workspace-cleaner

name	workspace-cleaner
description	Clean up temporary files and old todo lists from the workspace to maintain organization. Use this skill when the user mentions cleaning up files, removing temporary reports, clearing old todo lists, or organizing the workspace. Also use proactively when you notice accumulated reports-*.md files or old .todos.json files that are no longer needed.

Workspace Cleaner

A skill for maintaining a clean and organized workspace by removing temporary files generated by the summarization middleware and old todo list files from completed work.

Purpose

The workspace can accumulate temporary files over time:

• Summarization reports: Files matching reports-*.md pattern created by the summarization middleware
• Old todo lists: Files matching *.todos.json pattern from past completed work

These files can cause confusion during future research sessions and clutter the workspace. This skill provides a systematic way to identify and remove them.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• The user explicitly asks to clean up the workspace
• The user mentions removing temporary files or reports
• The user wants to clear old todo lists from past work
• You notice accumulated reports-*.md files in the root directory
• You see multiple .todos.json files that are no longer active
• Before starting a new major task to ensure a clean workspace

Workflow

Step 1: Identify Files to Clean

First, scan the workspace to identify temporary files:

1. List root directory files:

   Use ls tool on "." to see all files in the root
   

2. Identify summarization reports:

   • Files matching pattern: reports-*.md
   • These are auto-generated by the summarization middleware
   • Safe to delete as they are temporary artifacts

3. Identify old todo lists:

   • Files matching pattern: *.todos.json
   • Check if they are from completed work (no active tasks)
   • Keep active todo lists, delete completed ones

Step 2: Confirm with User

Before deleting files, always confirm with the user:

I found the following files to clean up:
- X summarization reports (reports-*.md files)
- Y old todo lists (*.todos.json files)

Would you like me to:
1. Delete all of them
2. Delete only the reports
3. Delete only the todo lists
4. Review each file before deletion
5. Cancel

Step 3: Execute Cleanup

Based on user confirmation, use the delete_file tool to remove the identified files:

Use delete_file tool for each file to remove

Important:

• Never delete files inside the skills/ directory
• Never delete files the user is currently working with
• Always get confirmation before deletion

Step 4: Report Results

After cleanup, provide a summary:

Cleanup complete! Removed:
- X summarization reports
- Y old todo lists

The workspace is now organized and ready for new work.

File Patterns Reference

Pattern	Description	Safe to Delete
reports-*.md	Summarization middleware output	✅ Always
*.todos.json	Todo list files	⚠️ If completed
research/**	Research output files	❌ Ask user first
sandbox-files/**	Sandbox exports	❌ Ask user first

Edge Cases

Active Todo Lists

If a .todos.json file has tasks with status pending or in_progress, it's still active. Either:

• Skip it from deletion
• Ask the user if they want to archive it

Research Files

Files in the research/ folder may contain valuable research. Do not delete without explicit user request.

Sandbox Files

Files in sandbox-files/ are exports from sandbox work. Do not delete without explicit user request.

Examples

Example 1: User asks to clean up

User: "Clean up my workspace"
Assistant: 
1. Scans root directory
2. Finds 5 reports-*.md files and 2 old .todos.json files
3. Confirms with user
4. Deletes confirmed files
5. Reports results

Example 2: User mentions temporary files

User: "Remove those temporary report files"
Assistant:
1. Identifies reports-*.md files
2. Confirms the specific files
3. Deletes them
4. Reports results

Example 3: Proactive cleanup

Assistant notices 10+ reports-*.md files while working
Assistant: "I notice there are 10 summarization reports in the workspace. 
Would you like me to clean them up to keep things organized?"

Best Practices

1. Always confirm before deletion - Never delete without user approval
2. Be transparent - Show exactly which files will be removed
3. Preserve active work - Never delete files related to ongoing tasks
4. Offer options - Give users choices about what to clean
5. Report clearly - Summarize what was removed

Integration Notes

This skill uses:

• ls tool to identify files
• read_file tool to check todo list status (optional)
• delete_file tool to remove files

The skill helps maintain workspace hygiene and prevents confusion from accumulated temporary artifacts.