---
name: using-skills
description: >-
  Route ambiguous or multi-workflow engineering requests to the right ai-agent-skills
  procedures. Use when a task spans several workflows or no single skill clearly
  applies. For a clear single-skill request, load that skill directly instead.
---

# Using Skills

## Choose the Workflow

Prefer the host's native skill selection. When one skill clearly matches the request,
load that skill directly and follow its full instructions before acting. Do not load
this router for a clear single-skill task, read every skill, or force a full lifecycle.

Use this router when the request spans multiple workflows or no single primary skill
clearly applies. Select the primary workflow from the routing table, then load only
the supporting procedures that materially apply. An explicit user skill selection
takes precedence as the primary workflow.

If the collection or a selected skill is unavailable, say so and use a scoped fallback.
Do not claim to have used a skill based only on its name, description, or a link in a
plan. Follow explicit user requests and repository instructions. Skill links route
work; they do not install dependencies, authorize new actions, or spawn agents.

Read [anti-ai-writing](../anti-ai-writing/SKILL.md) before drafting human-facing text.

| Task | Primary skill |
| --- | --- |
| Clarify goals or challenge assumptions | [decision-partner](../decision-partner/SKILL.md) |
| Investigate and produce a plan | [agent-planning](../agent-planning/SKILL.md) |
| Build an accepted plan through verification and final review | [implement-plan](../implement-plan/SKILL.md) |
| Implement or simplify code | [writing-clean-simple-code](../writing-clean-simple-code/SKILL.md) |
| Diagnose and repair unexpected behavior | [root-cause-debug](../root-cause-debug/SKILL.md) |
| Write, review, or optimize SQL queries and procedures | [writing-optimized-sql](../writing-optimized-sql/SKILL.md) |
| Write behavioral tests | [test-authoring](../test-authoring/SKILL.md) |
| Design shared contracts | [api-design](../api-design/SKILL.md) |
| Author, refine, or package agent skills | [skill-authoring](../skill-authoring/SKILL.md) |
| Explain concepts, code, documents, or decisions simply | [explain-it](../explain-it/SKILL.md) |
| Design or substantially revise a README | [readme-design](../readme-design/SKILL.md) |
| Write source-derived technical guides, references, or decision records | [technical-documentation](../technical-documentation/SKILL.md) |
| Build or improve UI | [frontend-engineering](../frontend-engineering/SKILL.md) |
| Review code, plans, or PRs | [code-review](../code-review/SKILL.md) |
| Address existing PR feedback | [address-feedback](../address-feedback/SKILL.md) |
| Predict a reviewer's preferences | [review-lense](../review-lense/SKILL.md) |
| Commit, push, or prepare PR descriptions | [git-delivery](../git-delivery/SKILL.md) |
| Read or write Jira issues | [jira-tickets](../jira-tickets/SKILL.md) |
| Build or debug CI/CD pipelines | [ci-cd-workflows](../ci-cd-workflows/SKILL.md) |
| Transition consumers, contracts, or data | [safe-migrations](../safe-migrations/SKILL.md) |
| Assess or conduct a specific release | [release-readiness](../release-readiness/SKILL.md) |

Keep each skill's boundary: planning does not implement; review does not repair;
preference prediction does not establish correctness; CI configuration does not
establish release readiness; a draft does not authorize publication. The calling
workflow resumes already-authorized work after a supporting skill finishes.

For an accepted Plan-to-Build request, use implement-plan as the coordinator;
writing-clean-simple-code and domain skills support it rather than replacing its
verification and final independent review gates. Jira intake supplies source intent,
agent-planning supplies tasks, and implement-plan verifies execution against both.
The generated plan must contain the execution handoff, not just a chat reminder,
so native Build and separate-session execution can carry the coordinator instruction.
When authoring a plan, identify only the skills that materially apply, link each one
from the plan's location, map it to the task or decision it supports, and state the
specific guidance the executor should use. Keep the implement-plan coordinator
instruction distinct from task-specific skills. Tell the executor to read each linked
skill before its task; do not assume host discovery or skill aliases will activate it.
If a linked skill is unavailable, surface that limit and use a scoped fallback without
claiming the skill was applied.

When skills reference each other, reuse already-loaded guidance and evidence rather
than recursively restarting workflows. In testing/debugging, retain the current
reproduction and task scope. Do not re-run unchanged verified work solely because
a handoff occurred; reopen coverage after relevant changes or new contradictory evidence.

If a required skill or tool is unavailable, state the limitation and use a scoped
fallback when possible. Never claim a missing procedure, independent review, live
check, or deployment occurred. Use delegation only when permitted and useful,
with raw intent and the exact candidate; do not create personas merely to route tasks.

## Anti-Rationalization Guardrails

| Model Rationalization | Enforced Rule |
| --- | --- |
| This request is ambiguous, so I can guess the workflow. | Use this router only when no single skill clearly applies or the request spans workflows. Select a primary skill from the table and load only material supporting procedures. |
| I know what this skill says from its description or a past task. | Read the current full skill file before relying on its procedure. |
| A skill name is enough for a later executor to find it. | In generated plans, link applicable skills from the plan's location, map each link to the task it supports, and instruct the executor to read it before starting. |
| Every plan should list the full skill catalog. | Select only skills that materially apply to the request; omit unrelated skills and their procedures. |
| The host will discover and activate every linked skill. | Treat links as explicit handoff paths, not proof of host discovery. Report unavailable skills and use a scoped fallback without claiming they were applied. |