Files
aiturk-hermes-ide/tools/skill_manager_tool.py

2254 lines
89 KiB
Python

#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Skill Manager Tool -- Agent-Managed Skill Creation & Editing
Allows the agent to create, update, and delete skills, turning successful
approaches into reusable procedural knowledge. New skills are created in
~/.hermes/skills/. Existing skills (bundled, hub-installed, or user-created)
can be modified or deleted wherever they live.
Skills are the agent's procedural memory: they capture *how to do a specific
type of task* based on proven experience. General memory (MEMORY.md, USER.md) is
broad and declarative. Skills are narrow and actionable.
Actions:
create -- Create a new skill (SKILL.md + directory structure)
edit -- Replace the SKILL.md content of a user skill (full rewrite)
patch -- Targeted find-and-replace within SKILL.md or any supporting file
delete -- Remove a user skill entirely
write_file -- Add/overwrite a supporting file (reference, template, script, asset)
remove_file-- Remove a supporting file from a user skill
Directory layout for user skills:
~/.hermes/skills/
├── my-skill/
│ ├── SKILL.md
│ ├── references/
│ ├── templates/
│ ├── scripts/
│ └── assets/
└── category-name/
└── another-skill/
└── SKILL.md
"""
import json
import logging
import re
import shutil
import threading
import contextvars as _ctxvars
from pathlib import Path
from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home, display_hermes_home
from utils import atomic_write_text, is_truthy_value
from hermes_cli.config import cfg_get
from agent.skill_utils import (
extract_skill_description,
is_skill_description_truncated_for_prompt,
parse_frontmatter as _parse_frontmatter,
SKILL_PROMPT_DESC_LIMIT,
)
logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
class _BackgroundReviewReadMarks:
"""Read marks shared by copied tool contexts within one review run."""
def __init__(self) -> None:
self._lock = threading.Lock()
self._paths: set[str] = set()
def add(self, path: str) -> None:
with self._lock:
self._paths.add(path)
def contains(self, path: str) -> bool:
with self._lock:
return path in self._paths
_background_review_read_paths: (
"_ctxvars.ContextVar[Optional[_BackgroundReviewReadMarks]]"
) = _ctxvars.ContextVar("background_review_read_paths", default=None)
def mark_background_review_skill_read(path: Path) -> None:
"""Record that the active background-review fork has read a skill file.
The autonomous review fork is allowed to evolve skills, but it must not
patch or rewrite content it has only inferred from the transcript. The
skill_view tool calls this after returning file content to the model; write
paths below require the corresponding target path to be present when the
current origin is ``background_review``.
"""
try:
from tools.skill_provenance import is_background_review
if not is_background_review():
return
except Exception:
return
try:
resolved = str(path.resolve())
except Exception:
resolved = str(path)
marks = _background_review_read_paths.get()
if marks is None:
marks = _BackgroundReviewReadMarks()
_background_review_read_paths.set(marks)
marks.add(resolved)
def _background_review_has_read(path: Path) -> bool:
try:
resolved = str(path.resolve())
except Exception:
resolved = str(path)
marks = _background_review_read_paths.get()
return marks is not None and marks.contains(resolved)
def _reset_background_review_read_marks() -> None:
"""Start a fresh, isolated read set for the current review context."""
_background_review_read_paths.set(_BackgroundReviewReadMarks())
# Import security scanner — external hub installs always get scanned;
# agent-created skills only get scanned when skills.guard_agent_created is on.
try:
from tools.skills_guard import scan_skill, should_allow_install, format_scan_report
_GUARD_AVAILABLE = True
except ImportError:
_GUARD_AVAILABLE = False
def _guard_agent_created_enabled() -> bool:
"""Read skills.guard_agent_created from config (default False).
Off by default because the agent can already execute the same code
paths via terminal() with no gate, so the scan adds friction without
meaningful security. Users who want belt-and-suspenders can turn it
on via `hermes config set skills.guard_agent_created true`.
"""
try:
from hermes_cli.config import load_config
cfg = load_config()
return is_truthy_value(
cfg_get(cfg, "skills", "guard_agent_created"),
default=False,
)
except Exception:
return False
def _security_scan_skill(skill_dir: Path) -> Optional[str]:
"""Scan a skill directory after write. Returns error string if blocked, else None.
No-op when skills.guard_agent_created is disabled (the default).
"""
if not _GUARD_AVAILABLE:
return None
if not _guard_agent_created_enabled():
return None
try:
result = scan_skill(skill_dir, source="agent-created")
allowed, reason = should_allow_install(result)
if allowed is False:
report = format_scan_report(result)
return f"Security scan blocked this skill ({reason}):\n{report}"
if allowed is None:
# "ask" verdict — for agent-created skills this means dangerous
# findings were detected. Surface as an error so the agent can
# retry with the flagged content removed.
report = format_scan_report(result)
logger.warning("Agent-created skill blocked (dangerous findings): %s", reason)
return f"Security scan blocked this skill ({reason}):\n{report}"
except Exception as e:
logger.warning("Security scan failed for %s: %s", skill_dir, e, exc_info=True)
return None
import yaml
# All skills live in ~/.hermes/skills/ (single source of truth)
HERMES_HOME = get_hermes_home()
SKILLS_DIR = HERMES_HOME / "skills"
_SKILLS_DIR_AT_IMPORT = SKILLS_DIR
def _skills_dir() -> Path:
"""Return the active profile's skills directory at call time.
Long-lived multi-profile runtimes (Dashboard/TUI/Desktop backend, cron,
kanban workers) import this module once under the launch HERMES_HOME and
later bind a different profile per session (#40677). Honor an explicitly
patched module-level ``SKILLS_DIR`` (tests), otherwise resolve from the
live profile-scoped HERMES_HOME on every call.
"""
configured = Path(SKILLS_DIR)
if configured != _SKILLS_DIR_AT_IMPORT:
return configured
return get_hermes_home() / "skills"
MAX_NAME_LENGTH = 64
MAX_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH = 1024
def _display_create_dir() -> str:
"""Display string for the skill-creation directory (schema/instruction text).
Renders ``skills.create_dir`` when configured so every instruction that
names the creation path follows the config, falling back to the
profile-local skills dir.
"""
try:
from agent.skill_utils import display_skill_create_dir
return display_skill_create_dir()
except Exception:
return f"{display_hermes_home()}/skills/"
def _containing_skills_root(skill_path: Path) -> Path:
"""Return the skills root directory (local or external_dirs entry) that
contains ``skill_path``. Falls back to the local ``SKILLS_DIR`` if no
match is found (defensive — callers should have located the skill via
``_find_skill`` first).
"""
from agent.skill_utils import get_all_skills_dirs
try:
resolved = skill_path.resolve()
except OSError:
resolved = skill_path
for root in get_all_skills_dirs():
try:
resolved.relative_to(root.resolve())
return root
except (ValueError, OSError):
continue
return _skills_dir()
def _is_path_redirect(path: Path) -> bool:
"""True when ``path`` is a symlink or (on Windows) a directory junction.
Either form lets a poisoned skills tree redirect a subsequent
``shutil.rmtree`` to content outside the skills root. ``is_junction``
only exists on Python 3.12+ Windows; gate with ``hasattr``.
"""
try:
return path.is_symlink() or (hasattr(path, "is_junction") and path.is_junction())
except OSError:
return False
def _validate_delete_target(skill_dir: Path) -> Optional[str]:
"""Last-line guard before ``shutil.rmtree(skill_dir)`` in ``_delete_skill``.
``_find_skill`` already restricts ``skill_dir`` to a real ``SKILL.md``
parent discovered by walking the skills roots, so the agent cannot inject
an arbitrary path the way Kilo Code's HTTP endpoint could (their issue
#11227: a built-in-skill sentinel resolved to the server cwd and a
recursive delete wiped the user's entire working directory). This is the
matching defense-in-depth for our agent-facing ``skill_manage`` delete
path: even if discovery or a poisoned tree hands us a bad directory, never
recursively delete
1. a path that is not strictly *inside* one of the known skills roots,
2. a skills root itself (would wipe every installed skill), or
3. a directory reached via a symlink / junction (``rmtree`` would follow
it into content outside the skills tree).
Returns an error string to refuse on, or ``None`` when the delete is safe.
"""
from agent.skill_utils import get_all_skills_dirs
# (3) Reject symlink/junction redirects on the skill directory itself.
if _is_path_redirect(skill_dir):
return (
f"Refusing to delete '{skill_dir}': the skill directory is a "
f"symlink/junction. Remove the link target manually if intended."
)
try:
resolved = skill_dir.resolve()
except OSError as exc:
return f"Refusing to delete '{skill_dir}': could not resolve path ({exc})."
roots = []
for root in get_all_skills_dirs():
try:
roots.append(root.resolve())
except OSError:
continue
for root in roots:
# (2) Never rmtree a skills root itself.
if resolved == root:
return (
f"Refusing to delete '{skill_dir}': resolves to the skills root "
f"itself, which would remove every installed skill."
