| name | sync-templates |
| description | Syncs the current project with its upstream template repositories. Reads .source-templates.yml, diffs each template from lastSyncedCommit to HEAD, identifies improvements to incorporate, and applies them with verification. Invoke when the user wants to pull in upstream template improvements. |
Sync Upstream Templates
This skill pulls improvements from the template repositories that this project was generated from. The project may be derived from multiple templates — each is tracked independently.
Manifest Format
.source-templates.yml is a YAML list at the project root:
- repo: github.com/owner/template-a
lastSyncedCommit: abc123def456
guidance: >-
Focus on CI and build config changes. Ignore example components
and placeholder content — this project has its own.
- repo: github.com/owner/template-b
lastSyncedCommit: 789abc012def
guidance: >-
This template provides the auth middleware. Adopt security fixes
and Clerk upgrades. Skip styling changes.
Workflow
1. Load manifest and generate diffs
Read .source-templates.yml from the project root. If the file is missing or empty, tell the user and stop.
For each template entry:
a) Access the template repo. Check the AgenC repo library at /Users/odyssey/.agenc/repos/ for a local copy. If unavailable, clone the repo to $TMPDIR. Fetch the latest changes to ensure the repo is up to date.
b) Write the upstream diff to a file. Generate the diff from lastSyncedCommit to the current HEAD and save it to $TMPDIR/sync-<repo-name>.diff. This file is the shared artifact that both the triage/execution phase and the verification phase read from.
git -C <template-repo-path> log --oneline <lastSyncedCommit>..HEAD > $TMPDIR/sync-<repo-name>.log
git -C <template-repo-path> diff <lastSyncedCommit>..HEAD > $TMPDIR/sync-<repo-name>.diff
If lastSyncedCommit is TODO or empty, show the user the template's recent tags and release history, and ask which commit to start from.
If the diff is very large (100+ files or months of commits), summarize at the commit level first and let the user choose which areas to focus on, rather than triaging every file change.
2. Triage each template
For each template, read its diff file and the guidance field from the manifest. The guidance calibrates which upstream changes are relevant — downstream repos diverge from templates, and the guidance describes what to focus on and what to ignore.
Classify each change in the diff:
- Adopt — the change improves infrastructure, fixes a bug, or upgrades tooling in a way that applies regardless of downstream customization (CI improvements, security fixes, dependency updates, build config)
- Adapt — the change has value but needs modification to fit the downstream project's structure (a pattern change that applies but to different files/names)
- Skip — the change is template-specific content that the downstream project has intentionally diverged from (placeholder content, example components, template-only features)
When in doubt about whether a change should be adopted, adapted, or skipped — ask the user. Present the specific change, explain what it does, and let them decide.
Present the plan. Show the user a numbered checklist of changes to incorporate, grouped by template. For each item, include:
- What the upstream change does
- Whether it's being adopted as-is or adapted
- Which files in the current project are affected
Wait for user confirmation before proceeding.
3. Execute and commit per template
Work through each approved change for one template. After applying all changes for that template:
- Update
lastSyncedCommit in .source-templates.yml to the template's current HEAD
- Verify the project builds (check
package.json scripts or the project's CLAUDE.md for the correct build command)
- Verify types pass if applicable
- Commit:
chore: sync with upstream template <repo-name>
Committing per template ensures that if a later template sync fails, the earlier successful syncs are preserved.
Then move to the next template.
4. Verification loop
After all templates are processed, run a convergent verification cycle. Maximum 3 rounds — if issues persist after 3 rounds, present the remaining issues to the user for manual resolution.
-
Spawn a subagent with this prompt, listing the diff file paths:
You are a Template Sync Verification Agent. The project just synced changes from its upstream templates. The upstream diffs are saved as files — read them to see what changed upstream.
For each diff file listed below:
- Read the diff file to understand what changed upstream
- Compare each upstream change against the current project state
- Identify any changes that were supposed to be incorporated but were missed, applied incorrectly, or only partially applied
- Check that the project builds and types pass
Diff files:
<repo>: $TMPDIR/sync-<repo-name>.diff (commit log: $TMPDIR/sync-<repo-name>.log)- (repeat for each template)
Report your findings as a list of specific issues. If everything looks correct, say "No issues found." Be thorough — check file by file.
-
If the subagent finds issues, fix them and commit the fixes.
-
Repeat (up to 3 total rounds) until the subagent reports no issues.
Judgment Calls
Template syncing is inherently a judgment-heavy process. The downstream project will have diverged from the template, and not every upstream change belongs in every downstream project. Prioritize:
- Security fixes and vulnerability patches — always adopt
- Build and CI improvements — usually adopt
- Framework/dependency upgrades — adopt if compatible, ask if major version
- New features or patterns — ask the user
- Content or styling changes — usually skip (the downstream project has its own content)
When a template change touches a file that the downstream project has heavily customized, read both versions carefully. Apply the intent of the upstream change rather than blindly merging the diff. The goal is to get the benefit of the improvement without losing downstream customizations.
