Automated summary
This skill guides the research and planning of a new agent skill or feature, producing a structured plan document before any code is written.
Strengths
- Clear two-phase structure: research first, then plan writing
- Prevents unplanned coding by requiring explicit research
- Produces a reusable and traceable plan document
- Covers both technical implementation and configuration dependencies
Limitations
- Requires the target system to have the specific infrastructure (scouts, plans directory, MCP server) described in the plan
- Not suitable for one-line fixes or very small changes
- Research phase may fail if live services are unavailable
Use this skill when you need to add a new skill module, MCP tool, API endpoint, or Vue component, and you want to ensure all implications are documented before coding.
Do not use for minor changes (bug fixes, simple refactoring) or when the target system does not follow the MCP architecture described in the plan.
Security analysis
SafeThe skill instructs the agent to research existing skills and service state and write a plan file, without any destructive or exfiltrating actions. No code execution or dangerous commands are explicitly instructed; it's a planning aid.
No concerns found
How this analysis is madeExamples
Plan a new skill for AWS EC2 instance management. The skill should list instances and allow starting/stopping them. Research existing AWS skills and the live AWS API state.Plan a new MCP tool that pings all services in the service_catalog and returns their status. Include research on current service catalog and API endpoints.Plan a new API endpoint GET /api/logs that returns agent execution logs. Research existing API structure and authentication requirements.description: Research and plan a new skill or agent feature before implementing argument-hint: <describe the skill or feature>
Phase 1 — Research (spawn scouts)
skill-scout: Check existing skills
- Are there existing skills for this service? What patterns do they use?
- What's in SKILL_META for similar skills (compat section especially)?
- What does _template.py require?
service-scout: Check live service state
- Is the target service running and reachable?
- What version is it? What API endpoint can be probed for live_validator?
- Does it appear in the service_catalog?
Phase 2 — Write the plan
Write to state/plans/PLAN-$ARGUMENTS.md:
# Plan: $ARGUMENTS
Date: <timestamp>
Status: pending
## Current state
<skill-scout summary>
<service-scout summary>
## What to build
Type: [ ] new skill module | [ ] new MCP tool | [ ] new API endpoint | [ ] new Vue component
### If new skill module:
File: mcp_server/tools/skills/modules/<service>_<action>.py
SKILL_META draft:
- name: <service>_<action>
- description: <one line>
- category: compute | networking | monitoring | storage | orchestration
- parameters: <dict>
- compat:
- service: <name>
- api_version_built_for: <version>
- version_endpoint: <endpoint to probe>
- version_field: <jq path to version in response>
execute() outline:
1. Read config from env/agent_settings.json
2. <core API call>
3. Return _ok/_err/_degraded
### If new MCP tool (register in server.py):
Function name: <verb_noun>
Parameters: <list>
Calls into: mcp_server/tools/<module>.py
### If API/GUI change:
Router: api/routers/<name>.py
Endpoint: <METHOD> /api/<path>
Auth required: yes/no
## Implementation steps
1. [ ] Write the module (sync, no async, _ok/_err/_degraded returns)
2. [ ] `python -m py_compile <file>` — syntax check
3. [ ] Register in server.py if MCP tool
4. [ ] Add UFW rule in hp1-infra if new port exposed
5. [ ] Test: call via API or agent commands panel
6. [ ] `/commit`
## Vault / config changes needed
<list any new env vars or vault keys needed — human sets these>
## Out of scope
<what this plan does NOT cover>
Do NOT write any code yet. Plan only.
From the file to a first result
The download contains exactly the content displayed on this page. This copy may differ from the latest version in the source repository.
View the source and supporting filesThis download contains SKILL.md only. Any scripts, references, templates and dependencies are not included. Get the required files from the source, preserving their directory structure, before continuing.
1. Download the file
Download SKILL.mdFrom the root of a test project, save the file as .skill-downloads/research-and-plan-a-new-skill-or-agent-feature-mrzxurm5/SKILL.md, or use the command below. This folder is for inspecting the skill before installation.
Command for macOS/Linux or WSL: requires a POSIX shell and curl. On Windows without WSL, use the download button and create the folder manually.
mkdir -p '.skill-downloads/research-and-plan-a-new-skill-or-agent-feature-mrzxurm5' && curl --fail --show-error --location 'https://skills-guides.com/api/skills/research-and-plan-a-new-skill-or-agent-feature-mrzxurm5/download' --output '.skill-downloads/research-and-plan-a-new-skill-or-agent-feature-mrzxurm5/SKILL.md.part' && mv '.skill-downloads/research-and-plan-a-new-skill-or-agent-feature-mrzxurm5/SKILL.md.part' '.skill-downloads/research-and-plan-a-new-skill-or-agent-feature-mrzxurm5/SKILL.md'2. Check prerequisites
Read SKILL.md before using it. If it references scripts or external services, inspect them and prepare the required access in your test environment.
No recognized prerequisites section in this file. This does not mean it is self-contained: libraries, tools and access requirements may be mentioned elsewhere in the content or source repository.
The platforms on this page are catalog indications. The paths below follow tool documentation; they do not prove this skill has been run in those tools. No minimum tool version is confirmed for this listing.
3. Load the skill
This file does not provide a usable name/description header for this native procedure. It remains available to download and inspect; use the manual method below.
Manual method or another tool: attach SKILL.md to a conversation, or open it in an agent that can read files. Include any required supporting resources. No universal folder is recognized by every tool.
4. Try a first task
Use a short, synthetic input: an API endpoint, a small document or an interface brief. In a new conversation, attach the file or give the agent its path, then adapt this request:
Read .skill-downloads/research-and-plan-a-new-skill-or-agent-feature-mrzxurm5/SKILL.md and apply its instructions to this example: [describe a test input]. Identify any missing files, dependencies or access. Produce the result requested by the skill without inventing data or running unreviewed scripts.Expected result: output matching the skill instructions, or a precise list of missing prerequisites. A read confirmation alone does not validate a first use. If an external resource is unavailable, that path remains untested.
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