writing-skills

Test-driven documentation uses the RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle to validate skill instructions before deployment. Write failing tests first to expose gaps in your guidance, then refine documentation until tests pass, ensuring instructions are bulletproof against rationalization and edge cases.

Pressure-test skills using subagents to surface rationalizations and verify compliance under maximum stress. Run baseline tests without guidance first to identify failures, then write the skill documentation to address those specific gaps, meeting RED-GREEN-REFACTOR discipline throughout.

Use TDD for skills when creating new ones, editing existing ones, or validating readiness before deployment. It eliminates guesswork by forcing you to test how agents fail without guidance first, then write instructions that address those exact failures.

Yes. Start by testing how agents fail without guidance on error handling—like API rate limiting or authentication errors—then write skill documentation that specifically addresses those failures, ensuring compliance with minimal-code patterns and YAML frontmatter constraints.

Yes. The RED-GREEN-REFACTOR discipline guides iterative refinement by running tests after each change, catching documentation gaps early and ensuring skills meet compliance requirements before deployment without requiring extensive code.