Skill Scout

Find the best existing skill, pattern, package, or reference implementation before creating a new skill or writing custom code.

Contract

Inputs:

Desired workflow, capability, or skill idea
Target repo, platform, framework, or tool constraints
Optional external candidate URLs or package names

Outputs:

Ranked candidate table with source, fit, risks, and gaps
Recommendation: use existing, fork/extend, compose, or create fresh
Adoption notes for the selected path

Creates/Modifies:

None in scout mode
New or modified skill only after the search result supports it or the user explicitly asks

External Side Effects:

Read-only local, package registry, GitHub, documentation, or web searches
No install, publish, or remote write by default

Confirmation Required:

Before installing external code
Before importing a third-party skill into this repo
Before creating a new skill when a close match exists

Delegates To:

skill-creator when creating or rewriting a skill after scouting
skill-creator to compare an existing skill contract before adding an overlap
git-safety before publishing private code as a public skill

When to Use

User asks to create, build, fork, rewrite, import, or find a skill.
User asks whether a skill exists for a workflow.
A requested feature likely has existing package, framework, MCP, or repo examples.
A new helper, abstraction, integration, command, or workflow is about to be written.
A maintainer wants to avoid duplicating community or local work.

If the user explicitly says to skip research or create from scratch, acknowledge that constraint and proceed with the requested path.

Search Process

1. Capture Intent

Extract:

task the skill or implementation should perform
trigger conditions
target audience and platform
frameworks, tools, data sources, or side effects involved
three to five keywords plus synonyms
constraints that disqualify candidates

2. Search Local Sources First

Prefer local sources because they already match the user's environment:

current repo skills and commands
hidden or internal skill directories
existing rules, agent docs, and memory files
package manifests and existing dependencies
similar modules, tests, and helpers in the active codebase

For code work, find at least three real examples in the repo before writing a new pattern. If fewer than three exist, call out that the change introduces a new pattern.

3. Search External Sources

Use only relevant channels:

package registries for the active language
GitHub repositories and code search
official framework documentation
public skill marketplaces or skill repos
web search for current ecosystem guidance

If a search channel is unavailable, state that limitation instead of claiming coverage.

4. Vet Candidates

For each serious candidate, check:

license and attribution requirements
maintenance activity and issue health
dependency size and security posture
side effects, shell commands, credential handling, and install scripts
fit with local repo conventions
whether wrapping is simpler than copying

Prefer rewriting external skills into local standards instead of importing them verbatim when frontmatter, tooling assumptions, or workflow boundaries differ.

5. Decide

Signal	Decision
Exact local match	Use existing
Local match with small gap	Extend or merge
Good external match with compatible license	Rewrite or fork with attribution
Package solves the core need	Adopt package and add thin integration
Multiple partial matches	Compose the smallest useful set
No good match	Create fresh skill or implementation

Ranking Output

Return a compact table:

Rank	Candidate	Source	Fit	Gap/Risk	Recommendation
1	`skill-auditor`	local	Portfolio audit exists	No compliance scenarios	Extend

Then state the decision:

Recommendation: rewrite `agent-architecture-audit` as a new platform-neutral
skill. It covers a real gap, the license allows reuse, and local skills only
cover general debugging/evaluation.

Skill Import Rules

When importing or rewriting skills into this repo:

Follow the Agent Skills spec and local standards.
Put version and tags inside metadata.
Add plugin.json.
Keep platform-specific fields out unless this repo explicitly supports them.
Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines; move detailed examples to references.
Run README sync and validation after adding, removing, or renaming skills.
Attribute external sources when reusing substantial content or scripts.

Anti-Patterns

Creating a new skill before checking local overlap.
Installing or importing an external skill without reading it.
Returning a long unranked list of weak matches.
Treating a web-only mention as trusted source material.
Copying an external skill that depends on another platform's hooks, commands, or private paths without rewriting the contract.

skill-scout