agent-stack-audit

# Agent Stack Audit **Bottom line:** Run this monthly. Your agent stack accumulates dead weight faster than you think — zombie crons, unused APIs still billing you, scripts referencing killed strategies, and duplicate tools doing the same job. This skill finds all of it in one pass. --- ## When to Invoke **Scheduled:** First Monday of every month, 05:00 local time. **Quick scan:** Every Sunday (cron health only — 5 min). **Manual trigger:** Any time the stack feels bloated, bills are unexpected, or reliability has degraded. **Trigger phrases:** "stack audit", "clean up my automations", "what's still running?", "am I paying for anything unused?", "why are my API costs high?" --- ## Audit Scope (6 Categories) ### 1. Crons — Are they alive and earning their keep? For each launchd agent / cron job / scheduled task: - Is the process actually running? (check PID, plist/cron status) - When did it last fire successfully? - What does it produce? Is that output being consumed by anything? - Is there a newer/better approach that renders this obsolete? **Questions to answer:** - "This cron runs every hour. Has its output file been read in the last 30 days?" - "This watchdog monitors a bot that was killed 2 months ago — is the watchdog still running?" ### 2. Scripts — Dead code? Scan your automation directories for Python/shell scripts: - Last modified date vs last executed date - Scripts referencing killed bots or cancelled APIs - Scripts built for old projects that are now closed - Duplicate scripts doing the same job ### 3. API Keys — Are you paying for something unused? Cross-reference your API inventory against actual script usage: - Any API key configured but never called in the last 30 days? - Any paid subscription that maps to zero active script usage? - Any free-tier key that's been maxed out — is an upgrade worthwhile? Common culprits: data providers, news APIs, notification services, AI APIs at old models. ### 4. Skills — Superseded or never used? Review your installed skills: - Any skill built but never actually invoked? - Any skill replaced by a newer, better version? - Any skill with overlapping functionality that could be merged? ### 5. Memory Files — Stale project context? Review project memory and context files: - Any project memory not updated in 30+ days? - Projects marked "on hold" for 60+ days with no activity? - Contradictions between your main context file and individual project files? ### 6. Tools & Subscriptions — Better option available? Using web search: - "Is [tool] still the best option for [use case] as of [current month]?" - Check for: price drops on existing tools, new free tiers, open source alternatives, better APIs - Flag if a paid tool now has a free/cheaper replacement --- ## Classification Framework For each item found, classify as: | Classification | Meaning | Action | |---|---|---| | 🔴 ZOMBIE | Running but producing nothing useful | Recommend DELETE | | 🟡 REDUNDANT | Superseded by newer/better approach | Recommend REPLACE or MERGE | | 🟠 OUTDATED | Still useful but using old tech/API | Recommend UPGRADE | | 🟢 HEALTHY | Working, used, best current approach | No action | | ⚪ UNKNOWN | Can't determine without user input | Flag for user decision | --- ## Output Format File: `state/stack_audit_YYYY-MM-DD.md` ```markdown # Stack Audit — [DATE] _Scope: Crons, Scripts, APIs, Skills, Memory, Tools_ _Items scanned: [N] | Issues found: [M] | Recommended actions: [K]_ --- ## 🔴 RECOMMEND DELETE (zombies) | Item | Type | Reason | Risk if deleted | |---|---|---|---| | old_watchdog.sh | Cron | Bot killed Mar 12, watchdog still running | None — bot is dead | ## 🟡 RECOMMEND REPLACE/MERGE (redundant) | Item | Type | Replaced By | Action | |---|---|---|---| | old_intelligence_scan.py | Script | Tech Scout skill | Kill script, activate skill | ## 🟠 RECOMMEND UPGRADE (outdated) | Item | Type | Current | Better Option | Est. Saving/Gain | |---|---|---|---|---| | image_gen API call | API | DALL-E 3 | [Cheaper/better alternative] | ~40% cost reduction | ## 🟢 HEALTHY — No Action [List with one-line confirmation each] ## ⚪ NEEDS USER INPUT [Items that require your decision — presented as yes/no questions] --- ## Summary - Recommended deletes: [N items] — saves [X $/mo or compute] - Recommended upgrades: [N items] - Estimated cleanup time if approved: ~[X hours] - Most important action: [single highest-leverage item] ``` --- ## Execution Rules 1. **Never delete anything without explicit user approval** — only RECOMMEND 2. **One exception:** If a script references a dead API that has been confirmed cancelled → safe to comment out the call and log it. Don't delete the file. 3. **If unsure → classify as ⚪ UNKNOWN.** Never guess on deletions. 4. After approvals: execute cleanup and write `state/stack_cleanup_YYYY-MM-DD.md` confirming what was removed and what the before/after count was. --- ## Quick Scan (Sunday Cron Health Check) Lighter weekly version — runs in 5 minutes: 1. Check all scheduled tasks/crons are firing on schedule 2. Check all PID files match running processes 3. Check for any `ERROR` or `FAILED` in last 24h logs 4. Output: `state/cron_health_YYYY-MM-DD.md` — just a pass/fail list, no detail --- ## Why This Matters Left unchecked, automation stacks accumulate: - **Zombie crons** that run every hour and log to files no one reads - **API subscriptions** billing monthly for services killed 6 months ago - **Duplicate scripts** that were "temporary" but became permanent - **Stale context files** that feed wrong information to your agents The monthly audit is what separates a clean, reliable stack from a pile of debt that fails when you need it most. Most teams discover 20-40% of their crons are either dead or redundant on the first pass.