compound-docs Skill

Purpose: Automatically document solved problems to build searchable institutional knowledge with category-based organization (enum-validated problem types).

Overview

This skill captures problem solutions immediately after confirmation, creating structured documentation that serves as a searchable knowledge base for future sessions.

Organization: Single-file architecture - each problem documented as one markdown file in its symptom category directory (e.g., .claude/solutions/performance-issues/n-plus-one-briefs.md). Files use YAML frontmatter for metadata and searchability.

<critical_sequence name="documentation-capture" enforce_order="strict">

7-Step Process

<step number="1" required="true"> ### Step 1: Detect Confirmation

Auto-invoke after phrases:

•"that worked"
•"it's fixed"
•"working now"
•"problem solved"
•"that did it"

OR manual: /doc-fix command

Non-trivial problems only:

•Multiple investigation attempts needed
•Tricky debugging that took time
•Non-obvious solution
•Future sessions would benefit

Skip documentation for:

•Simple typos
•Obvious syntax errors
•Trivial fixes immediately corrected </step>

<step number="2" required="true" depends_on="1"> ### Step 2: Gather Context

Extract from conversation history:

Required information:

•Module name: Which CORA module had the problem
•Symptom: Observable error/behavior (exact error messages)
•Investigation attempts: What didn't work and why
•Root cause: Technical explanation of actual problem
•Solution: What fixed it (code/config changes)
•Prevention: How to avoid in future

Environment details:

•Rails version
•Stage (0-6 or post-implementation)
•OS version
•File/line references

BLOCKING REQUIREMENT: If critical context is missing (module name, exact error, stage, or resolution steps), ask user and WAIT for response before proceeding to Step 3:

code

I need a few details to document this properly:

1. Which module had this issue? [ModuleName]
2. What was the exact error message or symptom?
3. What stage were you in? (0-6 or post-implementation)

[Continue after user provides details]

</step> <step number="3" required="false" depends_on="2"> ### Step 3: Check Existing Docs

Search .claude/solutions/ for similar issues:

bash

# Search by error message keywords
grep -r "exact error phrase" .claude/solutions/

# Search by symptom category
ls .claude/solutions/[category]/

IF similar issue found:

THEN present decision options:

code

Found similar issue: .claude/solutions/[path]

What's next?
1. Create new doc with cross-reference (recommended)
2. Update existing doc (only if same root cause)
3. Other

Choose (1-3): _

WAIT for user response, then execute chosen action.

ELSE (no similar issue found):

Proceed directly to Step 4 (no user interaction needed). </step>

<step number="4" required="true" depends_on="2"> ### Step 4: Generate Filename

Format: [sanitized-symptom]-[module]-[YYYYMMDD].md

Sanitization rules:

•Lowercase
•Replace spaces with hyphens
•Remove special characters except hyphens
•Truncate to reasonable length (< 80 chars)

Examples:

•missing-include-BriefSystem-20251110.md
•parameter-not-saving-state-EmailProcessing-20251110.md
•webview-crash-on-resize-Assistant-20251110.md </step>

<step number="5" required="true" depends_on="4" blocking="true"> ### Step 5: Validate YAML Schema

CRITICAL: All docs require validated YAML frontmatter with enum validation.

<validation_gate name="yaml-schema" blocking="true">

Validate against schema: Load schema.yaml and classify the problem against the enum values defined in yaml-schema.md. Ensure all required fields are present and match allowed values exactly.

BLOCK if validation fails:

code

❌ YAML validation failed

Errors:
- problem_type: must be one of schema enums, got "compilation_error"
- severity: must be one of [critical, moderate, minor], got "high"
- symptoms: must be array with 1-5 items, got string

Please provide corrected values.

GATE ENFORCEMENT: Do NOT proceed to Step 6 (Create Documentation) until YAML frontmatter passes all validation rules defined in schema.yaml.

</validation_gate> </step>

<step number="6" required="true" depends_on="5"> ### Step 6: Create Documentation

Determine category from problem_type: Use the category mapping defined in yaml-schema.md (lines 49-61).

