| name | add-to-global-trigger |
| description | Route proposed additions to the global Codex control plane by deciding whether a request belongs in `~/.codex/AGENTS.md`, a global workflow or reference doc under `~/.codex/docs`, `~/.codex/bin/workflow.py`, or an enforceable non-prose surface. Use when asked to "add this to global AGENTS", "promote this workflow to global", "add a new global trigger", or decide whether something should be a trigger, workflow, reference, hook, lint rule, or runtime guard. |
Add To Global Trigger
Overview
Use this skill to add or refuse additions to the global Codex trigger layer without blurring surface ownership. Decide the owner surface first, then edit only the surfaces the request actually needs.
Global scope only:
~/.codex/AGENTS.md
~/.codex/docs/
~/.codex/bin/workflow.py
Do not use this skill for repo-local AGENTS.md work.
Decision Order
- Run
workflow summary placement.
- Search existing global docs, skills, and trigger lines before adding anything.
- Classify the request into exactly one primary owner:
AGENTS.md for a short, stable routing rule that points to an existing durable target.
docs/workflows/ for a runtime multi-step process.
docs/references/ or docs/quality-gate/ for authoring guidance, checklists, or validation rules.
- hooks, lint, deny rules, or runtime config when the behavior is deterministic and enforceable.
skills/ when the request is a reusable method with judgment.
- Author the durable target before adding the trigger that points to it.
- Edit
~/.codex/AGENTS.md last.
If the request is longer than three short lines of stable instruction, do not put the full content in AGENTS.md. Create or update the owning surface and add only a compact trigger.
Search Before Writing
Run targeted retrieval before editing:
workflow list
workflow search "<topic>"
rg -n "<topic>|<candidate-name>" ~/.codex/AGENTS.md ~/.codex/docs ~/.codex/skills -g '*.md'
Collapse duplicates instead of creating parallel guidance. If an existing doc or skill already owns the concept, update that surface rather than adding a new one.
Surface Rules
Trigger Only
Choose this path only when all of the following are true:
- the durable target already exists
- the rule is stable and short
- the trigger can route through
workflow summary <doc> or another existing surface
- no new enforcement or new method is required
Before editing ~/.codex/AGENTS.md, run:
workflow summary agentmd-quality-gate
New Workflow or Reference Doc
Choose a new doc when the trigger needs a durable target.
- Use a workflow doc for runtime execution steps.
- Use a reference or quality-gate doc for authoring guidance or checklists.
Before creating the doc, run:
workflow summary workflow-doc-creation
Do not describe global doc creation as a reindex task. Global docs are discovered by filesystem scan.
Workflow CLI Alias Support
Edit ~/.codex/bin/workflow.py only when the new doc needs first-class short-name support through workflow summary <name>, workflow read <name>, or other alias-based routing.
Before changing workflow.py, run:
workflow summary workflow-cli-quality-gate
Measure before and after for the command path you changed. Treat alias support as a CLI surface change, not just a doc change.
Enforced Instead of Prose
Do not add prose when the request is really about blocking or mechanically steering behavior. Prefer:
rumdl for recurring Markdown misuse
ruff for recurring Python misuse
- hooks or deny rules for unsafe actions
- runtime config for hard restrictions
If you route to enforcement, explain briefly why the request should not become a global trigger or doc.
Authoring Order
Follow this order exactly:
workflow summary placement
- search existing global surfaces
- if creating a doc,
workflow summary workflow-doc-creation and author the doc
- if alias support is needed,
workflow summary workflow-cli-quality-gate and update ~/.codex/bin/workflow.py
- if editing
AGENTS.md, workflow summary agentmd-quality-gate
- add or update the global trigger line in
~/.codex/AGENTS.md
- run validation for every touched surface
Use the exact command sequences in surface-matrix.md.
Validation
Always validate the surfaces you touched.
~/.codex/AGENTS.md changed:
- verify the line is concise, bounded, and points to an existing target
- global doc created or edited:
workflow registry
workflow lint
~/.codex/bin/workflow.py changed:
workflow lint
workflow lint --full
python3 -m unittest discover -s /Users/gurusharan/.codex/tests -p 'test_workflow_cli_regression.py'
- manual check that
workflow summary <alias> works
If workflow registry shows unrelated pre-existing drift, report it but do not fix it unless the requested change depends on it.
Refusal Cases
Refuse or reroute when:
- the request is repo-local rather than global
- the content is session-specific
- the content is derivable from code or git history instead of deserving a durable doc
- the request wants prose where enforcement is the right owner
- the new trigger would duplicate an existing global trigger or doc