architecture/docs/writing-commands.md

# Writing Commands

A guide to creating user-facing entry points that trigger workflows.

## What is a Command?

Commands are **user-facing entry points** that trigger workflows. Unlike skills (which encode knowledge) or agents (which execute tasks autonomously), commands define *what* to do—they orchestrate the workflow that users invoke directly.

Think of commands as the interface between users and the system. Users type `/work-issue 42` and the command defines the entire workflow: fetch issue, create branch, implement, commit, push, create PR.

## File Structure

Commands live directly in the `commands/` directory as markdown files:

```
commands/
├── work-issue.md
├── dashboard.md
├── review-pr.md
├── create-issue.md
├── groom.md
├── roadmap.md
└── plan-issues.md
```

### Why Flat Files?

Unlike skills and agents (which use folders), commands are single files because:
- Commands are self-contained workflow definitions
- No supporting files needed
- Simple naming: `/work-issue` maps to `work-issue.md`

## Command Document Structure

A well-structured command file has two parts:

### 1. Frontmatter (YAML Header)

```yaml
---
description: Brief description shown in command listings
argument-hint: <required-arg> [optional-arg]
---
```

| Field | Purpose | Required |
|-------|---------|----------|
| `description` | One-line summary for help/listings | Yes |
| `argument-hint` | Shows expected arguments | If arguments needed |

### 2. Body (Markdown Instructions)

```markdown
# Command Title

Brief intro if needed.

1. **Step one**: What to do
2. **Step two**: What to do next
...
```

The body contains the workflow steps that Claude follows when the command is invoked.

## Complete Command Example

```markdown
---
description: Work on a Gitea issue. Fetches issue details and sets up branch.
argument-hint: <issue-number>
---

# Work on Issue #$1

Use the gitea skill.

1. **View the issue** to understand requirements
2. **Create a branch**: `git checkout -b issue-$1-<short-kebab-title>`
3. **Plan**: Use TodoWrite to break down the work
4. **Implement** the changes
5. **Commit** with message referencing the issue
6. **Push** the branch to origin
7. **Create PR** with title "[Issue #$1] <title>" and body "Closes #$1"
```

## Argument Handling

Commands can accept arguments from the user. Arguments are passed via positional variables: `$1`, `$2`, etc.

### The ARGUMENTS Pattern

When users invoke a command with arguments:
```
/work-issue 42
```

The system provides the arguments via the `$1`, `$2`, etc. placeholders in the command body:
```markdown
# Work on Issue #$1
1. **View the issue** to understand requirements
```

Becomes:
```markdown
# Work on Issue #42
1. **View the issue** to understand requirements
```

### Argument Hints

Use `argument-hint` in frontmatter to document expected arguments:

| Pattern | Meaning |
|---------|---------|
| `<arg>` | Required argument |
| `[arg]` | Optional argument |
| `<arg1> <arg2>` | Multiple required |
| `[arg1] [arg2]` | Multiple optional |
| `<required> [optional]` | Mix of both |

Examples:
```yaml
argument-hint: <issue-number>           # One required
argument-hint: [issue-number]           # One optional
argument-hint: <title> [description]    # Required + optional
argument-hint: [title] or "batch"       # Choice of modes
```

### Handling Optional Arguments

Commands often have different behavior based on whether arguments are provided:

```markdown
---
description: Groom issues. Without argument, reviews all. With argument, grooms specific issue.
argument-hint: [issue-number]
---

# Groom Issues

Use the gitea skill.

## If issue number provided ($1):
1. **Fetch the issue** details
2. **Evaluate** against checklist
...

## If no argument (groom all):
1. **List open issues**
2. **Review each** against checklist
...
```

### Multiple Modes

Some commands support distinct modes based on the first argument:

```markdown
---
description: Create issues. Single or batch mode.
argument-hint: [title] or "batch"
---

# Create Issue(s)

Use the gitea skill.

## Single Issue (default)
If title provided, create an issue with that title.

## Batch Mode
If $1 is "batch":
1. Ask user for the plan
2. Generate list of issues
3. Show for approval
4. Create each issue
```

## Invoking Skills

Commands reference skills by name to gain domain knowledge. When a skill is referenced, Claude reads the skill file before proceeding.

