profile-craft

name	profile-craft
description	Design and validate Hermes Agent profile distributions, including SOUL.md, distribution.yaml, skills, config, MCP stubs, and release readiness.
version	0.1.0
author	Hermes profile template
license	MIT
metadata	{"hermes":{"tags":["hermes","profiles","distribution","templates","skills","validation"]}}

Profile Craft

Use this skill when creating or improving a Hermes Agent profile distribution. The default deliverable is a repository directory that can be validated and installed with hermes profile install, not just a written plan.

Inputs

• Target user or team.
• Primary job to be done.
• Required tools and integrations.
• Risk level and data sensitivity.
• Expected output style.

Workflow

Prompt-to-repo workflow

When a user asks for a new profile from a prompt:

1. If the prompt is only a simple sentence, expand it into a mature profile prompt with skills/prompt-engineering/SKILL.md before generating files.
2. Ask only for missing essentials: profile name, mission, target user, required integrations, data sensitivity, risk level, and output style.
3. If enough information is present, proceed with sensible defaults and state assumptions.
4. Write a params YAML file using templates/profile.params.yaml as the schema reference. Include the mature prompt in profile_prompt so the generated repo can preserve it in docs/profile-prompt.md.
5. Run python3 scripts/generate_profile.py --params <params.yaml> --output <target-dir>.
6. Run python3 <target-dir>/scripts/validate_profile.py <target-dir>.
7. If Hermes is available, run hermes profile install <target-dir> --name <smoke-name> --yes --force.
8. Report mature prompt path, generated repo path, validation output, smoke-install output if run, and next publish command.

Profile design workflow

1. Define the profile mission in one sentence.
2. Define boundaries: what the profile does, does not do, and refuses.
3. Draft SOUL.md with first principles and output contract.
4. Add or refine distribution.yaml.
5. Keep config.yaml minimal and safe.
6. Add only skills that are directly needed.
7. Add .env.EXAMPLE for env vars, but never real secrets.
8. For deterministic starter creation, edit a params YAML file and run python3 scripts/generate_profile.py --params <params.yaml> --output <target-dir>.
9. Run python3 scripts/validate_profile.py ..
10. Test local install with hermes profile install . --name <smoke-name> --yes when Hermes is available.
11. Update README with install, usage, validation, and catalog contribution instructions.
12. If the profile should be discoverable in profile catalogs, create small catalog-native entries using templates/catalog/. Match the target repo format instead of pasting a generic link.
13. Before any public push, scan staged files, latest commit metadata, PR body text, and added diff lines for private identity strings, secrets, and project-specific style constraints.

Quality checklist

• The profile has a single clear purpose.
• Every required env var is documented.
• Skills are procedural and reusable.
• No runtime state is committed.
• Validation passes.
• Generator output validates from a temporary directory.
• Local hermes profile install . --name <smoke-name> --yes succeeds when Hermes is available.
• The README explains install, usage, validation, and risks.
• Public repository topics cover framework, domain, and installability keywords.

Pitfalls

• Overloading one profile with too many roles.
• Copying secrets into examples.
• Adding MCP servers that require private local paths.
• Forgetting to bump distribution.yaml version.
• Claiming capabilities that the profile config does not enable.
• Using curly-brace template tokens outside templates/; validators treat those as unresolved. Use [question] style markers in skill references.
• Opening profile catalog PRs that only add a link. Add a catalog-native profile file or manifest entry when the target repo expects one.