Add README.md requirement to AGENTS.md governance

- Added 'Human-readable README' row to the Format Compliance table
- New README Format section defining 6 required sections + style guidance
- Added README validation to the Validate Your Output checklist
- References data-scientist/README.md as the canonical format example
This commit is contained in:
Magnus Hedemark
2026-07-09 22:36:49 -04:00
parent 738ec715e7
commit 0c772a16b9
+30
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@@ -14,6 +14,34 @@ Every skill in this repository conforms to the [Agent Skills specification](http
| `description` field | Trigger-oriented, describes what and when |
| Progressive disclosure | Core instructions in `SKILL.md` (< 500 lines, < 5,000 tokens), supporting material in `references/`, `templates/`, `scripts/` |
| File references | Relative paths from skill root, one level deep |
| **Human-readable README** | **`README.md`** in skill root — required for every skill. See [README Format](#readme-format) below |
## README Format
Every skill directory **MUST** contain a `README.md` written for a **human audience** (not an AI agent). The README explains what the skill does and why someone would want to install it. It is the public face of the skill — the first thing a human sees when browsing the repository.
### Required Sections
| Section | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| **Title** | Skill name + one-line summary of what it does |
| **Why Install This Skill** | 2-3 paragraph pitch answering "what problem does this solve for me?" and "what can my agent do after installing this?" — written in plain language, not format docs |
| **What You Get** | Table listing directory contents (scripts, references, templates, assets) and what each provides |
| **Quick Start** | Minimal setup: env vars to export, first command to run (omit for reference-only skills) |
| **Triggers** | List of trigger conditions that tell someone when to load this skill |
| **Requirements** | Dependencies, API keys, Python version, system tools |
### Style Guidance
- **Lead with benefit, not implementation.** Answer "what does this do for me?" before "what tech is it built on?"
- **Be concrete.** Show real command examples with expected output. Avoid abstract descriptions.
- **Assume the reader is human.** No agent instructions, no JSON schemas, no progressive disclosure notes. Those go in `SKILL.md`.
- **Keep it scannable.** Use tables, code blocks, and bullet lists. A human should grasp the skill's purpose in 10 seconds.
- **One page or less.** A README that takes more than a minute to read is too long. Save depth for `SKILL.md`.
### Example
See [data-scientist/README.md](data-scientist/README.md) or any skill in this repository for the canonical format.
## How to Load Skills
@@ -103,6 +131,8 @@ When creating or modifying a skill in this repo, validate against the format:
- Body under 500 lines and 5,000 tokens
- All file references use relative paths from skill root
- Frontmatter YAML is valid
- **`README.md` exists in the skill root** with all required sections (see [README Format](#readme-format) above)
- **README is written for humans** — no agent instructions, JSON schemas, or progressive disclosure notes in the README. Those belong in `SKILL.md`.
### Respect Attribution