magnus919_agent-skills/workflow-architect/references/trigger-condition-patterns.md

Trigger Condition Patterns

This reference documents the canonical patterns for writing trigger conditions in the output bundle's sub-skills. The bundle-builder uses these patterns when generating each sub-skill's description field and "When to use" section.

Trigger conditions tell the agent loader when to activate a skill. The more precise the trigger, the less friction the user experiences.

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Trigger Categories

1. Keyword-Based

The most common pattern. The skill activates when the user mentions specific terms. Multiple keywords expand recall.

Pattern:

description: >-
  Use when the user mentions [keyword], [keyword], or [keyword]. Also
  use when [context description].

Examples:

• "Use when the user says PR, review, approve, merge, or changes requested."
• "Use when the user mentions debug, bug, broken, error, traceback, or crash."
• "Use when the user says draft, article, write, publish, or blog post."

Best practices:

• Include 3-7 keywords — enough to trigger reliably, few enough to stay focused
• Lead with the most specific keyword first
• Use synonyms and common alternates (e.g., "debug" and "fix" for troubleshooting)

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2. Context-Based

The skill activates based on session state, not just user messages.

Pattern:

description: >-
  [Bare description of when it applies, since context-based triggers are
  agent-determined rather than keyword-driven.]

Examples:

• "Load this at the start of every first session of the day. It runs the morning intake routine."
• "Load this after a tool failure or error. It handles the diagnostics protocol."
• "Load this when a session has been running for 30+ minutes. It suggests a wrap-up routine."

Best practices:

• Context-based triggers are harder to specify in the Agent Skills format (which relies on description keywords). Document the context signal in the skill's "When to use" section.
• Pair with keyword triggers as fallback: "Use when the user says 'wrap up' or when the session has been running for 30+ minutes."

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3. Signal-Based

The skill activates on behavioral patterns, not explicit keywords.

Pattern:

description: >-
  Use when the user [behavior description]. Activates on [signal type].

Examples:

• "Use when the user switches tools or context rapidly (3+ distinct requests in 5 turns). Helps re-center after context switching."
• "Use when the user pauses for 60+ seconds mid-response. Offers to recap or re-establish focus."
• "Use when the user types a / command. Handles command dispatch."

Best practices:

• Signal-based triggers are the most fragile — they depend on the agent detecting patterns in real time
• Document the signal clearly in the body so the agent recognizes it
• Prefer keyword or context triggers when possible

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4. Time-Based

The skill activates on a schedule, not in response to user input.

Pattern (for cron/scheduled skills):

description: >-
  Cron skill. Runs [schedule] to [purpose]. Use when setting up recurring
  tasks or automated workflows.

Examples:

• "Runs every morning at 9am. Generates a daily standup summary from the previous day's work."
• "Runs every Friday at 5pm. Prompts the user to wrap up open items for the week."
• "Runs once per hour during active sessions. Checks for stalled work and suggests unblocking actions."

Best practices:

• Time-based triggers belong in the skill body, not the description
• The description should still support keyword activation (user might say "set up my daily standup")
• Cron scheduling is agent-specific — note compatibility requirements

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Writing Trigger Descriptions

Each generated sub-skill's description field should follow this formula:

Use when [who] [does what] [under what conditions].
[Optional: what the skill provides.]

Examples:

• "Use when the user starts their morning routine — checking notifications, reviewing overnight updates, or prioritizing tasks."
• "Use when the user shifts into building mode — writing code, drafting content, or designing. Provides focused work support."
• "Use when the user is wrapping up a session — summarizing decisions, filing issues, or saving state for next time."

Keywords to Include

Pull from the phase's typical_openers and typical_tools discovered during the interview:

• Entry openers: "check," "review," "what's new," "status," "start"
• Build openers: "build," "write," "create," "implement," "design"
• Review openers: "review," "look at," "check this," "approve"
• Wrap openers: "wrap," "done," "save," "summarize," "ship"

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Trigger Condition Manifest Format

The output bundle's manifest.yaml maps skills to their trigger conditions:

# manifest.yaml
bundle_name: my-workflow
generated: 2026-05-29
archetype: morning-triage-deep-work

skills:
  - name: morning-triage
    file: skills/morning-triage.md
    trigger:
      type: keyword
      keywords: [check, review, overnight, what's new, start, morning]
      description: >-
        Loads when the user opens with status checks,
        review requests, or morning intake language.

  - name: deep-work
    file: skills/deep-work.md
    trigger:
      type: keyword+context
      keywords: [build, write, create, implement, focus]
      context: After morning triage is complete or user skips
                directly to a specific task
      description: >-
        Loads when the user shifts into building or creating mode,
        either after triage or as the session opener.

  - name: wrap
    file: skills/wrap.md
    trigger:
      type: keyword
      keywords: [wrap, done, save, close, ship, summarize]
      description: >-
        Loads when the user signals session completion or wraps up work.

Each trigger can have type one of: keyword, context, signal, time, or a compound type like keyword+context.