)
# (1) Must be strictly inside a known root.
try:
rel = resolved.relative_to(root)
except ValueError:
continue
if rel.parts: # at least one component below the root
return None
return (
f"Refusing to delete '{skill_dir}': path does not resolve inside any "
f"known skills root."
)
def _pinned_guard(name: str) -> Optional[str]:
"""Return a refusal message if *name* is pinned or essential, else None.
Pin protects a skill from **deletion** — both the curator's auto-archive
passes and the agent's ``skill_manage(action="delete")`` tool call. The
agent can still patch/edit pinned skills; pin only guards against
irrecoverable loss, not against content evolution.
Essential skills (``agent/skill_utils.ESSENTIAL_SKILLS``, e.g.
``hermes-agent``) are treated as permanently pinned: the system prompt
always references them, so deleting one leaves a dangling instruction.
Best-effort: if the sidecar is unreadable we let the delete through
rather than block on a broken telemetry file.
"""
try:
from agent.skill_utils import ESSENTIAL_SKILLS
if name in ESSENTIAL_SKILLS:
return (
f"Skill '{name}' is essential to Hermes (the agent's own "
f"operating manual referenced by the system prompt) and "
f"cannot be deleted. Patches and edits are still allowed."
)
except Exception:
logger.debug("essential-guard lookup failed for %s", name, exc_info=True)
try:
from tools import skill_usage
rec = skill_usage.get_record(name)
if rec.get("pinned"):
return (
f"Skill '{name}' is pinned and cannot be deleted by "
f"skill_manage. Ask the user to run "
f"`hermes curator unpin {name}` if they want to delete it. "
f"Patches and edits are allowed on pinned skills; only "
f"deletion is blocked."
)
except Exception:
logger.debug("pinned-guard lookup failed for %s", name, exc_info=True)
return None
def _background_review_write_guard(
name: str,
skill_dir: Path,
action: str,
) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""Refuse autonomous curator writes to externally owned skills.
Foreground agents may still perform user-directed edits to external,
bundled, or hub-installed skills. The background review fork is different:
it is autonomous lifecycle maintenance, so its write surface is restricted
to local curator-owned sediment.
"""
try:
from tools.skill_provenance import is_background_review
if not is_background_review():
return None
except Exception:
return None
# Pin must be respected by autonomous maintenance. The curator already
# skips pinned skills from every auto-transition; the background review
# fork is the same kind of autonomous, no-user-present actor, so it must
# not write to a pinned skill either (issue #25839). This is stricter than
# the foreground ``_pinned_guard`` (which only blocks deletion) precisely
# because there is no user in the loop to consent to an edit here.
try:
from tools import skill_usage
if skill_usage.get_record(name).get("pinned"):
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator {action} for pinned skill "
f"'{name}': pinned skills are off-limits to autonomous "
"maintenance. Ask the user to run "
f"`hermes curator unpin {name}` if they want it changed."
),
}
except Exception:
logger.debug("pinned skill guard lookup failed for %s", name, exc_info=True)
try:
from agent.skill_utils import is_external_skill_path
if is_external_skill_path(skill_dir):
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator {action} for skill '{name}': "
"the skill lives in skills.external_dirs, which are "
"externally owned and read-only to autonomous curation."
),
}
except Exception:
logger.debug("external skill guard lookup failed for %s", name, exc_info=True)
try:
from tools import skill_usage
if skill_usage.is_protected_builtin(name):
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator {action} for protected "
f"built-in skill '{name}'."
),
}
if skill_usage.is_hub_installed(name):
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator {action} for hub-installed "
f"skill '{name}'."
),
}
if skill_usage.is_bundled(name):
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator {action} for bundled "
f"skill '{name}'."
),
}
# Skills that are not curator-managed are off-limits to autonomous
# curation. This prevents the LLM consolidation pass from mutating
# skills the user owns (manually authored, URL-installed, or created by
# a foreground `skill_manage(create)` at the user's request), which lack
# the `created_by: "agent"` marker.
#
# A MISSING record and an explicit `created_by: null` must resolve
# IDENTICALLY (issue #67140). Keying on `isinstance(usage_rec, dict)`
# made the policy depend on the guard's own side effect: a local skill
# with no telemetry record passed, the successful write called
# bump_patch() which created a `created_by: null` record, and the very
# same write was refused from then on. "Allowed exactly once" is not a
# policy — it is a race with our own bookkeeping. Fail closed for both
# shapes; `hermes curator adopt <name>` is the supported way in.
usage_data = skill_usage.load_usage()
usage_rec = usage_data.get(name)
if not skill_usage._is_curator_managed_record(usage_rec):
if isinstance(usage_rec, dict):
_detail = f"created_by={usage_rec.get('created_by')!r}"
else:
_detail = "no usage record"
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator {action} for skill "
f"'{name}': the skill is not curator-managed ({_detail}). "
"User-owned skills are off-limits to autonomous curation. "
f"Run `hermes curator adopt {name}` to opt it in."
),
}
except Exception:
logger.warning("owned skill guard lookup failed for %s", name, exc_info=True)
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator {action} for skill '{name}': "
"agent ownership could not be verified because the provenance "
"record is unavailable or unreadable."
),
}
return None
def _background_review_read_before_write_guard(
name: str,
target: Path,
action: str,
file_label: str,
) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""Require review forks to load the exact target before mutating it."""
try:
from tools.skill_provenance import is_background_review
if not is_background_review():
return None
except Exception:
return None
if _background_review_has_read(target):
return None
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator {action} for skill '{name}': "
f"the current {file_label} content has not been loaded in this "
"review turn. Call skill_view(name) for SKILL.md, or "
"skill_view(name, file_path=...) for a supporting file, then "
"retry the write using the content just returned."
),
"_read_before_write_required": True,
}
def _background_review_preflight(action: str, name: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
if action not in {"edit", "patch", "delete", "write_file", "remove_file"}:
return None
existing = _find_skill(name)
if not existing:
return None
return _background_review_write_guard(name, existing["path"], action)
def _curator_consolidation_delete_guard(
name: str, absorbed_into: Optional[str]
) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""Fail closed on unverified deletes during the curator consolidation pass.
The curator's forked review agent (``is_background_review()``) runs the
LLM umbrella-building pass. Its only legitimate ``skill_manage(delete)`` is
a *verified consolidation*: the skill's content was absorbed into an
umbrella, declared via ``absorbed_into=<umbrella>`` where the umbrella
exists on disk (validated separately in ``_delete_skill``).
A delete with no forwarding target — ``absorbed_into`` omitted (``None``)
or empty (``""``) — is the fail-open behavior reported in #29912: the
consolidation pass archived whole clusters of active skills with zero
verified consolidations (``consolidated_this_run == 0``), leaving active
automations pointing at names that no longer resolve. The deterministic
inactivity prune is the only legitimate prune path, and it archives via
``skill_usage.archive_skill()`` directly without ever calling
``skill_manage`` — so a bare prune reaching here can only be the LLM pass
pruning without consolidation evidence. Refuse it; keep the skill active.
Returns an error dict to abort the delete, or ``None`` when the delete is
allowed to proceed (not the curator pass, or a declared consolidation).
"""
try:
from tools.skill_provenance import is_background_review
if not is_background_review():
return None
except Exception:
return None
declared = isinstance(absorbed_into, str) and absorbed_into.strip()
if declared:
return None
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Refusing background curator delete of skill '{name}': the "
"consolidation pass may only archive a skill it has absorbed into "
"an umbrella. Pass absorbed_into=<umbrella> (the umbrella must "
"already exist) to record a verified consolidation. Pruning a "
"skill with no forwarding target is not permitted here — the "
"deterministic inactivity prune handles staleness archival "
"separately. Keeping '{name}' active.".format(name=name)
),
"_fail_closed": True,
}
MAX_SKILL_CONTENT_CHARS = 100_000 # ~36k tokens at 2.75 chars/token
MAX_SKILL_FILE_BYTES = 1_048_576 # 1 MiB per supporting file
# Characters allowed in skill names (filesystem-safe, URL-friendly)
VALID_NAME_RE = re.compile(r'^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9._-]*$')
# Subdirectories allowed for write_file/remove_file
ALLOWED_SUBDIRS = {"references", "templates", "scripts", "assets"}
# =============================================================================
# Validation helpers
# =============================================================================
def _validate_name(name: str) -> Optional[str]:
"""Validate a skill name. Returns error message or None if valid."""
if not name:
return "Skill name is required."
if len(name) > MAX_NAME_LENGTH:
return f"Skill name exceeds {MAX_NAME_LENGTH} characters."
if not VALID_NAME_RE.match(name):
return (
f"Invalid skill name '{name}'. Use lowercase letters, numbers, "
f"hyphens, dots, and underscores. Must start with a letter or digit."