### Explicit Reference

```markdown
# Groom Issues

Use the **gitea**, **backlog-grooming**, and **issue-writing** skills.

1. **Fetch the issue** details
2. **Evaluate** against grooming checklist
...
```

The phrase "Use the gitea, backlog-grooming and issue-writing skills" tells Claude to read and apply knowledge from those skill files.

### Skill-Based Approach

Commands should reference skills rather than embedding CLI commands directly:

```markdown
1. **Fetch the issue** details
```

This relies on the `gitea` skill to provide the CLI knowledge.

### When to Reference Skills

| Reference explicitly | Reference implicitly |
|---------------------|---------------------|
| Core methodology is needed | Just using a tool |
| Quality standards matter | Simple operations |
| Patterns should be followed | Well-known commands |

## Invoking Agents

Commands can spawn agents for complex subtasks that benefit from skill composition or context isolation.

### Spawning Agents

```markdown
For comprehensive backlog review, spawn the **product-manager** agent to:
- Review all open issues
- Categorize by readiness
- Propose improvements
```

### When to Spawn Agents

Spawn an agent when the command needs:
- **Parallel processing**: Multiple independent tasks
- **Context isolation**: Deep exploration that would pollute main context
- **Skill composition**: Multiple skills working together
- **Autonomous operation**: Let the agent figure out details

### Example: Conditional Agent Spawning

```markdown
# Groom Issues

## If no argument (groom all):
For large backlogs (>10 issues), consider spawning the
product-manager agent to handle the review autonomously.
```

## Interactive Patterns

Commands often require user interaction for confirmation, choices, or input.

### Approval Workflows

Always ask for approval before significant actions:

```markdown
5. **Ask for approval** before creating issues
6. **Create issues** in order
```

Common approval points:
- Before creating/modifying resources (issues, PRs, files)
- Before executing destructive operations
- When presenting a plan that will be executed

### Presenting Choices

When the command leads to multiple possible actions:

```markdown
Ask the user what action to take:
- **Merge**: Approve and merge the PR
- **Request changes**: Leave feedback without merging
- **Comment only**: Add a comment for discussion
```

### Gathering Input

Some commands need to gather information from the user:

```markdown
## Batch Mode
If $1 is "batch":
1. **Ask user** for the plan/direction
2. Generate list of issues with titles and descriptions
3. Show for approval
```

### Presenting Results

Commands should clearly show what was done:

```markdown
7. **Update dependencies** with actual issue numbers after creation
8. **Present summary** with links to created issues
```

Good result presentations include:
- Tables for lists of items
- Links for created resources
- Summaries of changes made
- Next step suggestions

## Annotated Examples

Let's examine existing commands to understand effective patterns.

### Example 1: work-issue (Linear Workflow)

```markdown
---
description: Work on a Gitea issue. Fetches issue details and sets up branch.
argument-hint: <issue-number>
---

# Work on Issue #$1

Use the gitea skill.

1. **View the issue** to understand requirements
2. **Create a branch**: `git checkout -b issue-$1-<short-kebab-title>`
3. **Plan**: Use TodoWrite to break down the work
4. **Implement** the changes
5. **Commit** with message referencing the issue
6. **Push** the branch to origin
7. **Create PR** with title "[Issue #$1] <title>" and body "Closes #$1"
```

**Key patterns:**
- **Linear workflow**: Clear numbered steps in order
- **Required argument**: `<issue-number>` means must provide
- **Variable substitution**: `$1` used throughout
- **Skill reference**: Uses gitea skill for CLI knowledge
- **Git integration**: Branch and push steps specified

