using-skills

name	using-skills
description	Use when starting a new session, when the task shape is unclear, when a request mixes multiple intents, or when you need to route to the right skill and working mode. This is the router — load it first, then hand off to the correct skill.
metadata	{"dependencies":[]}

Using Skills

Purpose

Classify the request, pick one primary skill, and define the next move.

This is the entry point for every session. Its job is routing — not implementing, not planning. Once the right skill is identified, hand off immediately.

When To Use

Load this skill when:

• starting work in a new session
• the user request mixes multiple intents
• you are unsure which skill applies

Skill Catalog

Skill	Purpose	Key Modes
brainstorming	Explore ideas, lock decisions, write spec, or extract locked decisions (Socratic)	quick · spec · deep-explore
research	Explore codebase, onboard to repo, deep-scout feature discovery, upgrade prompts, codebase intel	quick-search · repo-bootstrap · deep-scout · prompt-upgrade · codebase-intel
planning	Research → plan → phase execution → validation gate before code is written	full pipeline with Phase 8 validation gate
feature-delivery	Implement, TDD, or refactor	standard · tdd · refactor
debug	Systematic root cause investigation and fix	4-phase + anionzo ecosystem extensions
docs-writer	Create or update any documentation	prompt-only · docs-execution · prompt+execution
code-review	Give reviews, receive reviews, verify before claiming done	verification gate · giving · receiving
commit	Create clean conventional commits with staged review	—
extract	Extract learnings, session handoff, deep compounding, or dream consolidation	handoff · extract · compound · dream
using-anionzo	Bootstrap anionzo ecosystem: onboarding, STATE.md, full go-mode pipeline	anionzo projects only

Standalone Skills

Secondary — load only when the task matches (load only when task matches):

Skill	When to load
animated-landing-pages	Motion-first landing page with AI-generated visuals
book-sft-pipeline	Fine-tuning on books, SFT dataset from ePub, author-voice model
writing-anionzo-skills	Creating or editing a new anionzo skill using TDD methodology

Canonical Workflow

brainstorming ──► research ──► planning ──► feature-delivery
     (if vague)    (before implement)              debug
                                                        docs-writer
                                                           │
                                                      code-review
                                                           │
                                                          commit
                                                           │
                                                          extract

For anionzo projects, the extended pipeline is:

using-anionzo ──► brainstorming ──► research ──► planning (+ validation gate)
──► swarming (orchestrate workers) ──► reviewing ──► extract (compound mode)

Routing Guide

Request shape	Route to
Explicit skill name from user	Load that skill immediately
Vague idea, unclear goal, tradeoff exploration	brainstorming (quick or spec mode) → planning
Need to understand existing code before acting	research (quick-search or repo-bootstrap)
Unfamiliar repo, new session context	research (repo-bootstrap mode)
Rough prompt needs upgrading	research (prompt-upgrade mode)
Complex feature needing locked decisions + spec	brainstorming (spec mode) → planning
Clear feature or behavior change	planning → feature-delivery (standard mode)
Bug fix, failing test, error trace, regression	debug
Test-first implementation explicitly requested	planning → feature-delivery (tdd mode)
Restructure without behavior change	planning → feature-delivery (refactor mode)
Review a diff, PR, or commit range	code-review (giving mode)
Responding to review feedback	code-review (receiving mode)
About to claim work is done or passing	code-review (verification gate)
Update README, runbooks, API docs, onboarding	docs-writer
Stale docs need refresh from live repo	docs-writer (docs-execution mode)
Ready to commit	commit
Task complete, capture what was learned	extract (extract mode)
Session near context limit, hand off to next session	extract (handoff mode)
Post-merge deep learning capture (anionzo)	extract (compound mode)
Anionzo project: start session or run full pipeline	using-anionzo

Planning Rule

Use planning before code changes when any of these are true:

• more than one file will likely change
• the request is ambiguous or under-specified
• the implementation touches state, data flow, API shape, or architecture boundaries
• the user explicitly asks for a plan

Skip planning only when the change is clearly local, low-risk, and already unambiguous.

Verification Rule

code-review now contains the verification gate (Iron Law: no completion claims without fresh evidence). Run it before any claim that work is done, fixed, or passing.

Explicit Skill Requests

If the user names a skill directly — load that skill immediately instead of re-classifying.

• still apply planning and verification rules if relevant
• if the named skill does not exist, say so and list available skills

Workflow

1. Check for an explicit skill request — if present, load that skill and go.
2. Classify the request using the Routing Guide above.
3. Decide if brainstorming or research is needed before planning.
4. Pick ONE primary skill.
5. State the chosen skill and the immediate next step.
6. Ask a single blocking question only if the task cannot proceed safely without it.

Output Format

1. Goal/Result — task classified and primary skill chosen
2. Key Details:
   • task type
   • chosen primary skill and mode
   • whether planning is required first
   • key assumption or missing decision, if any
3. Next Action — the immediate first step with the chosen skill

Red Flags

• starting code changes before understanding the request shape
• treating a fuzzy idea as implementation-ready
• starting multi-file code changes without a plan
• loading many skills at once without a clear reason
• forcing a feature workflow onto a review or docs task
• routing to feature-delivery when the request is a refactor (use refactor mode)
• routing to old skill names that no longer exist as standalone files

Checklist

• Explicit skill request honored when present
• Task type classified correctly
• One primary skill and mode chosen
• Planning need stated explicitly
• Single blocking question asked only if necessary
• Immediate next step communicated clearly

Done Criteria

This skill is complete when the chosen skill, the correct mode, and the first concrete action are all stated explicitly.