modify

name	modify
description	Self-modification skill for agent configuration files. Handles changes to AGENTS.md, skills, preferences, and state files with appropriate safety tiers. Use when the user asks to change agent rules, add skills, or update preferences. Invoke for rule changes, skill additions, preference updates, or APEX modifications.
license	MIT
metadata	{"author":"local","version":"1.0.0","domain":"workflow","triggers":"update rule, change how you, add skill, always, never, remember that, APEX should, stop doing","role":"meta","scope":"configuration","output-format":"markdown","related-skills":"self-modify"}

Modify

Handles modifications to agent configuration files with tiered safety controls.

Core Workflow

1. Identify -- Determine which file and tier the change affects
2. Backup -- For Tier 1 and 2 files: cp <file> .agents/backups/<file>.<timestamp>
3. Confirm -- Tier 1 only: show diff, wait for explicit "yes"
4. Apply -- Make the minimal surgical edit
5. Report -- Modified [file] | Changed: [what] | Rollback: cp .agents/backups/[x] [dest]

File Tiers

Tier	Files	Confirmation Required
1 -- Constitutional	AGENTS.md, BLUEPRINT.md	YES -- show diff, wait for "yes"
2 -- Operational	skills/*.md, PREFERENCES.md	Only if user didn't explicitly ask
3 -- State	CONTEXT.md, lessons.md, failures.md	Never

Adding a New Skill

1. Check .agents/skills/ for existing skills
2. Create .agents/skills/<name>/SKILL.md with proper frontmatter
3. Follow the format in .agents/skills/rust-engineer/SKILL.md as reference
4. Report the trigger phrases to the user

Constraints

MUST DO

• Backup before modifying Tier 1 or 2 files
• Make surgical edits only -- nothing outside request scope
• Verify the edit by re-reading the file after applying

MUST NOT DO

• Modify Tier 1 files without showing diff and getting confirmation
• Change anything adjacent to the requested modification
• Delete backup files