)
return None
def _validate_category(category: Optional[str]) -> Optional[str]:
"""Validate an optional category name used as a single directory segment."""
if category is None:
return None
if not isinstance(category, str):
return "Category must be a string."
category = category.strip()
if not category:
return None
if "/" in category or "\\" in category:
return (
f"Invalid category '{category}'. Use lowercase letters, numbers, "
"hyphens, dots, and underscores. Categories must be a single directory name."
)
if len(category) > MAX_NAME_LENGTH:
return f"Category exceeds {MAX_NAME_LENGTH} characters."
if not VALID_NAME_RE.match(category):
return (
f"Invalid category '{category}'. Use lowercase letters, numbers, "
"hyphens, dots, and underscores. Categories must be a single directory name."
)
return None
def _validate_frontmatter(content: str, *, new_skill: bool = False) -> Optional[str]:
"""
Validate that SKILL.md content has proper frontmatter with required fields.
Returns error message or None if valid.
When ``new_skill`` is True (create path only), the description must also
fit the 60-char system-prompt budget (SKILL_PROMPT_DESC_LIMIT) so newly
authored skills never lose routing signal to index truncation. Edit and
patch paths deliberately skip this so existing over-limit skills remain
maintainable while their descriptions are cleaned up.
"""
if not content.strip():
return "Content cannot be empty."
# Tolerate a leading UTF-8 BOM (Windows editors) before the fence.
content = content.lstrip("\ufeff")
if not content.startswith("---"):
return "SKILL.md must start with YAML frontmatter (---). See existing skills for format."
end_match = re.search(r'\n---\s*\n', content[3:])
if not end_match:
return "SKILL.md frontmatter is not closed. Ensure you have a closing '---' line."
yaml_content = content[3:end_match.start() + 3]
try:
parsed = yaml.safe_load(yaml_content)
except yaml.YAMLError as e:
return f"YAML frontmatter parse error: {e}"
if not isinstance(parsed, dict):
return "Frontmatter must be a YAML mapping (key: value pairs)."
if "name" not in parsed:
return "Frontmatter must include 'name' field."
if "description" not in parsed:
return "Frontmatter must include 'description' field."
desc = str(parsed["description"])
if len(desc) > MAX_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH:
return f"Description exceeds {MAX_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH} characters."
if new_skill and len(desc.strip().strip("'\"")) > SKILL_PROMPT_DESC_LIMIT:
return (
f"Description is {len(desc.strip())} chars — new skills must fit the "
f"{SKILL_PROMPT_DESC_LIMIT}-char system-prompt budget (one sentence, "
f"trigger first, ends with a period). The skill index truncates "
f"longer descriptions to {SKILL_PROMPT_DESC_LIMIT - 3} chars + '...', "
f"destroying the routing signal. Move detail into the skill body."
)
body = content[end_match.end() + 3:].strip()
if not body:
return "SKILL.md must have content after the frontmatter (instructions, procedures, etc.)."
return None
def _validate_content_size(content: str, label: str = "SKILL.md") -> Optional[str]:
"""Check that content doesn't exceed the character limit for agent writes.
Returns an error message or None if within bounds.
"""
if len(content) > MAX_SKILL_CONTENT_CHARS:
return (
f"{label} content is {len(content):,} characters "
f"(limit: {MAX_SKILL_CONTENT_CHARS:,}). "
f"Consider splitting into a smaller SKILL.md with supporting files "
f"in references/ or templates/."
)
return None
def _resolve_skill_dir(name: str, category: str = None) -> Path:
"""Build the directory path for a new skill, optionally under a category.
Honors ``skills.create_dir`` from config.yaml: when configured, new
skills are created there (e.g. a shared brain/fleet directory) instead
of the profile-local skills dir. Falls back to the local dir when unset.
"""
base = _skills_dir()
try:
from agent.skill_utils import get_skill_create_dir
create_dir = get_skill_create_dir()
if create_dir is not None:
base = create_dir
except Exception:
logger.debug("skills.create_dir lookup failed", exc_info=True)
if category:
return base / category / name
return base / name
def _find_skill(name: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""
Find a skill by name across all skill directories.
Searches the local skills dir (~/.hermes/skills/) first, then any
external dirs configured via skills.external_dirs. Returns
{"path": Path} or None.
Accepts both the bare directory name (``axolotl``) and the categorized
relative path (``mlops/axolotl``) — the same two forms skill_view
resolves, and the form skill_view's ambiguity hint explicitly tells
the caller to use. The bare-name match compares the skill's own
directory name (``parent.name``), so bare lookups keep working for
category-nested skills.
"""
from agent.skill_utils import get_all_skills_dirs, is_excluded_skill_path
# Resolve the local skills root once — the categorized form matches the
# skill dir's path RELATIVE to that root. Only computed lazily (bare-name
# lookups never need it) and never for external dirs (relative_to raises).
_resolved_root: Optional[Path] = None
def _local_root() -> Path:
nonlocal _resolved_root
if _resolved_root is None:
try:
_resolved_root = _skills_dir().resolve()
except OSError:
logger.debug(
"skills dir resolve failed; categorized lookups fall back to the unresolved path",
exc_info=True,
)
_resolved_root = _skills_dir()
return _resolved_root
for skills_dir in get_all_skills_dirs():
if not skills_dir.exists():
continue
for skill_md in skills_dir.rglob("SKILL.md"):
if is_excluded_skill_path(skill_md):
continue
# Fast path first: the bare directory name. Avoids the resolve()
# machinery entirely on the common match.
if skill_md.parent.name == name:
return {"path": skill_md.parent}
# Categorized form (``category/skill-name``): compare the skill
# dir's POSIX relative path so the lookup works on Windows too.
if "/" in name or "\\" in name:
try:
rel = skill_md.parent.resolve().relative_to(_local_root())
except ValueError:
continue
if rel.as_posix() == name:
return {"path": skill_md.parent}
return None
def _maybe_auto_propose_org_edit(name: str, skill_path: Path) -> Optional[str]:
"""Submit an org-skill edit upstream when `sync.org_auto_propose` is on.
Returns a short note for the tool result, or None when nothing happened.
Never raises: an offline/failed submission must not fail the edit itself —
the change is already saved locally and can be proposed later.
"""
try:
from agent.skill_utils import is_org_mirror_path
from tools import skills_sync_client as ssc
if not is_org_mirror_path(skill_path, _skills_dir()):
return None
if not ssc.sync_org_auto_propose():
return (
f"This skill is shared by your organisation. Your edit is "
f"saved locally and will not be overwritten by org updates. "
f"Run `hermes sync propose {name}` to share it back."
)
result = ssc.propose_skill(name)
if result.get("proposal_pending"):
return (
f"Auto-proposed to your organisation as proposal "
f"#{result.get('proposal_id')} (pending admin review)."
)
return "Auto-proposed to your organisation (merged into the shared set)."
except Exception as e:
logger.debug("auto-propose skipped for %s: %s", name, e)
return (
f"Edit saved locally. Could not submit it to your organisation "
f"right now — run `hermes sync propose {name}` to retry."
)
def _org_mirror_write_guard(name: str, skill_path: Path, action: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""Org-shared skills are EDITABLE IN PLACE — this only blocks deletion.
Earlier versions refused every write to `_org/`, which broke the learning
loop exactly where it matters most: the agent is told to patch a skill the
moment it finds a gap, and shared skills are the ones the most people use.
Blocking that froze org skills while personal ones kept improving, and the
"fork it into a personal skill" alternative is not something an agent does
mid-task — so improvements were simply lost.
Now an edit lands in the mirror and is protected from being overwritten by
the next org pull (see the baseline sidecar in skills_sync_client). It
reaches the organisation when the user runs `hermes sync propose`, or
immediately if `sync.org_auto_propose` is on.
Deletion is still refused: the mirror is a materialized view of the org
HEAD, so a local delete is meaningless (the next pull restores it) and
removing a skill for the organisation is an admin action, not a local one.
"""
if action not in {"delete", "remove_file"}:
return None
try:
from agent.skill_utils import is_org_mirror_path
if is_org_mirror_path(skill_path, _skills_dir()):
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"Cannot {action} '{name}' locally: it is shared by your "
"organisation, so a local delete would just come back on "
"the next sync. Ask an org admin to remove it for "
"everyone. (Editing it IS allowed — your changes are kept "
"and can be proposed back with `hermes sync propose "
f"{name}`.)"
),
}
except Exception:
logger.debug("org mirror guard lookup failed for %s", name, exc_info=True)
return None
def _find_skill_in_other_profiles(name: str) -> List[Tuple[str, Path]]:
"""Look for ``name`` under SKILL.md across OTHER Hermes profiles.