### Example 2: dashboard (No Arguments)

```markdown
---
description: Show dashboard of open issues, PRs awaiting review, and CI status.
---

# Repository Dashboard

Use the gitea skill.

Fetch and display:
1. All open issues
2. All open PRs

Format as tables showing issue/PR number, title, and author.
```

**Key patterns:**
- **No argument-hint**: Command takes no arguments
- **Output formatting**: Specifies how to present results
- **Aggregation**: Combines multiple data sources
- **Simple workflow**: Just fetch and display

### Example 3: groom (Optional Argument with Modes)

```markdown
---
description: Groom and improve issues. Without argument, reviews all. With argument, grooms specific issue.
argument-hint: [issue-number]
---

# Groom Issues

Use the gitea, backlog-grooming, and issue-writing skills.

## If issue number provided ($1):
1. **Fetch the issue** details
2. **Evaluate** against grooming checklist
3. **Suggest improvements** for:
   - Title clarity
   - Description completeness
   - Acceptance criteria quality
4. **Ask user** if they want to apply changes
5. **Update issue** if approved

## If no argument (groom all):
1. **List open issues**
2. **Review each** against grooming checklist
3. **Categorize**: Ready / Needs work / Stale
4. **Present summary** table
5. **Offer to improve** issues that need work
```

**Key patterns:**
- **Optional argument**: `[issue-number]` with brackets
- **Mode switching**: Different behavior based on argument presence
- **Explicit skill reference**: "Use the gitea, backlog-grooming and issue-writing skills"
- **Approval workflow**: "Ask user if they want to apply changes"
- **Categorization**: Groups items for presentation

### Example 4: plan-issues (Complex Workflow)

```markdown
---
description: Plan and create issues for a feature. Breaks down work into well-structured issues.
argument-hint: <feature-description>
---

# Plan Feature: $1

Use the gitea, roadmap-planning, and issue-writing skills.

1. **Understand the feature**: Analyze what "$1" involves
2. **Explore the codebase** if needed to understand context
3. **Break down** into discrete, actionable issues
4. **Present the plan**:
   ```
   ## Proposed Issues for: $1

   1. [Title] - Brief description
      Dependencies: none
   ...
   ```
5. **Ask for approval** before creating issues
6. **Create issues** in order
7. **Update dependencies** with actual issue numbers
8. **Present summary** with links to created issues
```

**Key patterns:**
- **Multi-skill composition**: References three skills together
- **Codebase exploration**: May need to understand context
- **Structured output**: Template for presenting the plan
- **Two-phase execution**: Plan first, then execute after approval
- **Dependency management**: Creates issues in order, updates references

### Example 5: review-pr (Action Choices)

```markdown
---
description: Review a Gitea pull request. Fetches PR details, diff, and comments.
argument-hint: <pr-number>
---

# Review PR #$1

Use the gitea skill.

1. **View PR details** including description and metadata
2. **Get the diff** to review the changes

Review the changes and provide feedback on:
- Code quality
- Potential bugs
- Test coverage
- Documentation

Ask the user what action to take:
- **Merge**: Approve and merge the PR
- **Request changes**: Leave feedback without merging
- **Comment only**: Add a comment for discussion
```

**Key patterns:**
- **Information gathering**: Fetches context before analysis
- **Review criteria**: Checklist of what to examine
- **Action menu**: Clear choices with explanations
- **User decides outcome**: Command presents options, user chooses

## Naming Conventions

### Command File Names

- Use **kebab-case**: `work-issue.md`, `plan-issues.md`
- Use **verbs or verb phrases**: Commands are actions
- Be **concise**: 1-3 words is ideal
- Match the **invocation**: `/work-issue` → `work-issue.md`

Good names:
- `work-issue` - Action + target
- `dashboard` - What it shows
- `review-pr` - Action + target
- `plan-issues` - Action + target
- `groom` - Action (target implied)

Avoid:
- `issue-work` - Noun-first is awkward
- `do-stuff` - Too vague
- `manage-issues-and-prs` - Too long

