–5000 chars

  • applies_to: 1–10 lowercase_underscore identifiers (no hyphens)

  • skill_type: one of procedure | reference | lesson | pattern | rule

ACTIONS:

  • "define": Create a skill (needs skill_id, body, skill_type, applies_to).

  • "surface": Find relevant skills (needs query). Returns ranked by score.

  • "outcome": Append a use outcome (needs skill_id, succeeded).

  • "get": Fetch a single skill by id.

  • "list": Catalog browse (filter by applies_to / skill_type).

EXAMPLE: skill(action="define", skill_id="workflow.git.commit_clean", body="Before commit: run pytest + lint...", skill_type="procedure", applies_to=["git", "release"]) — then surface(query=...) before similar work, and outcome(skill_id=..., succeeded=True/False) after using one.

Args: action: "define", "surface", "outcome", "get", "list". skill_id: Dot-separated id (for define/get/outcome). body: Skill body, 50–5000 chars (for define). skill_type: procedure|reference|lesson|pattern|rule (for define). applies_to: Non-empty identifier list ≤10 entries (for define; optional filter for surface/list). triggers: Optional list of trigger phrases (for define). on_conflict: "reject" (default) or "replace" if skill_id exists. version: Optional semver-shaped version string. supersedes: Optional skill_id this one replaces. query: Natural-language search (for surface). top_k: Max results for surface. succeeded: Outcome boolean (for outcome). note: Optional outcome note. limit: Max results for list.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
bodyNo
noteNo
limitNo
queryNo
top_kNo
actionYes
versionNo
skill_idNo
triggersNo
succeededNo
applies_toNo
skill_typeNoprocedure
supersedesNo
on_conflictNoreject

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
resultYes
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Discloses write behavior (skills go to skill_substrate namespace, shared across consumers), schema validation on write, and action-specific effects. Annotations are sparse so description carries burden well.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Well-structured with summary, actions, example, then parameter list. Slightly verbose with example and inline validation details but still front-loaded and clear.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given 14 parameters, multiple actions, and output schema presence, description covers all necessary context: actions, constraints, relationship to sibling tools, and persistence behavior.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Args section lists all 14 parameters with detailed meanings (e.g., skill_id format, body length, skill_type enum, applies_to constraints). Compensates for 0% schema coverage.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Description clearly defines the tool as a skill catalog with actions (define, surface, outcome, get, list) and distinguishes it from sibling tool 'procedure' for loose how-to memories.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly specifies when to use each action, provides an example, and contrasts with 'procedure' tool. Includes schema constraints and on_conflict behavior.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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