asset-frontmatter-check

name	asset-frontmatter-check
description	Validate YAML frontmatter of Copilot customisation assets in this lab (SKILL.md, WORKFLOW.md, *.agent.md, *.instructions.md, *.prompt.md). Use when adding, reviewing, or fixing an asset's frontmatter, or when asked to check whether an asset follows repository conventions.
metadata	{"skill-author":"Marie-Lynne Block","version":"1.0.0"}

Asset Frontmatter Check

Check that a customisation asset carries the frontmatter this repository expects, then report or fix deviations.

When to use

• A new asset was added under skills/, workflows/, agents/, instructions/, or templates/.
• An asset is ignored by VS Code and the frontmatter is the suspect.
• A review asks whether assets follow repository conventions.

Required shapes

Field order matters where shown.

SKILL.md

---

name: (kebab-case name matching the folder)
description: (what it does and when to use it)
metadata:
  skill-author: (author name)
  version: x.x.x
---

WORKFLOW.md

---

name: (kebab-case name matching the folder)
description: (what it does and when to use it)
metadata:
  workflow-author: (author name)
  version: x.x.x
---

*.agent.md

---

description: (discovery-friendly description)
metadata:
  agent-author: (author name)
  version: x.x.x
---

Keep name, tools, and model only when they add clear value.

*.instructions.md

---

description: (description)
applyTo: (glob)
metadata:
  instruction-author: (author name)
  version: x.x.x
---

metadata is the last field when present.

Procedure

1. Identify the asset type from the file name and location.
2. Read the frontmatter block only; do not rewrite body content.
3. Check, in order:
   • Frontmatter opens on line 1 with --- and closes with ---.
   • YAML parses: two-space indentation, quoted strings containing : or starting with a special character.
   • All required fields for the type are present and non-empty.
   • Field order matches the shape above.
   • description states both what the asset does and when to use it.
   • name (skills and workflows) is kebab-case and matches the containing folder name.
   • applyTo (instructions) is a glob that actually matches files in this repo.
4. Report findings as a short list: file, issue, suggested fix.
5. Apply fixes only to frontmatter, and only when the user asked for fixes.

Notes

• The _blank suffix under templates/ is a lab-only convention; template files are exempt from the name-matches-folder check.
• Do not invent authors or versions. Use [TODO] when a value is genuinely unknown.