Returns a list of ``(profile_name, skill_dir)`` pairs. Used to make
the "Skill X not found" error explain when the user is editing the
wrong profile. Empty list when no other profile has the skill (or
when profile discovery fails — fail-quiet, the caller falls back to
the plain "not found" error).
"""
matches: List[Tuple[str, Path]] = []
try:
from hermes_constants import get_default_hermes_root
from agent.skill_utils import is_excluded_skill_path
except Exception:
return matches
try:
root = get_default_hermes_root()
except Exception:
return matches
# Collect (profile_name, skills_dir) for every profile EXCEPT the
# one whose skills dir we already searched in _find_skill().
_active = _skills_dir()
active_dir = _active.resolve() if _active.exists() else _active
candidates: List[Tuple[str, Path]] = []
# Default profile (~/.hermes/skills) — only consider when active is non-default.
default_skills = root / "skills"
try:
if default_skills.resolve() != active_dir:
candidates.append(("default", default_skills))
except (OSError, RuntimeError):
pass
# All named profiles (~/.hermes/profiles/*/skills)
profiles_root = root / "profiles"
if profiles_root.is_dir():
try:
for entry in profiles_root.iterdir():
if not entry.is_dir():
continue
pskills = entry / "skills"
try:
if pskills.resolve() == active_dir:
continue
except (OSError, RuntimeError):
continue
candidates.append((entry.name, pskills))
except OSError:
pass
for profile_name, skills_dir in candidates:
if not skills_dir.is_dir():
continue
try:
for skill_md in skills_dir.rglob("SKILL.md"):
if is_excluded_skill_path(skill_md):
continue
if skill_md.parent.name == name:
matches.append((profile_name, skill_md.parent))
break # one match per profile is enough
except OSError:
continue
return matches
def _skill_not_found_error(name: str, suffix: str = "") -> str:
"""Build a "skill not found" error that names other profiles holding
the same skill, so the agent can recognize a profile-scoping mistake.
``suffix`` is appended after the cross-profile hint if present
(e.g. ``" Create it first with action='create'."``).
"""
from agent.file_safety import _resolve_active_profile_name
active = _resolve_active_profile_name()
base = f"Skill '{name}' not found in active profile '{active}'."
others = _find_skill_in_other_profiles(name)
if others:
if len(others) == 1:
other_profile, other_path = others[0]
base += (
f" A skill by that name exists in profile "
f"'{other_profile}' ({other_path}). To edit it, switch "
f"profiles (`hermes -p {other_profile}`) or edit the file "
f"directly (file tools / terminal)."
)
else:
names = ", ".join(f"'{p}'" for p, _ in others)
base += (
f" Skills by that name exist in other profiles: {names}. "
f"Switch profiles (`hermes -p <name>`) to edit there, or "
f"edit the files directly (file tools / terminal)."
)
else:
base += " Use skills_list() to see available skills."
if suffix:
base += suffix
return base
def _validate_file_path(file_path: str) -> Optional[str]:
"""
Validate a file path for write_file/remove_file.
Must be under an allowed subdirectory and not escape the skill dir.
"""
from tools.path_security import has_traversal_component
if not file_path:
return "file_path is required."
normalized = Path(file_path)
# Prevent path traversal (checked before any allow-listing so the SKILL.md
# exception below can never be reached by a traversal-laden path).
if has_traversal_component(file_path):
return "Path traversal ('..') is not allowed."
# SKILL.md is the canonical skill file and lives at the skill root, not
# under an allowed subdirectory. Accept its two natural spellings —
# 'SKILL.md' and '<skill-name>/SKILL.md' — so callers can target the main
# file. The traversal guard above still applies, so this can't escape.
if normalized.parts and normalized.name == "SKILL.md":
if len(normalized.parts) == 1 or len(normalized.parts) == 2:
return None
# Must be under an allowed subdirectory
if not normalized.parts or normalized.parts[0] not in ALLOWED_SUBDIRS:
allowed = ", ".join(sorted(ALLOWED_SUBDIRS))
return f"File must be under one of: {allowed}. Got: '{file_path}'"
# Must have a filename (not just a directory)
if len(normalized.parts) < 2:
return f"Provide a file path, not just a directory. Example: '{normalized.parts[0]}/myfile.md'"
return None
def _resolve_skill_target(skill_dir: Path, file_path: str) -> Tuple[Optional[Path], Optional[str]]:
"""Resolve a supporting-file path and ensure it stays within the skill directory."""
from tools.path_security import validate_within_dir
target = skill_dir / file_path
error = validate_within_dir(target, skill_dir)
if error:
return None, error
return target, None
# =============================================================================
# Core actions
# =============================================================================
def _add_description_prompt_preview(result: Dict[str, Any], content: str) -> None:
"""Append a system_prompt_preview field when the description will be truncated."""
fm, _ = _parse_frontmatter(content)
if is_skill_description_truncated_for_prompt(fm):
result["system_prompt_preview"] = (
f"System prompt will show: \"{extract_skill_description(fm)}\" — "
f"keep the trigger self-contained in the first "
f"{SKILL_PROMPT_DESC_LIMIT - 3} chars."
)
def _create_skill(name: str, content: str, category: str = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Create a new user skill with SKILL.md content."""
# Validate name
err = _validate_name(name)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
err = _validate_category(category)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
# Validate content
err = _validate_frontmatter(content, new_skill=True)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
err = _validate_content_size(content)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
# Check for name collisions across all directories
existing = _find_skill(name)
if existing:
return {
"success": False,
"error": f"A skill named '{name}' already exists at {existing['path']}."
}
# Create the skill directory
skill_dir = _resolve_skill_dir(name, category)
skill_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
# Write instructional documents with a readable mode while preserving
# the mode of an existing file across the atomic replacement.
skill_md = skill_dir / "SKILL.md"
atomic_write_text(skill_md, content, preserve_mode=True, create_mode=0o644)
# Security scan — roll back on block
scan_error = _security_scan_skill(skill_dir)
if scan_error:
shutil.rmtree(skill_dir, ignore_errors=True)
return {"success": False, "error": scan_error}
# Extract description from frontmatter for verbose notifications
_desc = ""
try:
_fm_end = re.search(r'\n---\s*\n', content[3:])
if _fm_end:
_parsed = yaml.safe_load(content[3:_fm_end.start() + 3])
_desc = str(_parsed.get("description", ""))[:120]
except Exception:
pass
try:
_display_path = str(skill_dir.relative_to(_skills_dir()))
except ValueError:
# Skill created under skills.create_dir — not relative to the
# profile-local root, so show the absolute path.
_display_path = str(skill_dir)
result = {
"success": True,
"message": f"Skill '{name}' created.",
"path": _display_path,
"skill_md": str(skill_md),
"_change": {"description": _desc},
}
if category:
result["category"] = category
result["hint"] = (
"To add reference files, templates, or scripts, use "
"skill_manage(action='write_file', name='{}', file_path='references/example.md', file_content='...')".format(name)
)
_add_description_prompt_preview(result, content)
_attach_lint_findings(result, skill_md)
return result
def _attach_lint_findings(result: Dict[str, Any], skill_md: Path) -> None:
"""Run the advisory SKILL.md linter and attach any findings to *result*.
The linter enforces the CONTRIBUTING "Skill authoring standards (HARDLINE)"
conventions that the hard validator does not (shell-utility references,
missing metadata, dangling reference links, POSIX gating, forbidden files).
Findings are ADVISORY — surfaced as guidance so the author can fix them,
never a hard block. The hard rejects already ran in _validate_frontmatter.
"""
try:
from tools.skill_linter import lint_skill # local import: optional path
findings = lint_skill(skill_md)
except Exception:
return
if not findings:
return
result["lint_warnings"] = [
{"severity": f.severity, "rule": f.rule, "message": f.message}
for f in findings
]
result["lint_hint"] = (
"The skill was created. These are advisory authoring-convention "
"findings (not blockers) — fix them with skill_manage(action='patch') "
"to match Hermes skill standards."
