---
name: workflow-creator
description: "Create workflow-* skills by composing existing skills into end-to-end chains. Turns a user idea into a workflow_spec.md SSOT (via workflow-brainstorm), discovers available skills locally + from skills.sh, and generates a new workflow-<slug>/ skill package. Use when you want to design a new workflow, chain multiple skills into a flow, or turn scattered atomic skills into a resumable plan-then-confirm workflow."
---

# Workflow Creator

Create a new `workflow-<slug>/` skill package that chains existing skills with Ship Faster-standard artifacts.

## Hard rules (do not skip)

- **Compose skills, don't copy them**: a workflow's job is orchestration. Do not paste long best-practice content from other skills into the workflow. Instead: map each step to a single existing skill and point to it.
- **One step = one skill**: every step in `workflow_spec.md` must map to exactly one skill (or a tiny, verifiable manual action).
- **Missing required skill = stop**: do not approximate a missing skill by rewriting its logic. When a required skill is missing locally, you must look up candidates on `https://skills.sh/`, suggest 2-3 options + install commands, and wait for the user.
- **Artifact-first, resumable**: state lives in `proposal.md`, `tasks.md`, `context.json` under `run_dir/`.
- **Plan-then-confirm execution**: generated workflows must write a plan first, then ask the user to confirm execution; the confirmation must be recorded under `tasks.md -> ## Approvals`.

## Defaults (Ship Faster standard)

- **Artifact store**: `runs/` by default, OpenSpec when `openspec/project.md` exists (unless overridden in `context.json`).
- **Required run files**: `proposal.md`, `tasks.md`, `context.json`.
- **Execution model**: plan first, then ask the user to confirm execution; on confirmation, record approval in `tasks.md`.

## Inputs (paths only)

- Optional: `repo_root` (skills repository root)
- Optional: `workflow_spec_path` (if the user already wrote a spec)

## Outputs

- New or updated workflow skill folder:
  - `workflow-<slug>/SKILL.md`
  - `workflow-<slug>/references/workflow-spec.md` (SSOT)

## References

- Prompt pack (verbatim prompts): [references/prompt-pack.md](references/prompt-pack.md)
- Workflow spec template (SSOT): [references/workflow-spec-template.md](references/workflow-spec-template.md)
- Example generated workflow skill: [references/example-workflow-skill.md](references/example-workflow-skill.md)
- Example workflow spec (valid): [references/example-workflow-spec.md](references/example-workflow-spec.md)

## Process

### 0) Resolve skills root (deterministic)

Resolve `skills_root` using this priority:

1. If user provides `repo_root`, use it.
2. Else search upward from the current working directory for:
   - `<dir>/skills/manifest.json` (monorepo layout) -> `skills_root = <dir>/skills/`
   - `<dir>/manifest.json` (skills-repo layout) -> `skills_root = <dir>/`

### 1) Create or load `workflow_spec.md` (SSOT)

If `workflow_spec_path` is not provided:

1. Call `workflow-brainstorm` first to converge on:
   - core goal (1 sentence)
   - acceptance criteria (3-7 bullets)
   - non-goals (1-5 bullets)
   - constraints (risk preference, timeline)
   - 5-10 real trigger phrases the user would say

2. **Skill Discovery (REQUIRED)** - before finalizing required_skills:

   a) **Local skills scan**: List all potentially relevant skills under `skills_root`:
      ```bash
      ls -1 ~/.claude/skills/ | grep -E "(tool-|review-|workflow-)" 
      ```
      Identify which local skills could serve steps in the workflow.

   b) **skills.sh lookup (MANDATORY)**: Fetch the leaderboard from `https://skills.sh/` and identify relevant skills:
      - Search for keywords related to the workflow goal
      - Note top skills by install count in relevant categories
      - Identify 3-5 potentially useful external skills

   c) **Present findings to user**:
      ```
      ## Skill Discovery Results
      
      ### Local Skills (available)
      | Skill | Relevance | Notes |
      |-------|-----------|-------|
      | tool-xxx | HIGH | ... |
      | review-yyy | MEDIUM | ... |
      
      ### External Skills (skills.sh)
      | Skill | Installs | Source | Relevance |
      |-------|----------|--------|-----------|
      | skill-name | 10K | owner/repo | ... |
      
      **Want to inspect any external skills before deciding?** (list numbers or "none")
      ```

   d) **If user wants to inspect**: fetch skill details from skills.sh page, show SKILL.md content, then ask again.

   e) **User confirms final skill selection**: only then proceed to write spec.

3. Write a `workflow_spec.md` using the template in `references/workflow-spec-template.md`.

### 2) Validate spec (deterministic)

Run:

```bash
python3 scripts/validate_workflow_spec.py /path/to/workflow_spec.md
```

Fix any validation errors before generating.

### 3) Resolve skill dependencies

1. Read `required_skills` / `optional_skills` from the spec.
2. Check which skills exist locally under `skills_root`.
3. If any required skill is missing:
   - Stop.
   - Use the prompt in `references/prompt-pack.md` to do a skills.sh lookup.
   - Suggest 2-3 candidates (links + why) and provide install command suggestions, but do not auto-install.

### 4) Generate/update `workflow-<slug>/`

1. Create `workflow-<slug>/` under `skills_root` if missing.
2. Write SSOT:
   - `workflow-<slug>/references/workflow-spec.md` (copy from the validated spec).
3. Generate/update `workflow-<slug>/SKILL.md`:
   - Frontmatter `name` must match directory name (`workflow-<slug>`).
   - Frontmatter `description` must embed the spec `triggers` (routing fuel).
   - Include Ship Faster artifact backend selection rules (`runs/` vs OpenSpec).
   - Include the plan-then-confirm execution policy:
     - Plan stage writes checklist to `tasks.md`.
     - Ask user to confirm start.
    - On confirmation, append an approval record under `tasks.md -> ## Approvals` (timestamp + scope) and start execution.
    - Map each chain step to one skill.
    - Keep the workflow concise: link to other skills for deep details.

### 5) Basic validation (required)

Run:

```bash
python3 scripts/validate_skill_md.py /path/to/workflow-<slug>
```

If it fails, fix frontmatter/name/line endings until it passes.

Note: The repo also includes `skill-creator/scripts/quick_validate.py`, but it may require extra Python deps. Use the validator in this skill as the default.