define-goal

Interactively authors stop-proof goal files for autonomous /goal runs.

Updated Aug 1, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/dxiiren/project-skeleton --skill define-goal-dxiiren
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: define-goal
Source: https://github.com/dxiiren/project-skeleton/tree/main/.claude/skills/define-goal
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/dxiiren/project-skeleton --skill define-goal-dxiiren

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Autonomous agent runs often stop early with work undone because their goal files are vague, lack checkable stop conditions, or permit statuses like "deferred". This Skill turns a fuzzy intention into a rigorously specified goal file that a fresh agent instance can execute to genuine completion without being talked into finishing early. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Guided interrogation loop: Asks one theme per round (mission, work list, definition of done, guardrails, blockers, budget, concurrency) and never writes the file until the developer explicitly confirms the assembled spec is 100% correct. - Stop-proof goal template: Produces a {topic}-goal.md with a checkable STOP CONDITION, a fully enumerated work list with terminal statuses, banned "deferred" statuses, a code-grounded blocker definition, a durable JSONL state ledger, stall detection, a hard budget, and a resume protocol. - Handoff to autonomous execution: Prints the exact /goal invocation so a fresh instance runs the goal unattended, resuming from the ledger after crashes or context compaction. - Use Case: Before an overnight refactor sweep, run /define-goal refactor-logging to be interrogated about scope, guardrails, and budget, then receive a goal file that an unattended agent works through row by row until every item reaches a terminal status. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to define a goal for an autonomous run, for example by saying "/define-goal audit-workflows", then answer its questions until you confirm the spec.

Frequently Asked Questions about define-goal

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I create a goal file for an autonomous agent run?▼

Invoke /define-goal with a topic slug and answer the interrogation rounds covering mission, work list, definition of done, guardrails, budget, and concurrency. After you explicitly confirm the assembled spec, it writes {topic}-goal.md into .claude/checklist/{topic}/ and prints the /goal command to run it.

What makes a goal file stop-proof for unattended runs?▼

A stop-proof goal has a checkable STOP CONDITION, a fully enumerated work list with terminal statuses (DONE, GAP, BLOCKED), banned statuses like "deferred", a code-grounded blocker definition, and a resume protocol. These five pillars prevent the agent from writing an early summary and quitting with rows still open.

Can an autonomous goal run resume after a crash or context compaction?▼

Yes. Every iteration appends one JSON line to a {topic}-state.jsonl ledger recording the completed item, command, and criteria results. A fresh session reads the ledger first and resumes by set difference against the work list, never by cursor, so concurrent or out-of-order completions are handled.

When should work items run serially versus in parallel?▼

Run serially when items touch the same file, share a stateful resource like one server or database, or when one item's output feeds another. Parallel batches of 4-8 subagents are allowed only for genuinely independent items, and require the ledger to record an item per line for set-based resume.

Why does the skill refuse to write the goal file immediately?▼

The interrogation loop is the core value: a goal written from half-formed answers fails mid-run when nobody is available to clarify. The skill re-presents the full assembled spec after every correction and only writes after an explicit confirmation like "confirmed" or "ship it".