)
def _edit_skill(name: str, content: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Replace the SKILL.md of any existing skill (full rewrite)."""
err = _validate_frontmatter(content)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
err = _validate_content_size(content)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
existing = _find_skill(name)
if not existing:
return {"success": False, "error": _skill_not_found_error(name)}
org_guard = _org_mirror_write_guard(name, existing["path"], "edit")
if org_guard:
return org_guard
guard = _background_review_write_guard(name, existing["path"], "edit")
if guard:
return guard
skill_md = existing["path"] / "SKILL.md"
read_guard = _background_review_read_before_write_guard(
name, skill_md, "edit", "SKILL.md"
)
if read_guard:
return read_guard
# Back up original content for rollback
original_content = skill_md.read_text(encoding="utf-8") if skill_md.exists() else None
atomic_write_text(skill_md, content, preserve_mode=True, create_mode=0o644)
# Security scan — roll back on block
scan_error = _security_scan_skill(existing["path"])
if scan_error:
if original_content is not None:
atomic_write_text(skill_md, original_content, preserve_mode=True)
return {"success": False, "error": scan_error}
# Extract description from new content for verbose notifications
_desc = ""
try:
_fm_end = re.search(r'\n---\s*\n', content[3:])
if _fm_end:
_parsed = yaml.safe_load(content[3:_fm_end.start() + 3])
_desc = str(_parsed.get("description", ""))[:120]
except Exception:
pass
result = {
"success": True,
"message": f"Skill '{name}' updated (full rewrite).",
"path": str(existing["path"]),
"_change": {"description": _desc},
}
org_note = _maybe_auto_propose_org_edit(name, existing["path"])
if org_note:
result["org_sharing"] = org_note
result["message"] = f"{result['message']} {org_note}"
_add_description_prompt_preview(result, content)
return result
def _patch_skill(
name: str,
old_string: str,
new_string: str,
file_path: str = None,
replace_all: bool = False,
) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Targeted find-and-replace within a skill file.
Defaults to SKILL.md. Use file_path to patch a supporting file instead.
Requires a unique match unless replace_all is True.
"""
if not old_string:
# A bare "required" error is a dead end: the model cannot tell whether it
# omitted the arg or supplied it wrongly, so it retries blindly and often
# escapes to action='write_file', clobbering the whole skill file. Tell it
# how to recover. Upstream: NousResearch/hermes-agent#33064.
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
"old_string is required for 'patch' and must be the EXACT text currently in the "
"file. Read the target file first (read_file on the skill's SKILL.md, or the file "
"named by file_path) and copy the snippet verbatim, then retry 'patch'. "
"Do NOT fall back to action='write_file' — that rewrites the entire file and "
"destroys unrelated content."
),
}
if new_string is None:
return {"success": False, "error": "new_string is required for 'patch'. Use an empty string to delete matched text."}
# No old_string == new_string guard here: fuzzy_find_and_replace already
# rejects that with "old_string and new_string are identical"
# (tools/fuzzy_match.py), and its error carries a file_preview this layer
# cannot produce. Duplicating it here would only shadow the richer message.
existing = _find_skill(name)
if not existing:
return {"success": False, "error": _skill_not_found_error(name)}
skill_dir = existing["path"]
org_guard = _org_mirror_write_guard(name, skill_dir, "patch")
if org_guard:
return org_guard
guard = _background_review_write_guard(name, skill_dir, "patch")
if guard:
return guard
if file_path:
# Patching a supporting file
err = _validate_file_path(file_path)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
target, err = _resolve_skill_target(skill_dir, file_path)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
assert target is not None
else:
# Patching SKILL.md
target = skill_dir / "SKILL.md"
if not target.exists():
return {"success": False, "error": f"File not found: {target.relative_to(skill_dir)}"}
read_guard = _background_review_read_before_write_guard(
name,
target,
"patch",
"SKILL.md" if not file_path else file_path,
)
if read_guard:
return read_guard
content = target.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
# Use the same fuzzy matching engine as the file patch tool.
# This handles whitespace normalization, indentation differences,
# escape sequences, and block-anchor matching — saving the agent
# from exact-match failures on minor formatting mismatches.
from tools.fuzzy_match import fuzzy_find_and_replace
new_content, match_count, _strategy, match_error = fuzzy_find_and_replace(
content, old_string, new_string, replace_all
)
if match_error:
# Show a short preview of the file so the model can self-correct
preview = content[:500] + ("..." if len(content) > 500 else "")
err_msg = match_error
try:
from tools.fuzzy_match import format_no_match_hint
err_msg += format_no_match_hint(match_error, match_count, old_string, content)
except Exception:
pass
return {
"success": False,
"error": err_msg,
"file_preview": preview,
}
# Check size limit on the result
target_label = "SKILL.md" if not file_path else file_path
err = _validate_content_size(new_content, label=target_label)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
# If patching SKILL.md, validate frontmatter is still intact
if not file_path:
err = _validate_frontmatter(new_content)
if err:
return {
"success": False,
"error": f"Patch would break SKILL.md structure: {err}",
}
original_content = content # for rollback
atomic_write_text(target, new_content, preserve_mode=True, create_mode=0o644)
# Security scan — roll back on block
scan_error = _security_scan_skill(skill_dir)
if scan_error:
atomic_write_text(target, original_content, preserve_mode=True)
return {"success": False, "error": scan_error}
result = {
"success": True,
"message": f"Patched {'SKILL.md' if not file_path else file_path} in skill '{name}' ({match_count} replacement{'s' if match_count > 1 else ''}).",
}
# Include change previews for verbose notifications
result["_change"] = {
"old": old_string[:200] + ("…" if len(old_string) > 200 else ""),
"new": new_string[:200] + ("…" if len(new_string) > 200 else ""),
}
org_note = _maybe_auto_propose_org_edit(name, skill_dir)
if org_note:
result["org_sharing"] = org_note
result["message"] = f"{result['message']} {org_note}"
return result
def _delete_skill(name: str, absorbed_into: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Delete a skill.
``absorbed_into`` declares intent:
- ``None`` / missing → caller didn't declare (legacy / non-curator path);
accepted for backward compat but logs a warning because the curator
classification pipeline can't tell consolidation from pruning without it.
- ``""`` (empty) → explicit "truly pruned, no forwarding target".
- ``"<skill-name>"`` → content was absorbed into that umbrella; the
target must exist on disk. Validated here so the model can't claim an
umbrella that doesn't exist.
"""
existing = _find_skill(name)
if not existing:
return {"success": False, "error": _skill_not_found_error(name)}
org_guard = _org_mirror_write_guard(name, existing["path"], "delete")
if org_guard:
return org_guard
guard = _background_review_write_guard(name, existing["path"], "delete")
if guard:
return guard
# Fail closed on unverified deletes during the curator consolidation pass.
# A bare prune (no absorbed_into) from the LLM umbrella pass is the
# fail-open behavior reported in #29912 — refuse it; keep the skill active.
fail_closed = _curator_consolidation_delete_guard(name, absorbed_into)
if fail_closed:
return fail_closed
pinned_err = _pinned_guard(name)
if pinned_err:
return {"success": False, "error": pinned_err}
# Validate absorbed_into target when declared non-empty
absorbed_target = (
absorbed_into.strip()
if absorbed_into is not None and isinstance(absorbed_into, str)
else ""
)
is_consolidation = bool(absorbed_target)
if is_consolidation:
target_name = absorbed_target
if target_name == name:
return {
"success": False,
"error": f"absorbed_into='{target_name}' cannot equal the skill being deleted.",
}
target = _find_skill(target_name)
if not target:
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"absorbed_into='{target_name}' does not exist. "
f"Create or patch the umbrella skill first, then retry the delete."
),
}
skill_dir = existing["path"]
skills_root = _containing_skills_root(skill_dir)
# Defense-in-depth before the recursive delete (port of Kilo Code #11240).
unsafe = _validate_delete_target(skill_dir)
if unsafe:
return {"success": False, "error": unsafe}
# During the curator consolidation pass, a verified consolidation must be
# RECOVERABLE: archival into ~/.hermes/skills/.archive/ is documented as
# the maximum destructive action the curator may take, and
# `hermes curator restore` promises the skill can be brought back. Route
# through the recoverable archive primitive instead of permanent rmtree so
# a misjudged consolidation can be undone (#29912). Foreground,
# user-directed deletes keep their existing hard-delete semantics.
try:
from tools.skill_provenance import is_background_review
curator_pass = is_background_review()
except Exception:
curator_pass = False
if curator_pass:
try:
from tools.skill_usage import archive_skill
ok, archive_msg = archive_skill(name)
except Exception as e:
return {"success": False, "error": f"failed to archive '{name}': {e}"}
if not ok:
return {"success": False, "error": archive_msg}
message = f"Skill '{name}' archived ({archive_msg})."
if is_consolidation:
message += f" Content absorbed into '{absorbed_target}'."
return {"success": True, "message": message, "_archived": True}
shutil.rmtree(skill_dir)
# Clean up empty category directories (don't remove the skills root itself)
parent = skill_dir.parent
if parent != skills_root and parent.exists() and not any(parent.iterdir()):
parent.rmdir()
message = f"Skill '{name}' deleted."
if is_consolidation:
message += f" Content absorbed into '{absorbed_target}'."
return {
"success": True,
"message": message,
}
def _write_file(name: str, file_path: str, file_content: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Add or overwrite a supporting file within any skill directory."""
err = _validate_file_path(file_path)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
if not file_content and file_content != "":
return {"success": False, "error": "file_content is required."}
# Check size limits
content_bytes = len(file_content.encode("utf-8"))
if content_bytes > MAX_SKILL_FILE_BYTES:
return {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"File content is {content_bytes:,} bytes "
f"(limit: {MAX_SKILL_FILE_BYTES:,} bytes / 1 MiB). "
f"Consider splitting into smaller files."