Create documentation file:

bash

PROBLEM_TYPE="[from validated YAML]"
CATEGORY="[mapped from problem_type]"
FILENAME="[generated-filename].md"
DOC_PATH=".claude/solutions/${CATEGORY}/${FILENAME}"

# Create directory if needed
mkdir -p ".claude/solutions/${CATEGORY}"

# Write documentation using template from assets/resolution-template.md
# (Content populated with Step 2 context and validated YAML frontmatter)

Result:

•Single file in category directory
•Enum validation ensures consistent categorization

Create documentation: Populate the structure from assets/resolution-template.md with context gathered in Step 2 and validated YAML frontmatter from Step 5. </step>

<step number="7" required="false" depends_on="6"> ### Step 7: Cross-Reference & Critical Pattern Detection

If similar issues found in Step 3:

Update existing doc:

bash

# Add Related Issues link to similar doc
echo "- See also: [$FILENAME]($REAL_FILE)" >> [similar-doc.md]

Update new doc: Already includes cross-reference from Step 6.

Update patterns if applicable:

If this represents a common pattern (3+ similar issues):

bash

# Add to .claude/solutions/patterns/common-solutions.md
cat >> .claude/solutions/patterns/common-solutions.md << 'EOF'

## [Pattern Name]

**Common symptom:** [Description]
**Root cause:** [Technical explanation]
**Solution pattern:** [General approach]

**Examples:**
- [Link to doc 1]
- [Link to doc 2]
- [Link to doc 3]
EOF

Critical Pattern Detection (Optional Proactive Suggestion):

If this issue has automatic indicators suggesting it might be critical:

•Severity: critical in YAML
•Affects multiple modules OR foundational stage (Stage 2 or 3)
•Non-obvious solution

Then in the decision menu (Step 8), add a note:

code

💡 This might be worth adding to Required Reading (Option 2)

But NEVER auto-promote. User decides via decision menu (Option 2).

Template for critical pattern addition:

When user selects Option 2 (Add to Required Reading), use the template from assets/critical-pattern-template.md to structure the pattern entry. Number it sequentially based on existing patterns in .claude/solutions/patterns/cora-critical-patterns.md. </step>

</critical_sequence>

<decision_gate name="post-documentation" wait_for_user="true">

Decision Menu After Capture

After successful documentation, present options and WAIT for user response:

code

✓ Solution documented

File created:
- .claude/solutions/[category]/[filename].md

What's next?
1. Continue workflow (recommended)
2. Add to Required Reading - Promote to critical patterns (cora-critical-patterns.md)
3. Link related issues - Connect to similar problems
4. Add to existing skill - Add to a learning skill (e.g., hotwire-native)
5. Create new skill - Extract into new learning skill
6. View documentation - See what was captured
7. Other

Handle responses:

Option 1: Continue workflow

•Return to calling skill/workflow
•Documentation is complete

Option 2: Add to Required Reading ⭐ PRIMARY PATH FOR CRITICAL PATTERNS

User selects this when:

•System made this mistake multiple times across different modules
•Solution is non-obvious but must be followed every time
•Foundational requirement (Rails, Rails API, threading, etc.)

Action:

•Extract pattern from the documentation
•Format as ❌ WRONG vs ✅ CORRECT with code examples
•Add to .claude/solutions/patterns/cora-critical-patterns.md
•Add cross-reference back to this doc
•Confirm: "✓ Added to Required Reading. All subagents will see this pattern before code generation."

Option 3: Link related issues

•Prompt: "Which doc to link? (provide filename or describe)"
•Search .claude/solutions/ for the doc
•Add cross-reference to both docs
•Confirm: "✓ Cross-reference added"

Option 4: Add to existing skill

User selects this when the documented solution relates to an existing learning skill:

Action:

•Prompt: "Which skill? (hotwire-native, etc.)"
•Determine which reference file to update (resources.md, patterns.md, or examples.md)
•Add link and brief description to appropriate section
•Confirm: "✓ Added to [skill-name] skill in [file]"

Example: For Hotwire Native Tailwind variants solution:

•Add to hotwire-native/references/resources.md under "CORA-Specific Resources"
•Add to hotwire-native/references/examples.md with link to solution doc

Option 5: Create new skill

User selects this when the solution represents the start of a new learning domain:

Action:

•Prompt: "What should the new skill be called? (e.g., stripe-billing, email-processing)"
•Run python3 .claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/init_skill.py [skill-name]
•Create initial reference files with this solution as first example
•Confirm: "✓ Created new [skill-name] skill with this solution as first example"

Option 6: View documentation

•Display the created documentation
•Present decision menu again

Option 7: Other

•Ask what they'd like to do

</decision_gate>

<integration_protocol>

Integration Points

Invoked by:

•/compound command (primary interface)
•Manual invocation in conversation after solution confirmed
•Can be triggered by detecting confirmation phrases like "that worked", "it's fixed", etc.

