| name | using-hotl |
| description | Use when the user explicitly asks for HOTL routing or needs guidance choosing the right HOTL workflow skill. |
When to Use HOTL Skills
HOTL skills are for code-changing tasks that require planning — new features, refactors, and significant changes. Not every task needs a skill.
Answer directly without invoking a skill:
- Code understanding questions — "how does this work?", "where is this defined?", "explain this error"
- Quick fixes — typos, config values, import paths, obvious one-line corrections
- Error tracing — "what does this error mean?", "which file throws this?"
Use hotl:systematic-debugging (no brainstorm/plan needed):
- Bug investigations, test failures, unexpected behavior
Use the full HOTL workflow (brainstorm → plan → execute):
- New features, significant refactors, architectural changes
Available HOTL Skills
Invoke any of these when appropriate:
| Skill | When to Use |
|---|
hotl:brainstorming | Before any feature work — design with HOTL contracts |
hotl:writing-plans | After design approval — produces docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>-workflow.md |
hotl:governed-execution | Preferred execution entry point — selects host driver/profile while preserving renewable ownership, bounded loops, effect evidence, and receipts |
hotl:executing-plans | Linear execution with human checkpoints |
hotl:loop-execution | Execute a workflow file with loops + auto-approve |
hotl:subagent-execution | Delegated step runner over the loop execution engine — delegates eligible steps to fresh subagents |
hotl:dispatch-agents | 2+ independent tasks that can run in parallel |
hotl:finishing-a-development-branch | After execution — merge back, publish/PR, keep, or discard the execution branch/worktree |
hotl:tdd | Before writing any implementation code |
hotl:systematic-debugging | When encountering any bug or unexpected behavior |
hotl:skill-authoring | When creating, editing, or reviewing HOTL skills, agents, commands, or behavior-shaping instructions |
hotl:document-review | Optional — review existing docs, external specs, or hand-authored plans |
hotl:requesting-code-review | Dispatched by executors at review checkpoints — standardizes what context the reviewer receives |
hotl:receiving-code-review | Invoked when review findings arrive — verify, evaluate against contracts, then implement |
hotl:code-review | After completing implementation, before merging |
hotl:pr-reviewing | Review a PR across multiple dimensions — description, code, scan, tests |
hotl:resuming | Resume an interrupted workflow run with verify-first effect recovery and explicit ownership takeover/handoff |
hotl:verification-before-completion | Before claiming work is done |
hotl:setup-project | To generate adapter files for Codex, Cline, Cursor, Copilot |
Red Flags (You Are Over-Routing)
- Routing a code question through brainstorming → just answer it
- Creating a plan for a typo fix → just fix it and verify
- Brainstorming before debugging → use systematic-debugging directly
- Skipping brainstorming for a real feature → invoke the skill
HOTL Operating Principles
Human-on-the-Loop: Set intent + constraints upfront. AI executes autonomously within guardrails. Human reviews final output.
Long-running harness contract: Host goals, automations, background agents, hooks, and handoffs provide scheduling and liveness only. HOTL's renewable controller, serialized state, runtime loop/budget stops, effect reconciliation, explicit finish disposition, and sufficient receipt remain authoritative.
Three contracts every implementation workflow should define:
- Intent contract: objective, constraints, success criteria
- Verification contract: how to confirm each step worked
- Governance contract: approval gates, risk level, rollback strategy