),
}
err = _validate_content_size(file_content, label=file_path)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
existing = _find_skill(name)
if not existing:
return {"success": False, "error": _skill_not_found_error(name, " Create it first with action='create'.")}
org_guard = _org_mirror_write_guard(name, existing["path"], "write_file")
if org_guard:
return org_guard
guard = _background_review_write_guard(name, existing["path"], "write_file")
if guard:
return guard
target, err = _resolve_skill_target(existing["path"], file_path)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
assert target is not None
if target.exists():
read_guard = _background_review_read_before_write_guard(
name, target, "write_file", file_path
)
if read_guard:
return read_guard
target.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
# Back up for rollback
original_content = target.read_text(encoding="utf-8") if target.exists() else None
atomic_write_text(target, file_content, preserve_mode=True, create_mode=0o644)
# Security scan — roll back on block
scan_error = _security_scan_skill(existing["path"])
if scan_error:
if original_content is not None:
atomic_write_text(target, original_content, preserve_mode=True)
else:
target.unlink(missing_ok=True)
return {"success": False, "error": scan_error}
result = {
"success": True,
"message": f"File '{file_path}' written to skill '{name}'.",
"path": str(target),
}
org_note = _maybe_auto_propose_org_edit(name, existing["path"])
if org_note:
result["org_sharing"] = org_note
result["message"] = f"{result['message']} {org_note}"
return result
def _remove_file(name: str, file_path: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Remove a supporting file from any skill directory."""
err = _validate_file_path(file_path)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
existing = _find_skill(name)
if not existing:
return {"success": False, "error": _skill_not_found_error(name)}
skill_dir = existing["path"]
guard = _background_review_write_guard(name, skill_dir, "remove_file")
if guard:
return guard
target, err = _resolve_skill_target(skill_dir, file_path)
if err:
return {"success": False, "error": err}
assert target is not None
if not target.exists():
# List what's actually there for the model to see
available = []
for subdir in ALLOWED_SUBDIRS:
d = skill_dir / subdir
if d.exists():
for f in d.rglob("*"):
if f.is_file():
available.append(str(f.relative_to(skill_dir)))
return {
"success": False,
"error": f"File '{file_path}' not found in skill '{name}'.",
"available_files": available if available else None,
}
read_guard = _background_review_read_before_write_guard(
name, target, "remove_file", file_path
)
if read_guard:
return read_guard
target.unlink()
# Clean up empty subdirectories
parent = target.parent
if parent != skill_dir and parent.exists() and not any(parent.iterdir()):
parent.rmdir()
return {
"success": True,
"message": f"File '{file_path}' removed from skill '{name}'.",
}
# =============================================================================
# Main entry point
# =============================================================================
# ContextVar bypass: set while replaying an already-approved staged skill write
# so skill_manage() does not re-gate (and re-stage) it.
import contextvars as _ctxvars
_skill_gate_bypass: "_ctxvars.ContextVar[bool]" = _ctxvars.ContextVar(
"skill_gate_bypass", default=False
)
def _apply_skill_write_gate(action, name, **payload_kwargs):
"""Evaluate the skill write gate. Returns a JSON tool-result string when the
write should NOT proceed (blocked or staged), or None to perform the real
write. Bypassed during approved-pending replay.
"""
if action not in {"create", "edit", "patch", "delete", "write_file", "remove_file"}:
return None
if _skill_gate_bypass.get():
return None
try:
from tools import write_approval as wa
except Exception:
return None # fail open
decision = wa.evaluate_gate(wa.SKILLS)
if decision.allow:
return None
if decision.blocked:
return tool_error(decision.message, success=False)
# stage — record the full skill_manage kwargs so approval can replay it.
payload = {"action": action, "name": name}
payload.update({k: v for k, v in payload_kwargs.items() if v is not None})
gist = wa.skill_gist(
action, name,
content=payload_kwargs.get("content") or "",
file_path=payload_kwargs.get("file_path") or "",
old_string=payload_kwargs.get("old_string") or "",
new_string=payload_kwargs.get("new_string") or "",
)
record = wa.stage_write(wa.SKILLS, payload, summary=gist, origin=wa.current_origin())
return json.dumps(
{"success": True, "staged": True, "pending_id": record["id"],
"gist": gist, "message": decision.message},
ensure_ascii=False,
)
def apply_skill_pending(payload: Dict[str, Any]) -> str:
"""Replay a staged skill write, bypassing the gate. Returns the tool result
JSON string. Called by the /skills approve handler.
"""
token = _skill_gate_bypass.set(True)
try:
return skill_manage(
action=payload.get("action", ""),
name=payload.get("name", ""),
content=payload.get("content"),
category=payload.get("category"),
file_path=payload.get("file_path"),
file_content=payload.get("file_content"),
old_string=payload.get("old_string"),
new_string=payload.get("new_string"),
replace_all=payload.get("replace_all", False),
absorbed_into=payload.get("absorbed_into"),
operations=payload.get("operations"),
)
finally:
_skill_gate_bypass.reset(token)
_BATCH_OP_ACTIONS = {"create", "patch", "write_file", "remove_file"}
_BATCH_MAX_OPS = 20
def _skill_manage_batch(
operations,
default_name: str = None,
task_id: str = None,
session_id: str = None,
) -> str:
"""Apply a sequence of operations atomically (memory-tool pattern).
Each op carries its own ``name`` (skill) and ``action``; a single edit
is a list of one. Every skill the batch touches is snapshotted before
any op runs; any failure rolls ALL touched skills back to their
pre-batch state (skills the batch created are removed).
Rules:
- ``delete`` only as the SOLE op of the call (its recoverable-archive
path doesn't compose with rollback) — routed to the single-op
handler, preserving absorbed_into/archive semantics;
- ``create`` for a skill must precede that skill's other ops;
- same-file clobber guard (below) rejects silently-lost work.
``default_name``: legacy top-level ``name`` fallback for ops that omit
their own (staged-replay / back-compat path).
"""
import shutil
import tempfile
# --- validate shape up front (no side effects before this passes) ---
if not isinstance(operations, list) or not operations:
return tool_error("operations must be a non-empty array.", success=False)
if len(operations) > _BATCH_MAX_OPS:
return tool_error(f"operations is capped at {_BATCH_MAX_OPS} ops per call.", success=False)
# delete: sole-op only; route through the normal single-op path so the
# gate, archive, ledger, and curator absorbed_into semantics all apply.
if any(isinstance(op, dict) and op.get("action") == "delete" for op in operations):
if len(operations) != 1:
return tool_error(
"delete must be the SOLE op in its call — it doesn't "
"compose with other ops' rollback.",
success=False,
)
op = operations[0]
nm = op.get("name") or default_name
if not nm:
return tool_error("operations[0] (delete) needs a 'name'.", success=False)
return skill_manage(
action="delete",
name=nm,
absorbed_into=op.get("absorbed_into"),
task_id=task_id,
session_id=session_id,
)
names = []
for i, op in enumerate(operations):
if not isinstance(op, dict) or not op.get("action"):
return tool_error(f"operations[{i}] needs an 'action'.", success=False)
act = op["action"]
if act not in _BATCH_OP_ACTIONS:
return tool_error(
f"operations[{i}]: unknown action '{act}'. "
f"Batchable: {', '.join(sorted(_BATCH_OP_ACTIONS))}; "
"delete must be sole.",
success=False,
)
nm = op.get("name") or default_name
if not nm:
return tool_error(f"operations[{i}] needs a 'name' (the skill it targets).", success=False)
names.append(nm)
if act == "create" and nm in names[:-1]:
return tool_error(
f"operations[{i}]: create for '{nm}' must precede that "
"skill's other ops.",
success=False,
)
preflight = _background_review_preflight(act, nm)
if preflight is not None:
return json.dumps(preflight, ensure_ascii=False)
# --- intra-batch conflict guard: sequential last-wins semantics make
# these SILENTLY succeed while discarding earlier ops' work — always a
# confused plan, never intentional. Rule: a DESTRUCTIVE op (write_file,
# remove_file, full SKILL.md rewrite) on a file some earlier op in the
# batch already touched is rejected; ADDITIVE patches are always legal,
# so patch CHAINS (each op building on the previous text) and
# write-then-patch both stay allowed. Paths are normalized so spelling
# variants ('./references/x.md', 'references//x.md') can't slip past. ---
import posixpath
def _norm_target(op) -> str:
fp = (op.get("file_path") or "").strip()
if not fp:
return "SKILL.md"
return posixpath.normpath(fp.lstrip("/"))
touched_files = set() # (skill, normalized path) touched by ANY earlier op
for i, op in enumerate(operations):
act = op["action"]
nm = names[i]
