gh-cskiro-claudex/skills/meta/skill-creator/patterns/phase-based.md

Phase-Based Skill Pattern

Use this pattern when your skill follows sequential phases that build on each other.

When to Use

• Skill has a linear workflow with clear stages
• Each phase depends on the previous phase
• Progressive disclosure of complexity
• Examples: codebase-auditor (discovery → analysis → reporting → remediation)

Structure

Phase Overview

Define clear phases with dependencies:

Phase 1: Discovery
  ↓
Phase 2: Analysis
  ↓
Phase 3: Reporting
  ↓
Phase 4: Action/Remediation

Phase Workflow Template

## Workflow

### Phase 1: [Name]

**Purpose**: [What this phase accomplishes]

**Steps:**
1. [Step 1]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]

**Output**: [What information is produced]

**Transition**: [When to move to next phase]

### Phase 2: [Name]

**Purpose**: [What this phase accomplishes]

**Inputs**: [Required from previous phase]

**Steps:**
1. [Step 1]
2. [Step 2]

**Output**: [What information is produced]

Example: Codebase Auditor

Phase 1: Initial Assessment (Progressive Disclosure)

• Lightweight scan to understand codebase
• Identify tech stack and structure
• Quick health check
• Output: Project profile and initial findings

Phase 2: Deep Analysis (Load on Demand)

• Based on Phase 1, perform targeted analysis
• Code quality, security, testing, etc.
• Output: Detailed findings with severity

Phase 3: Report Generation

• Aggregate findings from Phase 2
• Calculate scores and metrics
• Output: Comprehensive audit report

Phase 4: Remediation Planning

• Prioritize findings by severity
• Generate action plan
• Output: Prioritized task list

Best Practices

1. Progressive Disclosure: Start lightweight, go deep only when needed
2. Clear Transitions: Explicitly state when moving between phases
3. Phase Independence: Each phase should have clear inputs/outputs
4. Checkpoint Validation: Verify prerequisites before advancing
5. Early Exit: Allow stopping after any phase if user only needs partial analysis
6. Incremental Value: Each phase should provide standalone value

Phase Characteristics

Discovery Phase

• Fast and lightweight
• Gather context and identify scope
• No expensive operations
• Output guides subsequent phases

Analysis Phase

• Deep dive based on discovery
• Resource-intensive operations
• Parallel processing when possible
• Structured output for reporting

Reporting Phase

• Aggregate and synthesize data
• Calculate metrics and scores
• Generate human-readable output
• Support multiple formats

Action Phase

• Provide recommendations
• Generate implementation guidance
• Offer to perform actions
• Track completion