| name | agent-documenting-references |
| description | Standardized reference documentation section structure for agents - project guidance, conventions, related agents, and Skills. Use when implementing or updating agent documentation. |
| created | "2026-01-05T00:00:00.000Z" |
| updated | "2026-01-05T00:00:00.000Z" |
Documenting Agent References
Standard structure for "Reference Documentation" sections in agent files to ensure consistent navigation and discoverability.
When This Skill Loads
This Skill auto-loads when implementing agents or updating agent documentation sections.
Reference Documentation Section
All agents SHOULD include a "Reference Documentation" section near the end (before any appendices) with standardized subsections.
Section Template
## Reference Documentation
**Project Guidance**:
- [CLAUDE.md](../../CLAUDE.md) - Primary guidance for Claude Code
- [Agent-specific convention](path/to/convention.md) - Domain-specific standards
**Related Agents**:
- `maker-agent` - Creates content for this domain
- `checker-agent` - Validates content (upstream dependency)
- `fixer-agent` - Fixes issues found by checker
- `related-domain-agent` - Related functionality
**Related Conventions**:
- [Primary Convention](path/to/convention.md) - Main standards this agent implements
- [Secondary Convention](path/to/convention.md) - Additional relevant standards
**Skills**:
- `primary-skill` - Main Skill for domain knowledge
- `wow-assessing-criticality-confidence` - Criticality assessment (if applicable)
- `wow-generating-validation-reports` - Report generation (if applicable)
Subsection Details
Project Guidance
Purpose: Link to primary project instructions and domain-specific conventions.
Always Include:
- CLAUDE.md (primary guidance for all agents)
Conditionally Include:
- Domain-specific conventions (e.g., README Quality Convention for readme-agents)
- Framework-specific guidance (e.g., Hextra guide for ayokoding-web-agents)
- Special standards relevant to agent's scope
Pattern:
**Project Guidance**:
- [CLAUDE.md](../../CLAUDE.md) - Primary guidance
- [Specific Convention](path/to/convention.md) - Domain standards
Related Agents
Purpose: Help users understand agent ecosystem and workflow relationships.
Include:
- Upstream agents: Agents this agent depends on (e.g., checker for fixer)
- Downstream agents: Agents that depend on this one (e.g., fixer for checker)
- Parallel agents: Agents in same family/domain (e.g., other checkers)
- Complementary agents: Agents with related functionality
Organize by Relationship:
**Related Agents**:
- `upstream-agent` - Description of relationship
- `downstream-agent` - Description of relationship
- `parallel-agent` - Description of functionality
Examples by Agent Type:
Maker Agents:
- `checker-agent` - Validates content created by this maker
- `related-maker` - Creates content in related domain
Checker Agents:
- `maker-agent` - Creates content this checker validates
- `fixer-agent` - Fixes issues found by this checker
- `related-checker` - Validates related aspects
Fixer Agents:
- `checker-agent` - Generates audit reports this fixer processes
- `maker-agent` - Updates content after fixes applied
Related Conventions
Purpose: Link to conventions and development practices the agent implements.
Include:
- Primary convention agent implements
- Secondary conventions relevant to agent's scope
- Development practices agent follows (e.g., AI Agents Convention)
- Standards agent enforces (for checkers)
Pattern:
**Related Conventions**:
- [Primary Convention](path/to/convention.md) - Main standards
- [Secondary Convention](path/to/convention.md) - Additional standards
- [Development Practice](path/to/practice.md) - Implementation guidance
Checkers Should List:
- Conventions they validate against
- Quality standards they enforce
Makers Should List:
- Conventions they follow when creating content
- Formatting standards they apply
Skills
Purpose: Reference Skills the agent uses for domain knowledge and patterns.
Include:
- All Skills listed in agent's
skills: frontmatter field
- Skills should be listed without path (just skill name)
- Brief description of what each Skill provides
Pattern:
**Skills**:
- `domain-skill` - Domain-specific knowledge
- `wow-skill` - Cross-cutting pattern or workflow
- `agent-skill` - Agent development guidance
Note: Skills section duplicates frontmatter skills: field for documentation visibility.
Placement in Agent Files
Recommended Location: Near end of agent file, before any appendices or examples.