# create and full-rewrite patch (content) always hit SKILL.md —
# _edit_skill ignores file_path on the rewrite shape.
full_rewrite = act == "patch" and bool(op.get("content"))
target = "SKILL.md" if (act == "create" or full_rewrite) else _norm_target(op)
key = (nm, target)
destructive = act in ("create", "write_file", "remove_file") or full_rewrite
if destructive and key in touched_files:
return tool_error(
f"operations[{i}]: {act} on '{target}' of skill '{nm}' — an "
"earlier op in this batch already touched that file, and this "
"op would silently discard its work. One destructive op "
"(write_file/remove_file/full rewrite) per file per batch; "
"put it first, or fold the change in. Patch chains are fine.",
success=False,
)
touched_files.add(key)
# --- approval gate: stage the WHOLE batch as one pending write ---
if not _skill_gate_bypass.get():
try:
from tools import write_approval as wa
except Exception:
wa = None # fail open, matching _apply_skill_write_gate
if wa is not None:
decision = wa.evaluate_gate(wa.SKILLS)
if decision.blocked:
return tool_error(decision.message, success=False)
if not decision.allow:
payload = {"action": "batch", "operations": operations}
acts = ", ".join(op["action"] for op in operations)
skills = ", ".join(sorted(set(names)))
gist = f"batch({len(operations)} ops: {acts}) on {skills}"
record = wa.stage_write(
wa.SKILLS, payload, summary=gist, origin=wa.current_origin()
)
return json.dumps(
{"success": True, "staged": True, "pending_id": record["id"],
"gist": gist, "message": decision.message},
ensure_ascii=False,
)
# --- snapshot every touched skill for rollback ---
snap_root = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="skill_batch_"))
snapshots = {} # skill name -> (pre_dir or None, snapshot_dir or None)
for nm in dict.fromkeys(names): # ordered unique
pre = _find_skill(nm)
pre_dir = Path(pre["path"]) if pre else None
snap = None
if pre_dir is not None and pre_dir.is_dir():
snap = snap_root / nm
try:
shutil.copytree(pre_dir, snap)
except Exception as exc: # noqa: BLE001 — no snapshot, no atomicity
shutil.rmtree(snap_root, ignore_errors=True)
return tool_error(f"Could not snapshot '{nm}' for atomic batch: {exc}", success=False)
snapshots[nm] = (pre_dir, snap)
rollback_failed = False
def _rollback() -> str:
notes = []
for nm, (pre_dir, snap) in snapshots.items():
try:
post = _find_skill(nm)
post_dir = Path(post["path"]) if post else None
if snap is not None:
if post_dir is not None and post_dir.is_dir():
# Never destroy the only other copy before the
# restore lands. Deleting first turned a failed
# copytree (disk full, locked file) into total
# skill loss once the finally below removed the
# snapshot too. Move the broken state aside, and
# delete it only after the snapshot is back.
aside = post_dir.with_name(post_dir.name + ".rollback-broken")
shutil.rmtree(aside, ignore_errors=True)
post_dir.rename(aside)
try:
shutil.copytree(snap, pre_dir)
except Exception:
# Restore failed: put the broken state back so
# the skill survives (half applied) rather than
# leaving nothing.
shutil.rmtree(pre_dir, ignore_errors=True)
aside.rename(pre_dir)
raise
shutil.rmtree(aside, ignore_errors=True)
else:
shutil.copytree(snap, pre_dir)
elif post_dir is not None and post_dir.is_dir():
# Batch created this skill: remove the partial result.
shutil.rmtree(post_dir)
except Exception as exc: # noqa: BLE001
notes.append(
f"ROLLBACK FAILED for '{nm}' ({exc}); snapshot preserved at '{snap}'"
if snap is not None
else f"ROLLBACK FAILED for '{nm}' ({exc})"
)
nonlocal rollback_failed
rollback_failed = bool(notes)
return "; ".join(notes) if notes else "all touched skills rolled back"
# --- execute ops through the normal single-op path (gate bypassed:
# the batch already cleared/staged it above; ledger + telemetry
# fire per-op, which is the audit granularity we want) ---
results = []
token = _skill_gate_bypass.set(True)
try:
for i, op in enumerate(operations):
raw = skill_manage(
action=op["action"],
name=names[i],
content=op.get("content"),
category=op.get("category"),
file_path=op.get("file_path"),
file_content=op.get("file_content"),
old_string=op.get("old_string"),
new_string=op.get("new_string"),
replace_all=op.get("replace_all", False),
task_id=task_id,
session_id=session_id,
)
try:
parsed = json.loads(raw)
except Exception: # noqa: BLE001
parsed = {"success": False, "error": "unparseable op result"}
if not parsed.get("success"):
note = _rollback()
fail = {
"success": False,
"error": (
f"operations[{i}] ({op['action']} on '{names[i]}') failed: "
f"{parsed.get('error', 'unknown error')} — batch aborted, {note}."
),
"failed_index": i,
"completed_before_failure": i,
}
# Carry the failing op's teaching payload through (e.g.
# patch's file_preview / fuzzy-match hints): without it the
# model recovers blind — live A/B showed sonnet probing a
# file with placeholder edits for 8 turns because the batch
# path dropped the preview the flat path always returned.
for k, v in parsed.items():
if k not in ("success", "error") and v is not None:
fail.setdefault(k, v)
return json.dumps(fail, ensure_ascii=False)
results.append({"name": names[i], "action": op["action"],
"file_path": op.get("file_path"),
"success": True})
finally:
_skill_gate_bypass.reset(token)
if rollback_failed:
# Keep the snapshots so the operator can still recover by
# hand. Deleting them here is what turned one failed restore
# into permanent skill loss.
logger.warning(
"skill_manage batch rollback failed, snapshots kept at %s",
snap_root,
)
else:
shutil.rmtree(snap_root, ignore_errors=True)
return json.dumps(
{"success": True, "operations_applied": len(results),
"results": results},
ensure_ascii=False,
)
# Debounce state for the sync push hook. A burst of skill_manage writes
# (e.g. create + several write_file calls) collapses into a single push after
# a short quiet window, on a daemon timer so the agent write never blocks.
_sync_push_timer = None
_sync_push_lock = None
_SYNC_PUSH_DEBOUNCE_S = 5.0
def _maybe_debounced_sync_push(skill_name: str) -> None:
"""Schedule a debounced best-effort sync push after a skill write.
Cheap fast-path: if the skill isn't opted into sync, do nothing (no auth,
no network). Otherwise (re)arm a daemon timer; the actual push runs through
``skills_sync_client.maybe_push_skills`` which enforces the access gate
and swallows all errors. Never blocks the caller (M1-C: agent never blocks
on sync).
"""
global _sync_push_timer, _sync_push_lock
try:
from tools.skill_usage import is_sync_enabled
if not is_sync_enabled(skill_name):
return
except Exception:
return
import threading
if _sync_push_lock is None:
_sync_push_lock = threading.Lock()
def _fire():
try:
from tools.skills_sync_client import maybe_push_skills
maybe_push_skills(message=f"sync: {skill_name}")
except Exception:
pass
with _sync_push_lock:
if _sync_push_timer is not None:
try:
_sync_push_timer.cancel()
except Exception:
pass
_sync_push_timer = threading.Timer(_SYNC_PUSH_DEBOUNCE_S, _fire)
_sync_push_timer.daemon = True
_sync_push_timer.start()
def skill_manage(
action: str,
name: str,
content: str = None,
category: str = None,
file_path: str = None,
file_content: str = None,
old_string: str = None,
new_string: str = None,
replace_all: bool = False,
absorbed_into: str = None,
task_id: str = None,
session_id: str = None,
operations=None,
) -> str:
"""
Manage user-created skills. Dispatches to the appropriate action handler.
``operations``: batch shape — a list of {action, ...} dicts applied to
ONE skill atomically (see _skill_manage_batch). When set, the flat
single-op fields are ignored and ``action`` may be omitted/'batch'.
Returns JSON string with results.
