headwater-authoring

Drafts governed documentation documents through the headwater engine's scaffolding verb.

Updated Aug 8, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/headwater-ai/headwater --skill headwater-authoring-headwater-ai
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: headwater-authoring
Source: https://github.com/headwater-ai/headwater/tree/main/.claude/skills/headwater-authoring
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/headwater-ai/headwater --skill headwater-authoring-headwater-ai

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Writing a new governed document by hand in a Headwater corpus is refused by the PreToolUse hook, and hand-typed front matter drifts from the taxonomy. This Skill routes every new document through the headwater new verb so placement, identifiers, facets, and section headings come from the engine, leaving only judgment calls to the author. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Engine-driven scaffolding: Runs headwater new <kind> --title for all 18 document kinds (decision, obligation_record, evaluation, specification, etc.) and interprets the origin report the verb prints. - Hand-entry guidance: Explains how to fill the fields the engine marks as hand entry — the summary scent facet, section bodies, provenance blocks, and the accepted_by/status lines governed by rulings HW-DR-0034 and HW-DR-0052. - Refusal handling: Maps Unnameable and FacetUndeterminable refusals to the correct escalation path (the taxonomy skill or --facet waiting_on=<value>), never a workaround. - Use Case: When asked to record a finding or file a decision under docs/, invoke this Skill to scaffold the document via the engine, fill the judgment fields, and finish with headwater check until errors reach zero. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to draft a new decision record titled with your finding, and it will run the headwater new verb, fill the hand-entry fields, and validate the corpus with headwater check.

Frequently Asked Questions about headwater-authoring

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I create a new document in a Headwater corpus?

Run `headwater new <kind> --title "<title>"` with one of the 18 concrete kinds such as decision, obligation_record, or evaluation. The verb writes the file, prints the origin of every value, and lists relations you may still declare. Direct Write of a new file under docs/ is refused by the PreToolUse hook.

Why was my Write to a file under docs/ refused?

The PreToolUse hook refuses any Write that creates a new document under docs/ and names the headwater new verb as the correct path. Edits to existing documents pass, so the repair pattern is to scaffold first with the verb, then edit the file it wrote.

What does the FacetUndeterminable refusal mean in headwater new?

FacetUndeterminable means a required facet declares a closed value set that no role can derive. For obligation_record, pass `--facet waiting_on=<value>` with one of ruling, build, measurement, or adopter. Other cases are taxonomy gaps owned by the headwater-taxonomy skill, never worked around.

Can an agent mark a document as accepted in Headwater?

An agent may write `accepted_by` and `warrant: accepted` only on a document going into a pull request a named human reads before merge. Where nothing stands between the draft and main, write `warrant: asserted` with no accepted_by. Never move a warrant to accepted yourself.

What should I run after adding a document to a Headwater corpus?

Run `headwater check` and drive errors to zero, using `headwater check --fix` for mechanical corrections. Then run the workspace test suite with HEADWATER_BLESS=1 to re-record the three fixtures that move when a document is added or removed, and read the diff.