Typical Structure:
# Agent Name
[Agent description]
## Core Responsibility
[What agent does]
## Main Content Sections
[Detailed agent instructions]
## Reference Documentation
[Reference sections using template above]
## Appendices (Optional)
[Additional examples, edge cases, etc.]
Examples by Agent Family
docs-family Agents
## Reference Documentation
**Project Guidance**:
- [CLAUDE.md](../../CLAUDE.md) - Primary guidance
- [Content Quality Principles](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/content/ex-ru-co-co__quality.md)
- [Diátaxis Framework](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/meta/ex-ru-co-me__diataxis-framework.md)
**Related Agents**:
- `docs-maker` - Creates documentation
- `docs-checker` - Validates documentation
- `docs-fixer` - Fixes documentation issues
- `docs-tutorial-checker` - Specialized tutorial validation
**Related Conventions**:
- [Content Quality Principles](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/content/ex-ru-co-co__quality.md)
- [Factual Validation Convention](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/content/ex-ru-co-co__factual-validation.md)
- [Linking Convention](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/formatting/ex-ru-co-fo__linking.md)
**Skills**:
- `docs-applying-content-quality` - Content quality standards
- `docs-validating-factual-accuracy` - Fact-checking methodology
- `wow-assessing-criticality-confidence` - Criticality assessment
- `wow-generating-validation-reports` - Report generation
readme-family Agents
## Reference Documentation
**Project Guidance**:
- [CLAUDE.md](../../CLAUDE.md) - Primary guidance
- [README Quality Convention](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/content/ex-ru-co-co__readme-quality.md)
**Related Agents**:
- `readme-maker` - Creates README content
- `readme-checker` - Validates README quality
- `readme-fixer` - Fixes README issues
- `docs-checker` - Validates other documentation
**Related Conventions**:
- [README Quality Convention](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/content/ex-ru-co-co__readme-quality.md)
- [Content Quality Principles](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/content/ex-ru-co-co__quality.md)
**Skills**:
- `readme-writing-readme-files` - README-specific standards
- `wow-assessing-criticality-confidence` - Criticality assessment
- `wow-generating-validation-reports` - Report generation
plan-family Agents
## Reference Documentation
**Project Guidance**:
- [CLAUDE.md](../../CLAUDE.md) - Primary guidance
- [Plans Organization Convention](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/project/ex-ru-co-pr__plans-organization.md)
**Related Agents**:
- `plan-maker` - Creates project plans
- `plan-checker` - Validates plan quality
- `plan-executor` - Executes plans
- `plan-execution-checker` - Validates completed work
- `plan-fixer` - Fixes plan issues
**Related Conventions**:
- [Plans Organization Convention](../../docs/explanation/rules/conventions/project/ex-ru-co-pr__plans-organization.md)
- [Gherkin Acceptance Criteria](../../docs/explanation/rules/development/infra/ex-ru-de-in__acceptance-criteria.md)
**Skills**:
- `plan-creating-project-plans` - Plan structure and organization
- `plan-writing-gherkin-criteria` - Acceptance criteria patterns
- `wow-assessing-criticality-confidence` - Criticality assessment
Benefits of Standardization
✅ Improved Discoverability: Users can quickly find related agents and conventions
✅ Consistent Navigation: Same structure across all agents
✅ Clear Relationships: Understand agent dependencies and workflows
✅ Better Maintainability: Easy to update references across agents
✅ Enhanced Documentation: Skills and conventions properly referenced
Best Practices
- Keep Links Current: Update when conventions move or rename
- Be Selective: Only include truly relevant references
- Describe Relationships: Explain how related agents connect
- Match Frontmatter: Ensure Skills section matches
skills: field
- Use Relative Paths: Make links work from agent file location
- Group Logically: Keep subsections organized and scannable
Key Takeaways
- Standard structure: Use consistent subsections across all agents
- Four subsections: Project Guidance, Related Agents, Related Conventions, Skills
- Clear relationships: Help users understand agent ecosystem
- Proper placement: Near end of agent file before appendices
- Keep current: Update references when files move or change
- Match frontmatter: Skills section mirrors
skills: field
This standardization improves agent documentation consistency and helps users navigate the agent ecosystem effectively.
