workspace

name	workspace
description	Show the user the agent's work on a research project and save iterations on the user's behalf. Scaffold rendering and deploy infrastructure (Quarto today, GitHub Pages, dev container), show the rendered output, save iterations. Doesn't handle research execution (use `research-step`).
allowed-tools	Bash(which quarto) Bash(make *) Bash(quarto render *) Bash(quarto preview *) Bash(git *) Bash(gh *) Read(assets/**) Write Edit

Workspace

Manage the writing/docs side of a research project: scaffold infrastructure as needed, show the rendered work, save iterations. For managing the research task graph itself (planning, executing typed tasks), use research-step.

assets/DEVELOPER.md is a developer-facing template scaffolded into the user's project root (where it becomes DEVELOPER.md for humans and agents working with the project). This SKILL.md is the agent-specific procedure.

Show the user the rendered work

Give the user a web URL for the rendered work. Two URL sources, pick based on your context:

• Local agent (host, local dev container, or Codespace — the user can reach your port): run make preview in the background. Pass the URL Quarto prints (localhost on host/dev container; Codespaces-forwarded URL in a Codespace).
• Headless agent (no user-reachable port): push the branch (see Save), then make deployed-url to fetch the deployed URL from GitHub Pages CI.

Save

git add + git commit -m "<concise message>". Don't git push without explicit user approval.

For a headless agent (the user only sees results via deployed URL):

• First save: git push -u origin HEAD:<feature-branch>, gh pr create --fill, then make deployed-url and report the URL.
• Subsequent saves: git push, make deployed-url.
• After explicit merge approval: gh pr merge, make deployed-url.

Don't merge a PR without explicit user approval.

Scaffold components as needed

Add components only when needed; don't proactively offer.

Component	When to add
Quarto build tool	Always — it's the project structure.
GitHub Pages deploy	When you have no user-reachable port, or the user asks for a deployed URL.
Dev container	When the user wants to avoid installing Quarto/dependencies on the host — their own machine or anyone else's (e.g., for collaborator access without local setup).

Before writing any file in the steps below, check whether the target path already exists. If it does, ask the user before overwriting, or merge the asset's contents into the existing file.

Quarto build tool

1. Copy assets/_quarto.yml to project root; fill {{TITLE}}.
2. Create index.qmd with title: frontmatter.
3. Create empty references.bib.
4. Append _site/ and .quarto/ to .gitignore (don't overwrite).
5. Copy assets/Makefile to project root.
6. Copy assets/README.md; fill {{TITLE}} and {{DESCRIPTION}} from the user.
7. Copy assets/DEVELOPER.md to project root. User owns it — only update later with explicit user permission.

GitHub Pages deploy

1. Copy assets/docs.yml to .github/workflows/docs.yml.
2. Configure Pages to serve from gh-pages:

   gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/pages -X POST --input - <<'EOF'
   {"build_type":"legacy","source":{"branch":"gh-pages","path":"/"}}
   EOF
   

Dev container

1. Copy assets/devcontainer.json to .devcontainer/devcontainer.json.
2. Tell the user how to open it (Codespaces or VS Code "Reopen in Container") and authenticate Asta tools — see DEVELOPER.md.