If a relevant skill exists, you do not get to skip it because the task feels small or familiar. </EXTREMELY-IMPORTANT>

How to Access Skills

In Codex CLI: Open the relevant SKILL.md under ~/.codex/skills or the workspace-provided skill pack, then follow it directly.

If a skill includes a checklist: mirror the checklist in update_plan so progress stays visible while you work.

Using Skills

The Rule

Open relevant or requested skills before any response or action. Even a 1% chance that a skill applies means you should inspect it first. If a skill turns out not to fit, you can stop using it after reading it.

`dot digraph skill_flow { "User message received" [shape=doublecircle]; "About to start work?" [shape=doublecircle]; "Already brainstormed?" [shape=diamond]; "Open brainstorming skill" [shape=box]; "Might a skill apply?" [shape=diamond]; "Open matching SKILL.md" [shape=box]; "Announce: Using [skill]" [shape=box]; "Has checklist?" [shape=diamond]; "Mirror checklist in update_plan" [shape=box]; "Follow skill exactly" [shape=box]; "Respond" [shape=doublecircle];

"About to start work?" -> "Already brainstormed?";
"Already brainstormed?" -> "Open brainstorming skill" [label="no"];
"Already brainstormed?" -> "Might a skill apply?" [label="yes"];
"Open brainstorming skill" -> "Might a skill apply?";

"User message received" -> "Might a skill apply?";
"Might a skill apply?" -> "Open matching SKILL.md" [label="yes, even 1%"];
"Might a skill apply?" -> "Respond" [label="definitely not"];
"Open matching SKILL.md" -> "Announce: Using [skill]";
"Announce: Using [skill]" -> "Has checklist?";
"Has checklist?" -> "Mirror checklist in update_plan" [label="yes"];
"Has checklist?" -> "Follow skill exactly" [label="no"];
"Mirror checklist in update_plan" -> "Follow skill exactly";

} `

Red Flags

These thoughts mean STOP and open the skill first:

Skill Priority

When multiple skills could apply, use this order:

1. Process skills first - brainstorming, debugging, TDD, verification
2. Implementation skills second - frontend, review, feature workflows

Skill Types

Rigid skills enforce a workflow and should be followed closely.

Flexible skills provide patterns you can adapt to context.

User Instructions

User instructions say what to do. Skills tell you how to do it safely and consistently.