atopile-skills

name	atopile-skills
description	How to write and maintain `.claude/skills/*/SKILL.md` files: source-of-truth-first process, verification steps, and conventions. Use when this capability is needed.

Skills Skill (Maintaining Skill Docs)

This skill describes the process for maintaining the skill documentation under .claude/skills/*/SKILL.md.

The goal is that future LLM edits stay accurate, actionable, and grounded in the repo (not vibes).

Quick Start

When updating any skill:

1. Find the module’s “source-of-truth” docs (README/design notes).
2. Verify claims directly in code (entrypoints + invariant-enforcing files).
3. Fix incorrect paths/APIs/tests by searching the repo.
4. Add/update a small ## Quick Start that actually runs in this repo.
5. Validate frontmatter + referenced paths.

What “Good” Looks Like

A good skill doc is:

• Specific: points at exact files and the real entrypoints.
• Invariant-driven: documents the correctness rules enforced by the code (not aspirational design).
• Runnable: Quick Start snippets compile/import (or at least match the current API surface).
• Traceable: any non-obvious claim can be traced to a file path in the repo.

Standard Workflow (Source-of-Truth First)

1) Inventory the skill’s scope

• Identify the module boundary (directories, packages) and key consumers (“call sites”).
• Prefer using rg over memory: look for imports, entrypoints, and key classes/functions.

2) Read the docs, then the code that enforces invariants

Use this hierarchy:

1. A module README/design doc (if present)
2. The runtime entrypoint(s) used by the rest of the repo
3. The files that enforce invariants (the places that must remain correct)
4. Tests that codify behavior

Examples:

• Solver: src/faebryk/core/solver/README.md + src/faebryk/core/solver/symbolic/invariants.py
• Graph: src/faebryk/core/zig/src/graph/graph.zig + src/faebryk/core/zig/src/python/graph/graph_py.zig + generated stubs
• Library: tools/library/gen_F.py is the source-of-truth for _F.py

3) Fix wrong statements (don’t preserve broken history)

Common failure modes in skill docs:

• stale file paths (atopile/src/... vs src/...)
• renamed entrypoints (lsp_server.py vs imaginary server.py)
• test paths that no longer exist
• claims about behavior that conflict with the actual API surface (especially Zig bindings)

Rule: if you can’t prove it from the repo, either remove it or label it as a hypothesis with a pointer to where to verify.

4) Add a minimal, correct ## Quick Start

Quick Start should be:

• 5–20 lines
• uses the public API surface as used elsewhere in the repo
• avoids placeholders like src/.../something.zig

Good patterns:

• CLI snippet for user-facing flows (ato build, ato dev test --llm)
• Python snippet for core APIs (GraphView.create() / TypeGraph.create(...))

5) Validation checklist (required)

• Frontmatter YAML parses and contains name and description.
• Every referenced src/, tools/, and test/ path exists (exclude generated build outputs).
• Any code identifiers mentioned (classes/functions) exist (rg check).
• Quick Start uses correct import paths and function signatures.

Style/Structure Conventions

Prefer this ordering:

1. One-paragraph summary
2. ## Quick Start
3. ## Relevant Files
4. ## Dependants (Call Sites)
5. ## How to Work With / Develop / Test
6. ## Best Practices / ## Invariants (when applicable)

Keep the doc concise and “repo-local”: avoid external links unless they’re stable standards docs.

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Source: atopile/atopile — distributed by TomeVault.