Agent skill
category-manager
Branch skill for building and improving categories. Use when creating new categories, validating category structure, improving existing categories, or migrating categories to new standard. Triggers: 'create category', 'improve category', 'validate category structure', 'fix category', 'category compliance', 'migrate category', 'JARVIS-XX structure', 'CLAUDE.md structure', 'settings.json format', 'self-improvement cycle'.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/Jarvis-Projects/plugin-dev/tree/main/skills/category-manager
SKILL.md
Category Manager - Branch of JARVIS-01
Build and improve categories following the category-management policy.
Policy Source
Primary policy: JARVIS-01 → .claude/skills/category-management/SKILL.md
This branch executes the policy defined by JARVIS-01. Always sync with Primary before major operations.
Quick Decision Tree
Task Received
│
├── Create new category? ────────────> Workflow 1: Build
│
├── Fix existing category? ──────────> Workflow 2: Improve
│
├── Validate category? ──────────────> Validation Checklist
│
├── Migrate to new standard? ────────> Workflow 3: Migrate
│
└── Self-improvement cycle? ─────────> Self-Improvement Process
Category Overview
Each JARVIS category maintains effective configuration through:
CLAUDE.md- Main Agent instructions at category root.claude/settings.json- Tool permissions and MCP configurations.claude/mcp.json- MCP server definitions (Execution layer).claude/skills/- Primary Skill defining category policyplugins/- 4-Plugin Architecture
Workflow 1: Build New Category
Step 1: Determine Layer
| Range | Layer | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00-10 | Management | Build ecosystem infrastructure | JARVIS-07 MCP-Manager |
| 11+ | Execution | Control external system | JARVIS-11 Cloudflare |
Decision criteria:
- Does it build tools for OTHER categories? → Management
- Does it control ONE external API/system? → Execution
Step 2: Assign Number
# Check existing categories
ls -d JARVIS-* | sort -t'-' -k2 -n
- Management: Limited to 00-10, must be approved
- Execution: Start from 11, take next available
Step 3: Create Full Structure
# Create all directories at once
mkdir -p JARVIS-XX-Name/{.claude/skills/[name]-management/references,plugins/{orchestrator,dev,bigquery-[name],category-[name]},TASKS}
Expected structure:
JARVIS-XX-Category-Name/
├── CLAUDE.md <- Category identity (REQUIRED)
├── .claude/
│ ├── settings.json <- Tool permissions
│ ├── mcp.json <- MCP config (Execution layer)
│ └── skills/
│ └── [name]-management/ <- Primary Skill
│ ├── SKILL.md <- REQUIRED
│ └── references/ <- Optional details
├── plugins/ <- 4 Plugins (REQUIRED)
│ ├── orchestrator/ <- Shared - task routing
│ ├── dev/ <- Shared - self-improvement
│ ├── bigquery-[name]/ <- Template - data access
│ └── category-[name]/ <- Unique - domain logic
└── TASKS/ <- Task tracking
└── TASK-XX-[name]/
└── README.md
Step 4: Write CLAUDE.md
CLAUDE.md Structure
Minimal Template (for new categories):
# JARVIS-XX-CategoryName
## Role
[One sentence describing primary function]
## Responsibilities
- [Key responsibility 1]
- [Key responsibility 2]
- [Key responsibility 3]
## MCP Servers
| Server | Location | Purpose |
|--------|----------|---------|
| vault | VPS | Secrets management |
| supabase-common | CloudRun | Database access |
## Quick Reference
[Most common commands or patterns]
Full Template (for mature categories):
# JARVIS-XX-CategoryName
## Role
[Category's primary function and domain expertise]
## Responsibilities
- [Responsibility 1]
- [Responsibility 2]
- [Responsibility 3]
## MCP Servers
| Server | Location | Purpose |
|--------|----------|---------|
| server1 | VPS/CloudRun/Local | Description |
## Schemas (if database access)
| Schema | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| schema1 | Description |
## Common Tasks
### Task Type 1
[Step-by-step instructions]
### Task Type 2
[Step-by-step instructions]
## Best Practices
- [Practice 1]
- [Practice 2]
## Integration Points
- **Category XX**: [How they interact]
- **Category YY**: [How they interact]
## Learnings
- [Learning 1 from previous conversations]
- [Learning 2]
## Changelog
- YYYY-MM-DD: [Change description]
CLAUDE.md Best Practices
- Keep concise (500-2000 words ideal)
- Use tables for structured data
- Include practical examples
- Update changelog on changes
- Focus on actionable instructions
Management Layer Template:
# JARVIS-XX-CategoryName
## Role
[Category function] for the JARVIS AI Ecosystem.
