0-uddeshya-0 skill: format-response
purpose
Apply the correct output format based on where the response is going. Stops agents from returning markdown in a terminal, a wall of prose in Slack, or plain text when the caller expects JSON.
when_to_use
- Output goes to a specific interface with formatting conventions (chat, terminal, email, Slack)
- Caller is a system that parses the response (JSON required)
- User specified a structure explicitly
when_not_to_use
- No format specified and no interface information — default to plain prose
- Conversational or exploratory responses — heavy formatting distracts
- Response is a single sentence
input
content: string # Raw content to format
format_target: string # "chat_ui"|"terminal"|"email"|"slack"|"json_api"|"markdown_doc"
audience: string # "developer"|"end_user"|"system"
key_info: list[string] # Items that must be visually prominent
api_schema: object # For json_api only: field names and casing expected by the caller (optional — defaults to snake_case if omitted)
output
{
"formatted": "string",
"format_used": "string"
}
instructions
Apply formatting for the target. Rules:
chat_ui: short paragraphs (2–3 sentences), bullets only for 3+ parallel items, bold for key terms if markdown supported.
terminal: plain text only, no markdown symbols, indentation for structure, preserve line breaks.
email: plain text, short paragraphs, no hollow openers for transactional email.
slack: conversational, *bold* and `code` sparingly, no walls of text, no emoji unless requested.
json_api: valid JSON only — nothing before or after, no markdown in string values. If api_schema provided: use its field names and casing exactly. If no api_schema: default to snake_case keys.
markdown_doc: headers (##, ###), fenced code blocks with language hints, tables for comparisons.
Apply only what's needed. Do not over-format simple responses.
Do not add content — only format what's given.
Return JSON only.
constraints
- Max output tokens: 500
- For json_api: output must be parseable JSON
- Do not add content — only format
example
Input:
content: "Deployment failed because DATABASE_URL env var is not set in production. Add it to .env and restart. Format: postgresql://user:password@host:5432/dbname"
format_target: "slack"
audience: "developer"
key_info: ["DATABASE_URL"]
Output:
{
"formatted": "Deployment failed — `DATABASE_URL` env var missing in production.\n\nFix:\n1. Add to `.env`: `postgresql://user:password@host:5432/dbname`\n2. Restart the server.",
"format_used": "Slack: inline code for variable names, numbered steps for actions, short sentences"
}