Create Runbook

Overview

Generate an operational runbook with step-by-step procedures, copy-pasteable commands, troubleshooting decision trees, and clear escalation paths. Runbooks are designed to be followed under pressure by an on-call engineer who may not be familiar with the system, so every step must be explicit, every command must be runnable, and every decision point must have clear criteria.

Workflow

1. Read architecture context — Scan .chalk/docs/engineering/ for:

   • Architecture docs (service names, endpoints, infrastructure components)
   • Previous runbooks (to match format and avoid duplication)
   • Incident reports and postmortems (to identify procedures that should exist but do not)
   • Monitoring and alerting docs (dashboard links, alert names) Also check .chalk/docs/ root for any configuration or infrastructure documentation.

2. Parse the runbook scope — From $ARGUMENTS, identify:

   • Which service or process the runbook covers
   • What scenario it addresses (deployment, rollback, scaling, failover, data recovery, etc.)
   • Whether this is a routine procedure or an emergency procedure If the scope is too broad (e.g., "runbook for everything"), ask the user to narrow to a specific service or scenario.

3. Gather operational details — Use Bash to inspect the codebase for:

   • Service configuration files, deployment scripts, and infrastructure-as-code
   • Environment variables and configuration references
   • Health check endpoints, monitoring integrations
   • Database connection details (without exposing credentials) This ensures commands reference real service names and endpoints, not generic placeholders.

4. Write procedures as numbered steps — Each step must:

   • Describe what the step does and why
   • Include a copy-pasteable command in a code block (if applicable)
   • Show expected output so the operator can verify success
   • State what to do if the step fails (go to troubleshooting, retry, or escalate)

5. Build the troubleshooting decision tree — For common failure modes:

   • Start with the symptom the operator observes
   • Branch based on observable conditions (log messages, status codes, metrics)
   • Each branch leads to a specific action or escalation
   • No dead ends: every branch must terminate in either a fix or an escalation

6. Define escalation criteria — Specify:

   • When to escalate (time thresholds, severity conditions)
   • Who to escalate to (team, role, or on-call channel — not individual names)
   • What information to include in the escalation

7. Write verification steps — After each procedure, include steps to confirm success:

   • Health check commands
   • Expected metric values
   • Log patterns that confirm normal operation
   • How long to monitor before considering the procedure complete

8. Write rollback procedures — For every procedure that changes state, include:

   • How to undo the change
   • What data or state may be affected by the rollback
   • Verification steps specific to the rollback

9. Validate commands — Review all commands in the runbook to ensure:

   • No generic placeholders like <your-service-name> or $SERVICE without definition
   • Environment-specific values are clearly documented at the top as prerequisites
   • Commands use actual service names, endpoints, and paths from the codebase

10. Determine the next file number — List files in .chalk/docs/engineering/ to find the highest numbered file. Increment by 1.

11. Write the file — Save to .chalk/docs/engineering/<n>_runbook_<service_or_process>.md.

12. Confirm — Present the runbook with a summary of procedures covered, prerequisites, and any gaps that need input from the team.

Runbook Structure

# Runbook: <Service/Process Name>

**Last Updated**: <YYYY-MM-DD>
**Owner**: <team or role>
**Review Cadence**: <quarterly / after each incident>

## Purpose

<When should an operator use this runbook? What scenario does it address?>

## Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

- [ ] Access to <system/tool> (request via <channel>)
- [ ] <CLI tool> installed (version <X.Y+>)
- [ ] Environment variables set:
  ```bash
  export SERVICE_URL=<actual-url>
  export DB_HOST=<actual-host>

• Familiarity with

Procedures

Procedure 1: <Name>

When to use: Estimated duration: Risk level: Low / Medium / High

1. <Step description>

   Why:

   bashCopy

   <copy-pasteable command>
   

   Expected output:

   Copy

   <what the operator should see>
   

   If this fails: <go to Troubleshooting section X / retry / escalate>

2. <Next step>

   bashCopy

   <command>
   

   Expected output:

   Copy

   <expected result>
   

Procedure 2: <Name>

Troubleshooting

Symptom: <What the operator observes>

Is <condition A> true?
├── Yes → <Action or next check>
│   └── Did it resolve?
│       ├── Yes → Done. Verify with <command>
│       └── No → Escalate to <team>
└── No → Check <condition B>
    ├── <condition B> true → <Action>
    └── <condition B> false → Escalate to <team>

Symptom: <Another common issue>

Escalation

Verification

After completing any procedure, verify success:

1. Health check

   bashCopy

   <health check command>
   

   Expected: <healthy response>

2. Metrics check

   • should return to within
   • Dashboard:

3. Log check

   bashCopy

   <command to check for error patterns>
   

   Expected: No errors matching <pattern> in the last

4. Monitoring period: Watch for before considering the procedure complete.

Rollback

If the procedure needs to be undone:

1. <Rollback step>

   bashCopy

   <rollback command>
   

2. Verify rollback

   bashCopy

   <verification command>
   

   Expected:

Rollback risks:

## Output

- **File**: `.chalk/docs/engineering/<n>_runbook_<service_or_process>.md`
- **Format**: Plain markdown, no YAML frontmatter
- **First line**: `# Runbook: <Service/Process Name>`

## Anti-patterns

- **Prose instead of steps** — "First you'll want to check the service health and then maybe restart it if needed" is not a runbook. "Step 1: Check service health. Step 2: If unhealthy, restart." Runbooks are followed under pressure. Use numbered steps, not paragraphs.
- **Non-copyable commands** — Commands with placeholders like `<your-service>`, `$REPLACE_ME`, or `[insert name here]` force the operator to think and substitute under pressure. Define all variables in the Prerequisites section and use actual values in commands.
- **Missing escalation path** — A runbook without escalation criteria leaves the operator stranded when the procedure does not work. Every runbook must answer: "What do I do if this doesn't fix it?"
- **No verification step** — Completing a procedure without verifying success is dangerous. The operator must be able to confirm the system is healthy before walking away. Include health checks, metric thresholds, and monitoring duration.
- **Outdated commands** — Runbooks that reference decommissioned services, old endpoints, or deprecated CLI flags are worse than no runbook at all. Include a review cadence and last-updated date. Flag commands that depend on specific versions.
- **Missing rollback** — Any procedure that changes system state must include instructions to undo it. If a procedure is irreversible, that must be stated explicitly so the operator understands the risk before proceeding.
- **Assuming expertise** — Runbooks are often used by on-call engineers who did not build the system. Do not assume familiarity with internals. Explain what each step does and why, not just how.