## Responsibilities
- Define [domain] policy for all categories
- Maintain [domain] standards
- Support categories in [domain] tasks
## Integration
- **Plugin-dev branch**: [branch-name]
- **Primary Skill**: [skill-name]-management
## Quick Reference
[Most common operations for this category]
Execution Layer Template:
# JARVIS-XX-CategoryName
## Role
Control [External System] via MCP with full coverage.
## Responsibilities
- Manage [System] resources
- Automate [System] operations
- Monitor [System] status
## MCP Servers
| Server | Location | Coverage | Purpose |
|--------|----------|----------|---------|
| [name] | CloudRun | 90%+ | [Description] |
## Schemas (BigQuery)
| Schema | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| jarvis_XX_[name] | [Data stored] |
## Quick Reference
[Most common MCP operations]
Step 5: Configure settings.json
Settings.json Location
.claude/settings.json in category root
Basic Structure
{
"permissions": {
"allow": [],
"deny": []
}
}
With MCP Servers
{
"permissions": {
"allow": [
"Bash(npm:*)",
"Bash(git:*)",
"mcp__vault__*"
],
"deny": [
"Bash(rm -rf:*)"
]
},
"mcpServers": {
"vault": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@anthropic/mcp-vault"],
"env": {
"VAULT_ADDR": "${VAULT_ADDR}"
}
}
}
}
Permission Patterns
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
Bash(npm:*) |
Allow npm commands |
Bash(git:*) |
Allow git commands |
mcp__server__* |
Allow all tools from MCP server |
mcp__server__tool |
Allow specific MCP tool |
Read(path/**) |
Allow reading from path |
Write(path/**) |
Allow writing to path |
Settings.json Best Practices
- Follow least privilege principle
- Document why permissions exist
- Test after changes
- Use environment variables for secrets
- Keep MCP configs minimal
Step 6: Create Primary Skill
Follow skills-manager for full details. Minimum:
---
name: [category]-management
description: "This skill [function]. Use when [conditions]. Triggers: '[trigger1]', '[trigger2]'."
---
# [Category] Management - JARVIS-XX
[Core concept in 2-3 sentences]
## When to Use This Skill
- [Condition 1]
- [Condition 2]
## Core Workflows
### Workflow 1: [Name]
1. [Step]
2. [Step]
## Validation Checklist
- [ ] [Check 1]
- [ ] [Check 2]
## Reference Files
- [references/detail.md](references/detail.md) - [Description]
Step 7: Set Up 4 Plugins
| Plugin | Action |
|---|---|
| orchestrator | Copy from shared source (identical) |
| dev | Copy from shared source (identical) |
| bigquery-[name] | Create from template, update table list |
| category-[name] | Create custom with domain agents/skills |
Use plugins-manager for detailed plugin creation.
Step 8: Configure MCP (Execution Layer Only)
Work with JARVIS-07 to:
- Build or adapt MCP server
- Document all tools in Primary Skill
- Configure .claude/mcp.json
- Test tool coverage
Step 9: Validate
Run full validation checklist (see below).
Self-Improvement Cycle
Categories should run self-improvement periodically to maintain effectiveness.
