| name | compound-skill-orchestrator |
| description | Build orchestrator skills that chain multiple existing skills in sequence using context:fork, passing output between stages for a unified result. Use when the user says "chain skills", "combine skills", "orchestrator skill", "compound skill", "run skills in sequence", "skill pipeline", or wants to create a single command that runs multiple skills end-to-end. |
Compound Skill Orchestrator
Create orchestrator skills that chain multiple existing skills in sequence, each running in an isolated context window via context: fork. Each stage reads the output of the previous stage, and the final result is a unified deliverable.
When to Use
- You have 3+ existing skills that logically feed into each other
- You want one command that produces a multi-stage output (research -> draft -> polish)
- You need each stage to have full context focus without polluting the main session
- You want human-in-the-loop flexibility (not a fully deterministic Python pipeline)
When NOT to Use
- For a single skill that just needs isolation (use
context: fork directly)
- For fully automated pipelines with no human oversight (use a Python script or agent)
- When stages don't depend on each other's output (run them independently)
Phase 1: Identify the Chain
Ask the user:
- What is the end-to-end workflow? (e.g., "research a topic, write copy, generate social posts")
- Which existing skills cover each stage? List them.
- What is the final deliverable? (PDF, markdown file, structured output)
If skills don't exist yet for some stages, note which ones need to be created first.
Phase 2: Design the Data Flow
Map out the chain:
[Stage 1: /skill-a] --> writes output-a.md
[Stage 2: /skill-b] --> reads output-a.md, writes output-b.md
[Stage 3: /skill-c] --> reads output-a.md + output-b.md, writes final.md
Rules:
- Each stage must write its output to a known file path
- Each subsequent stage must explicitly read previous outputs
- The orchestrator must specify what comes back to the main context (usually just the final file)
Phase 3: Write the Orchestrator SKILL.md
Template:
---
name: your-orchestrator-name
description: [Clear description of what the full pipeline does and when to trigger it]
context: fork
agent: general-purpose
allowed_tools: [Read, Write, Glob, Grep, Bash, Skill, WebSearch, WebFetch]
---
# [Orchestrator Name]
Run the following skills in sequence, passing the user's input as context to each stage.
## Step 1: [Stage Name]
Run '/skill-a [user input]'
Wait for completion. The output will be at [path].
## Step 2: [Stage Name]
Run '/skill-b'
This stage reads the output from Step 1 at [path].
Wait for completion. The output will be at [path].
## Step 3: [Stage Name]
Run '/skill-c'
This stage reads outputs from Steps 1 and 2.
Wait for completion.
## Final Output
After all steps complete, return only:
- The final deliverable file path
- A 3-5 line summary of what each stage produced
Phase 4: Verify the Chain
- Run the orchestrator with a test input
- Confirm each stage executes in order
- Confirm each stage reads previous outputs correctly
- Confirm the final output contains contributions from all stages
- Check token usage -- the forked context should not leak into the main session
Key Principles
- Each skill stays independent. The orchestrator calls them; it doesn't merge their code.
- Output files are the interface. Skills communicate via written files, not shared memory.
- The orchestrator is thin. It's mostly a sequence of
/skill-name invocations with routing logic.
context: fork is mandatory on the orchestrator to keep the main session clean.- Specify
allowed_tools to control what the forked context can access.
Example: Launch Offer Pipeline
---
name: launch-offer
description: Take a business idea through market research, sales copy, email sequence, social posts, and a launch brief. One command, five stages.
context: fork
agent: general-purpose
allowed_tools: [Read, Write, Glob, Bash, Skill, WebSearch, WebFetch]
---
# Launch Offer Pipeline
## Step 1: Market Scan
Run '/market-scan [user's idea]'
Output: /tmp/launch/market-scan.md
## Step 2: Sales Page Copy
Run '/sales-page'
Reads: /tmp/launch/market-scan.md
Output: /tmp/launch/sales-page.md
## Step 3: Email Sequence
Run '/email-sequence'
Reads: /tmp/launch/market-scan.md, /tmp/launch/sales-page.md
Output: /tmp/launch/email-sequence.md
## Step 4: Social Announcements
Run '/social-announce'
Reads: /tmp/launch/sales-page.md
Output: /tmp/launch/social-posts.md
## Step 5: Launch Brief
Run '/launch-brief'
Reads: All previous outputs
Output: /tmp/launch/launch-brief.pdf
## Final Output
Return the launch brief PDF path and a summary of each stage.
Source
Extracted from: Claude Code Skills Can Call Other Skills Now. This Changes Everything. by Mark Kashef (Prompt Advisors / AI Automation Society), April 9, 2026.