### Command Titles

The H1 title can be more descriptive than the filename:

| Filename | Title |
|----------|-------|
| `work-issue.md` | Work on Issue #$1 |
| `dashboard.md` | Repository Dashboard |
| `plan-issues.md` | Plan Feature: $1 |

## Best Practices

### 1. Design Clear Workflows

Each step should be unambiguous:

**Vague:**
```markdown
1. Handle the issue
2. Do the work
3. Finish up
```

**Clear:**
```markdown
1. **View the issue** to understand requirements
2. **Create a branch**: `git checkout -b issue-$1-<title>`
3. **Plan**: Use TodoWrite to break down the work
```

### 2. Show Don't Tell

Include actual commands and expected outputs:

**Telling:**
```markdown
List the open issues.
```

**Showing:**
```markdown
Fetch all open issues and format as table:
| # | Title | Author |
|---|-------|--------|
```

### 3. Always Ask Before Acting

Never modify resources without user approval:

```markdown
4. **Present plan** for approval
5. **If approved**, create the issues
```

### 4. Handle Edge Cases

Consider what happens when things are empty or unexpected:

```markdown
## If no argument (groom all):
1. **List open issues**
2. If no issues found, report "No open issues to groom"
3. Otherwise, **review each** against checklist
```

### 5. Provide Helpful Output

End with useful information:

```markdown
8. **Present summary** with:
   - Links to created issues
   - Dependency graph
   - Suggested next steps
```

### 6. Keep Commands Focused

One command = one workflow. If doing multiple unrelated things, split into separate commands.

**Too broad:**
```markdown
# Manage Everything
Handle issues, PRs, deployments, and documentation...
```

**Focused:**
```markdown
# Review PR #$1
Review and take action on a pull request...
```

## When to Create a Command

Create a command when you have:

1. **Repeatable workflow**: Same steps used multiple times
2. **User-initiated action**: User explicitly triggers it
3. **Clear start and end**: Workflow has defined boundaries
4. **Consistent behavior needed**: Should work the same every time

### Signs You Need a New Command

- You're explaining the same workflow repeatedly
- Users would benefit from a single invocation
- Multiple tools need orchestration
- Approval checkpoints are needed

### Signs You Don't Need a Command

- It's a one-time action
- No workflow orchestration needed
- A skill reference is sufficient
- An agent could handle it autonomously

## Command Lifecycle

### 1. Design

Define the workflow:
- What triggers it?
- What arguments does it need?
- What steps are involved?
- Where are approval points?
- What does success look like?

### 2. Implement

Create the command file:
- Clear frontmatter
- Step-by-step workflow
- Skill references where needed
- Approval checkpoints
- Output formatting

### 3. Test

Verify the workflow:
- Run with typical arguments
- Test edge cases (no args, invalid args)
- Confirm approval points work
- Check output formatting

### 4. Document

Update references:
- Add to ARCHITECTURE.md table
- Update README if user-facing
- Note any skill/agent dependencies

## Checklist: Before Submitting a New Command

- [ ] File is at `commands/<name>.md`
- [ ] Name follows kebab-case verb convention
- [ ] Frontmatter includes description
- [ ] Frontmatter includes argument-hint (if arguments needed)
- [ ] Workflow steps are clear and numbered
- [ ] Commands and tools are specified explicitly
- [ ] Skills are referenced where methodology matters
- [ ] Approval points exist before significant actions
- [ ] Edge cases are handled (no data, invalid input)
- [ ] Output formatting is specified
- [ ] ARCHITECTURE.md is updated with new command

## See Also

- [ARCHITECTURE.md](../ARCHITECTURE.md): How commands fit into the overall system
- [writing-skills.md](writing-skills.md): Creating skills that commands reference
- [writing-agents.md](writing-agents.md): Creating agents that commands spawn
- [VISION.md](../VISION.md): The philosophy behind composable components