author-pack

name	author-pack
description	Create or extend portable pack source using packport conventions. Use when a user wants a new pack, asset, skill, command, agent, instruction, or packaging contract.

Author Pack

Purpose

Use this skill to author readable portable source under packs/ while keeping generated target output and local configuration out of pack source.

Workflow

1. Identify the repository root, pack id, asset kind, asset name, and intended payload behavior.
2. Prefer convention paths: PACK.md, skills/<name>/SKILL.md, commands/<name>/COMMAND.md, agents/<name>/AGENT.md, instructions/<name>/INSTRUCTION.md, or hooks/<name>/HOOK.md.
3. Create PACK.md with only name, version, and description frontmatter when the pack is new.
4. Write payload content in the payload file. Keep packport metadata out of payloads.
5. Add ASSET.md only for non-obvious payload paths, declared portable refs, dependencies, needs, configuration, or source constraints.
6. For reusable values, use explicit config, tool, or mcp portable refs and declare each concrete ref in PACK.md or ASSET.md.
7. Run packport check <root>. If working from the packport source tree before a binary is installed, run bun src/cli.ts check <root>.
8. Report the created or changed source files and any check diagnostics.

Boundaries

• Do not edit .packs/, native marketplace files, or pack.lock.yaml by hand.
• Do not put local names, local paths, usernames, secrets, selected-pack state, or install scope choices into reusable pack source.
• Do not add ASSET.md when directory conventions are enough.