When to Run
- Every ~6 conversations
- After completing major tasks
- When issues or inefficiencies noticed
- On explicit request
Self-Improvement Process
1. Analyze Current State
├── Read CLAUDE.md
├── Read settings.json
└── Review recent patterns
2. Identify Improvements
├── Missing instructions
├── Outdated information
├── Permission gaps
└── New learnings
3. Apply Changes
├── Update CLAUDE.md
├── Update settings.json
└── Document changes
4. Validate
├── Test configurations
└── Verify no breakage
What to Improve
CLAUDE.md:
- Add instructions for recurring tasks
- Remove outdated information
- Improve clarity and organization
- Add learnings from conversations
- Update MCP server documentation
Settings.json:
- Add permissions for frequently used tools
- Remove unnecessary permissions
- Update MCP configurations
- Fix broken server configs
Self-Improvement Best Practices
- Make incremental changes
- Preserve working configurations
- Document all changes
- Test after modifications
- Review periodically
Workflow 2: Improve Existing Category
Step 1: Analyze Current State
# Run category audit
ls -la JARVIS-XX-Name/
cat JARVIS-XX-Name/CLAUDE.md
cat JARVIS-XX-Name/.claude/skills/*/SKILL.md
ls JARVIS-XX-Name/plugins/
Step 2: Gap Analysis
| Component | Check | Common Issues |
|---|---|---|
| CLAUDE.md | Exists? Up to date? | Missing MCP docs, outdated responsibilities |
| Primary Skill | Complete? References? | Missing triggers, no validation checklist |
| settings.json | Permissions correct? | Missing MCP tool permissions |
| 4 Plugins | All present? | Missing plugin directories |
| mcp.json | Configured? (Execution) | Wrong server URLs |
Step 3: Apply Fixes
Priority order:
- Critical: Missing CLAUDE.md or Primary Skill
- High: Missing plugins
- Medium: Outdated content
- Low: Formatting, clarity
Step 4: Document Changes
Create task record:
# TASK-XX-Category-Improvement
## Date: YYYY-MM-DD
## Changes Made
- [ ] Updated CLAUDE.md with [changes]
- [ ] Added missing [component]
- [ ] Fixed [issue]
## Validation
- [ ] All checks pass
- [ ] Tested functionality
Workflow 3: Migrate Category to New Standard
When category structure policy changes:
- Backup current state
- Compare with new standard (read Primary Skill)
- Create migration plan
- Apply changes incrementally
- Validate each step
- Document migration
Validation Checklist
Structure Checks
- Directory named
JARVIS-XX-Name(XX = 2-digit number) - Number matches layer (00-10 Management, 11+ Execution)
- CLAUDE.md exists at root
- CLAUDE.md has Role section
- CLAUDE.md has Responsibilities section
Configuration Checks
-
.claude/settings.jsonexists and valid JSON -
.claude/mcp.jsonexists (if Execution layer) - MCP servers documented in CLAUDE.md
Skill Checks
- Primary Skill at
.claude/skills/[name]-management/SKILL.md - SKILL.md has valid frontmatter (name, description)
- Description has "Triggers:" section
- references/ exists if SKILL.md > 1500 words
Plugin Checks
-
plugins/orchestrator/exists -
plugins/dev/exists -
plugins/bigquery-[name]/exists -
plugins/category-[name]/exists - Each plugin has
.claude-plugin/plugin.json
Integration Checks
- If Management 01-06: branch exists in plugin-dev
- If Execution: MCP configured and tested
- TASKS/ directory exists
Common Issues & Fixes
| Issue | Diagnosis | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Missing CLAUDE.md | ls JARVIS-XX/CLAUDE.md returns nothing |
Create from template above |
| Wrong layer number | Category 15 doing management work | Renumber or reassign responsibilities |
| No Primary Skill | .claude/skills/ empty |
Create following skills-manager |
| Missing plugins | ls plugins/ shows < 4 dirs |
Create missing plugin directories |
| Outdated content | CLAUDE.md references old tools | Update with current MCP tools |
| No mcp.json | Execution category without MCP | Work with JARVIS-07 to create |
BigQuery Integration (Optional)
Categories can track metrics in BigQuery for analytics and improvement:
bigquery.jarvis_analytics.
├── jarvis_XX_conversations # Conversation logs
├── jarvis_XX_improvements # Improvement history
└── jarvis_XX_metrics # Performance metrics
Tracked Metrics
- Conversation count
- Task types and frequency
- Error patterns
- Improvement effectiveness
Use bigquery-[name] plugin for data access.
When to Use This Skill
- User asks to create a new JARVIS category
- User asks to validate category compliance
- User asks to fix category structure issues
- User asks about CLAUDE.md structure or settings.json format
- User asks about self-improvement cycle
- DEV-Manager detects category problems during improvement cycle
- Migrating categories to updated standard
- Regular improvement cycle (~6 sessions)
Sync Protocol
Before executing any workflow:
- Read JARVIS-01's category-management SKILL.md
- Check for policy updates
- Apply current policy, not cached knowledge
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