| name | askit-build-workflow |
| description | Creates and improves workflows (an ordered multi-skill arc) for a plugin to the Advanced Skill Library Standard. Use when a recurring sequence of skills is worth formalizing as a workflow, when you need to author a _workflows file with steps and exit criteria, or to resolve S5 workflow findings. |
| metadata | {"version":"0.1.0","tier":"universal","audience":"advanced"} |
askit-build-workflow
Purpose
Author a plugin's workflows: ordered arcs that chain multiple skills toward an outcome (Standard sec 3.4). Two modes: create authors _workflows/<name>.md (steps, inputs/outputs handed between steps, exit criteria); improve resolves findings. Authoring depth is in references/authoring-workflows.md. Follows the shared builder contract (../../docs/reference/builder-pattern.md).
When to use
When the user asks to author, scaffold, or improve a workflow, or to formalize a recurring multi-skill sequence into an ordered arc.
create mode
- Identify the recurring arc: the ordered skills, what is handed between steps, and the exit criteria. Skip the interview if in context.
- Author
_workflows/<name>.md (copy templates/workflow.md): frontmatter steps (each naming the skill it invokes) plus a body describing the handoffs and exit criteria.
- Every referenced skill MUST exist (S5). Every chaining step MUST be permitted by the chain contract (sec 3.4); use
askit-build-chain-contract to add the permission if needed.
- A workflow SHOULD declare which agent targets it supports.
- Evaluate (
node scripts/evaluate.mjs . --json) until S5 is clean.
improve mode
- Run evaluate and read findings.
- For an S5 finding (a step references a skill not on disk), fix the skill name or create the skill. Tighten the handoffs and exit criteria.
- Re-run to confirm.
Scope
A workflow is _workflows/<name>.md with ordered steps and exit criteria (sec 3.4). Referenced skills must exist (S5) and chaining steps must be chain-permitted (sec 3.6). The deterministic workflow-step chain-permission check (step orphans) is a planned enhancement; today S5 enforces step skill-existence and the chain contract governs component-to-component invocation.