Invokes:

•None (terminal skill - does not delegate to other skills)

Handoff expectations: All context needed for documentation should be present in conversation history before invocation.

</integration_protocol>

<success_criteria>

Success Criteria

Documentation is successful when ALL of the following are true:

•✅ YAML frontmatter validated (all required fields, correct formats)
•✅ File created in .claude/solutions/[category]/[filename].md
•✅ Enum values match schema.yaml exactly
•✅ Code examples included in solution section
•✅ Cross-references added if related issues found
•✅ User presented with decision menu and action confirmed

</success_criteria>

Error Handling

Missing context:

•Ask user for missing details
•Don't proceed until critical info provided

YAML validation failure:

•Show specific errors
•Present retry with corrected values
•BLOCK until valid

Similar issue ambiguity:

•Present multiple matches
•Let user choose: new doc, update existing, or link as duplicate

Module not in CORA-MODULES.md:

•Warn but don't block
•Proceed with documentation
•Suggest: "Add [Module] to CORA-MODULES.md if not there"

Execution Guidelines

MUST do:

•Validate YAML frontmatter (BLOCK if invalid per Step 5 validation gate)
•Extract exact error messages from conversation
•Include code examples in solution section
•Create directories before writing files (mkdir -p)
•Ask user and WAIT if critical context missing

MUST NOT do:

•Skip YAML validation (validation gate is blocking)
•Use vague descriptions (not searchable)
•Omit code examples or cross-references

Quality Guidelines

Good documentation has:

•✅ Exact error messages (copy-paste from output)
•✅ Specific file:line references
•✅ Observable symptoms (what you saw, not interpretations)
•✅ Failed attempts documented (helps avoid wrong paths)
•✅ Technical explanation (not just "what" but "why")
•✅ Code examples (before/after if applicable)
•✅ Prevention guidance (how to catch early)
•✅ Cross-references (related issues)

Avoid:

•❌ Vague descriptions ("something was wrong")
•❌ Missing technical details ("fixed the code")
•❌ No context (which version? which file?)
•❌ Just code dumps (explain why it works)
•❌ No prevention guidance
•❌ No cross-references

Example Scenario

User: "That worked! The N+1 query is fixed."

Skill activates:

•Detect confirmation: "That worked!" triggers auto-invoke
•
Gather context:
- •Module: Brief System
- •Symptom: Brief generation taking >5 seconds, N+1 query when loading email threads
- •Failed attempts: Added pagination (didn't help), checked background job performance
- •Solution: Added eager loading with includes(:emails) on Brief model
- •Root cause: Missing eager loading causing separate database query per email thread
•Check existing: No similar issue found
•Generate filename: n-plus-one-brief-generation-BriefSystem-20251110.md

•Validate YAML:

yaml

module: Brief System
date: 2025-11-10
problem_type: performance_issue
component: rails_model
symptoms:
  - "N+1 query when loading email threads"
  - "Brief generation taking >5 seconds"
root_cause: missing_include
severity: high
tags: [n-plus-one, eager-loading, performance]

✅ Valid

•
Create documentation:
- •.claude/solutions/performance-issues/n-plus-one-brief-generation-BriefSystem-20251110.md
•Cross-reference: None needed (no similar issues)

Output:

code

✓ Solution documented

File created:
- .claude/solutions/performance-issues/n-plus-one-brief-generation-BriefSystem-20251110.md

What's next?
1. Continue workflow (recommended)
2. Add to Required Reading - Promote to critical patterns (cora-critical-patterns.md)
3. Link related issues - Connect to similar problems
4. Add to existing skill - Add to a learning skill (e.g., hotwire-native)
5. Create new skill - Extract into new learning skill
6. View documentation - See what was captured
7. Other

Future Enhancements

Not in Phase 7 scope, but potential:

•Search by date range
•Filter by severity
•Tag-based search interface
•Metrics (most common issues, resolution time)
•Export to shareable format (community knowledge sharing)
•Import community solutions