"""
if operations is not None:
return _skill_manage_batch(
operations, default_name=name or None,
task_id=task_id, session_id=session_id,
)
preflight = _background_review_preflight(action, name)
if preflight is not None:
return json.dumps(preflight, ensure_ascii=False)
# Approval gate: when on, stages the write for review (skills are too large
# to review inline, so they always stage regardless of origin); when off
# (default) passes straight through. The gate is bypassed when this call is
# itself replaying an already-approved staged write (_skill_apply_pending).
gate_result = _apply_skill_write_gate(
action, name, content=content, category=category,
file_path=file_path, file_content=file_content,
old_string=old_string, new_string=new_string,
replace_all=replace_all, absorbed_into=absorbed_into,
)
if gate_result is not None:
return gate_result
# Audit ledger (tracker #79686 P3): capture the pre-mutation state of the
# skill directory so every mutation — any actor — lands in the append-only
# JSONL ledger with before/after blobs. Telemetry, not a gate: failures
# here must NEVER block the mutation (capture_before returns None on
# error, and record_mutation below swallows everything).
_ledger_before = None
_ledger_before_dir = None
try:
from tools import skill_ledger as _ledger
_pre = _find_skill(name)
_ledger_before_dir = _pre["path"] if _pre else None
# delete destroys the whole package; consolidation may have re-homed
# support files out of the tree first, so complete the capture from
# the newest curator backup or rollback restores a hollow skill
# (#96962). Other actions capture disk state only.
_ledger_before = _ledger.capture_before(
_ledger_before_dir,
complete_package=(action == "delete"),
skill=name,
)
except Exception:
pass
if action == "create":
if not content:
return tool_error("content is required for 'create'. Provide the full SKILL.md text (frontmatter + body).", success=False)
result = _create_skill(name, content, category)
elif action == "edit":
# Legacy alias for a full rewrite (kept for old transcripts/callers;
# no longer advertised in the schema — use patch with `content`).
if not content:
return tool_error("content is required for a full rewrite. Provide the full updated SKILL.md text.", success=False)
result = _edit_skill(name, content)
elif action == "patch":
# Two shapes: old_string/new_string = targeted replacement;
# content (alone) = full SKILL.md rewrite (absorbs the old 'edit').
if content and (old_string or new_string is not None):
return tool_error(
"Pass EITHER content (full SKILL.md rewrite) OR "
"old_string/new_string (targeted replacement), not both.",
success=False,
)
if content:
result = _edit_skill(name, content)
else:
# Targeted-replacement validation lives in _patch_skill so the
# public tool and the helper return the same actionable guidance.
# A bare "required" error here would shadow it and leave the
# model with nowhere to go but action='write_file'. #33064.
result = _patch_skill(name, old_string, new_string, file_path, replace_all)
elif action == "delete":
result = _delete_skill(name, absorbed_into=absorbed_into)
elif action == "write_file":
if not file_path:
return tool_error("file_path is required for 'write_file'. Example: 'references/api-guide.md'", success=False)
if file_content is None:
return tool_error("file_content is required for 'write_file'.", success=False)
result = _write_file(name, file_path, file_content)
elif action == "remove_file":
if not file_path:
return tool_error("file_path is required for 'remove_file'.", success=False)
result = _remove_file(name, file_path)
else:
result = {"success": False, "error": f"Unknown action '{action}'. Use: create, edit, patch, delete, write_file, remove_file"}
if result.get("success"):
# Audit ledger append (best-effort; never blocks the mutation).
try:
from tools import skill_ledger as _ledger
_post = _find_skill(name)
_after_dir = _post["path"] if _post else None
_evidence = {}
if action == "delete":
# Record delete intent: consolidation vs prune, and whether
# the recoverable-archive path handled it (curator pass).
_evidence["absorbed_into"] = absorbed_into
_evidence["archived"] = bool(result.get("_archived"))
if session_id:
_evidence["session_id"] = session_id
if file_path:
_evidence["file_path"] = file_path
_ledger.record_mutation(
action,
name,
before=_ledger_before if _ledger_before is not None else [],
after_root=_after_dir,
evidence=_evidence,
)
except Exception:
pass
try:
from agent.prompt_builder import clear_skills_system_prompt_cache
clear_skills_system_prompt_cache(clear_snapshot=True)
except Exception:
pass
# Curator telemetry: bump patch_count on edit/patch/write_file (the actions
# that mutate an existing skill's guidance), drop the record on delete.
# Only mark a skill as agent-created when the background self-improvement
# review fork creates it — foreground `skill_manage(create)` calls are
# user-directed, and those skills belong to the user (the curator must
# not touch them). Best-effort; telemetry failures never break the tool.
try:
from tools.skill_usage import bump_patch, forget, record_created
from tools.skill_provenance import is_background_review
if action == "create":
record_created(
name,
agent_created=is_background_review(),
task_id=task_id,
session_id=session_id,
)
elif action in {"patch", "edit", "write_file", "remove_file"}:
bump_patch(
name,
action=action,
task_id=task_id,
session_id=session_id,
)
elif action == "delete":
# A recoverable curator archive (routed through archive_skill)
# keeps its usage record as STATE_ARCHIVED so `hermes curator
# status`/`restore` still see it. Only a hard delete forgets.
if not result.get("_archived"):
forget(name)
except Exception:
pass
# Sync push hook (debounced, best-effort). Fires only AFTER the
# write gate passed (staged/unapproved writes never reach here -- the
# gate returns early above), so we never push un-reviewed content.
# Inert unless the access gate is open (the user is a Nous admin on the
# token), a sync base URL is configured, and the skill is opted into
# sync. Debounced so a burst of edits collapses to one push. Never
# raises -- an agent write must never block on sync (M1-C invariant).
try:
_maybe_debounced_sync_push(name)
except Exception:
pass
return json.dumps(result, ensure_ascii=False)
# =============================================================================
# OpenAI Function-Calling Schema
# =============================================================================
SKILL_MANAGE_SCHEMA = {
"name": "skill_manage",
# ONE call shape (memory-tool pattern, maintainer-directed): the call
# IS an operations array — each op names its skill and action; a
# single edit is a list of one. The legacy flat shape (top-level
# action/name/content/...) is still ACCEPTED by the handler for old
# transcripts and staged-write replay, but no longer advertised.
"description": (
"Create, update, or delete skills — your procedural memory for "
"recurring task types. The call is an operations array (a single "
"edit is a list of one); it applies atomically — any failure rolls "
"every touched skill back. Ops: create (full SKILL.md; lands in "
f"{_display_create_dir()}; must precede that skill's other "
"ops), patch (targeted old_string/new_string fix — preferred; "
"content alone REPLACES the whole file, read it via skill_view() "
"first), write_file/remove_file (supporting files), delete (sole "
"op only). Existing skills are modified wherever they live. Keep "
"the description's first 57 chars a self-contained trigger: 'Use "
"when <trigger>. <one-line behavior>.' — skill_view() shows "
"format conventions."
),
"parameters": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"operations": {
"type": "array",
"description": "Ordered ops; each names its target skill.",
"items": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"name": {
"type": "string",
"description": (
"Skill name (lowercase, hyphens/underscores, "
"max 64 chars); an existing skill's name "
"unless creating."
)
},
"action": {
"type": "string",
"enum": ["create", "patch", "delete", "write_file", "remove_file"]
},
"content": {
"type": "string",
"description": (
"Full SKILL.md text (YAML frontmatter + "
"markdown body) for create, or a full "
"rewrite on patch."
)
},
"category": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Optional category subdir for create (e.g. 'devops')."
},
# patch args: same fuzzy-matching semantics as the
# `patch` tool — teach only skill-specific facts here.
"old_string": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Text to find (patch; same matching semantics as the patch tool)."
},
"new_string": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Replacement (patch); empty string deletes the match."
},
"replace_all": {
"type": "boolean",
"description": "patch: replace all occurrences (default false)."
},
"file_path": {
"type": "string",
"description": (
"Path RELATIVE to the skill's own directory, "
"e.g. 'references/api.md' — no leading slash, "
"never absolute. write_file/remove_file: "
"required; first segment references/, "
"templates/, scripts/, or assets/. patch: "
"optional (default SKILL.md)."
)
},
"file_content": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Content for write_file."
}
},
"required": ["name", "action"]
}
},
# NOTE: the handler also accepts the legacy flat single-op shape
# (top-level action/name/content/old_string/new_string/
# replace_all/category/file_path/file_content) — old transcripts
# and staged-write replay depend on it — plus `absorbed_into` on
# delete ops (curator-only vocabulary; the curator's prompt
# documents it and the delete guard's error re-teaches it).
# None are advertised.
},
"required": ["operations"],
},
}
# --- Registry ---
from tools.registry import registry, tool_error
registry.register(
name="skill_manage",
toolset="skills",
schema=SKILL_MANAGE_SCHEMA,
handler=lambda args, **kw: skill_manage(
action=args.get("action", ""),
name=args.get("name", ""),
content=args.get("content"),
category=args.get("category"),
file_path=args.get("file_path"),
file_content=args.get("file_content"),
old_string=args.get("old_string"),
new_string=args.get("new_string"),
replace_all=args.get("replace_all", False),
absorbed_into=args.get("absorbed_into"),
operations=args.get("operations"),
task_id=kw.get("task_id"),
session_id=kw.get("session_id")),
emoji="📝",
)