SKILL.md
Artifact Lifecycle Skill
Convenience wrapper for the unified artifact lifecycle workflow.
Overview
This skill provides a simplified interface to the comprehensive artifact lifecycle management workflow at .claude/workflows/core/skill-lifecycle.md.
When to Use
Use this skill when you need to:
- Create a new artifact (skill, agent, hook, workflow, template, schema)
- Update an existing artifact
- Deprecate an artifact with migration guidance
- Check if an artifact already exists
Quick Start
// Invoke this skill
Skill({ skill: 'artifact-lifecycle' });Workflow Reference
Full Workflow: .claude/workflows/core/skill-lifecycle.md
Phases
Phase 1: Discovery
Check if artifact exists, compare versions.
Agent: architect Output: Discovery report with recommendations
Phase 2: Decision
Determine action: CREATE, UPDATE, or DEPRECATE.
Agent: planner Output: Action plan with tasks
Phase 3: Action
Execute the determined action.
Agent: developer + appropriate creator skill Tools:
Skill({ skill: "skill-creator" })for skillsSkill({ skill: "agent-creator" })for agentsSkill({ skill: "hook-creator" })for hooksSkill({ skill: "workflow-creator" })for workflows
Phase 4: Integration
Update registries, catalogs, and CLAUDE.md.
Agent: developer Updates:
- creator-registry.json
- skill-catalog.md (for skills)
- CLAUDE.md Section 3 (for agents) or Section 8.5/8.6 (for skills/workflows)
Phase 5: Validation
Test integration and verify references.
Agent: qa Checks:
- Artifact invocable
- References valid
- No broken cross-references
Usage Examples
Create New Skill
User: "Create a skill for Kubernetes deployment"
Router spawns with:
Skill({ skill: "artifact-lifecycle" })
Workflow determines: CREATE mode
Invokes: skill-creator
Updates: registry, catalog, CLAUDE.md
Validates: skill invocableUpdate Existing Agent
User: "Update the devops agent to support Terraform Cloud"
Router spawns with:
Skill({ skill: "artifact-lifecycle" })
Workflow determines: UPDATE mode
Version: 1.0.0 → 1.1.0
Updates: agent file, CHANGELOG
Validates: agent referenced correctlyDeprecate Workflow
User: "Deprecate the old deployment workflow"
Router spawns with:
Skill({ skill: "artifact-lifecycle" })
Workflow determines: DEPRECATE mode
Adds: deprecation notice, migration guide
Updates: CLAUDE.md with replacement reference
Validates: no broken referencesConfiguration
| Parameter | Values | Default |
|---|---|---|
| artifact_type | skill, agent, hook, workflow, template, schema | auto-detect |
| operation | create, update, deprecate, integrate | auto-detect |
| version_bump | major, minor, patch | minor |
Iron Laws
- ALWAYS use type-specific creator skills — never treat artifact-lifecycle as a shortcut that bypasses research-synthesis, companion-check, or validation; each phase exists for a reason.
- ALWAYS determine operation mode before starting action (CREATE/UPDATE/DEPRECATE) — never begin Phase 3 without a confirmed Phase 2 decision; wrong operation = wasted or dangerous work.
- NEVER skip Phase 5 validation — artifacts must be verified as invocable before the lifecycle task is marked complete; broken artifacts delivered as complete are worse than none.
- ALWAYS update catalog and CLAUDE.md in Phase 4 — artifacts without catalog/routing entries are invisible to agents and the router; integration without registration is incomplete.
- NEVER use artifact-lifecycle for simple single-artifact updates — use type-specific updaters (skill-updater, agent-updater, workflow-updater); lifecycle is for multi-phase orchestration only.
Anti-Patterns
| Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails | Correct Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping research-synthesis before CREATE | Risk of creating a duplicate or outdated artifact | Always run research-synthesis first |
| Starting action before Phase 2 decision | Wrong operation applied; CREATE when UPDATE needed | Complete Phase 2 before Phase 3 |
| Skipping Phase 5 validation | Broken artifacts delivered as complete | Always run invocability check |
| No catalog/registry update in Phase 4 | Artifact is invisible to agents and router | Always update catalog, registry, and CLAUDE.md |
| Using artifact-lifecycle for simple version bumps | Heavyweight process for lightweight work | Use skill-updater/agent-updater for UPDATE mode |
| Not specifying artifact_type | Wrong creator skill invoked silently | Always specify or verify artifact_type in Phase 1 |
Memory Protocol
- Read
.claude/context/memory/learnings.mdbefore starting - Record decisions to
.claude/context/memory/decisions.md - Record issues to
.claude/context/memory/issues.md
Related Skills
skill-creator- Direct skill creationagent-creator- Direct agent creationworkflow-creator- Direct workflow creationcodebase-integration- External artifact integration
Related Workflows
.claude/workflows/core/skill-lifecycle.md- Full lifecycle workflow.claude/workflows/core/external-integration.md- External artifact integration.claude/workflows/core/router-decision.md- Router decision flow