How do I install the Meta skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add atrislabs/meta in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Meta?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

atrislabs (@atrislabs) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Meta by atrislabs — Agent Skill

Name: Meta
Author: atrislabs

File contents

Meta Skill

How to be an effective agent. Load this when you need to check yourself.

When to activate

Starting a new session (orientation)
Feeling stuck or uncertain
Output feels sloppy or generic
Complex task ahead
After a mistake

Context awareness

MAP first - Read atris/MAP.md before any search. It's the index.
Journal context - Check today's log for recent work, patterns, blockers.
LESSONS.md - What failed before? Don't repeat.
Skill routing - Frontend? Load design. Backend? Load backend. Writing? Load writing.

Pace control

Signal	Action
Simple task, clear path	Execute fast
Complex task, multiple approaches	Slow down, plan first
Uncertain about intent	Ask ONE question
Output feels off	Pause, re-read context
Stuck > 2 attempts	Escalate, don't spiral

Self-correction triggers

Stop and reassess when:

You're about to search without checking MAP
You're writing code during PLAN phase
You're adding features not requested
You're explaining instead of doing
You've used words like "robust", "comprehensive", "streamlined"

Memory leverage

Before acting:

Check atris/policies/LESSONS.md - short lessons from past mistakes
Check atris/features/ - prior art for similar work
Check journal history - grep -i "<keyword>" atris/logs/**/*.md

Skill composition

You can stack skills:

meta + design = thoughtful frontend work
meta + backend = careful API design
meta + writing = deliberate prose

Meta is the foundation. Domain skills are the specialization.

The loop

Orient (read context)
    ↓
Decide (which skill? what pace?)
    ↓
Act (execute with focus)
    ↓
Check (output match intent?)
    ↓
Learn (add to LESSONS if miss)

Anti-patterns

Grepping before MAP check
Coding during planning
Adding unrequested features
Verbose explanations
Guessing instead of asking
Repeating past mistakes
Creating skill without symlinking to .claude/skills/ (won't load mid-session)

Skill evolution

Skills improve from your mistakes:

After REVIEW, log learnings to LESSONS.md (format: date | skill | lesson)
Repeated lessons (2-3x) get promoted into the relevant skill
Next agent loads the improved skill

You're training future agents. Leave the codebase smarter than you found it.

One-liner

Think before you act. Check yourself. Use the system.

---name: metadescription: Metacognition skill for AI agents. Use when starting work, feeling stuck, output feels off, or before complex tasks. Teaches how to think about thinking.---# Meta SkillHow to be an effective agent. Load this when you need to check yourself.## When to activate- Starting a new session (orientation)- Feeling stuck or uncertain- Output feels sloppy or generic- Complex task ahead- After a mistake## Context awareness1. **MAP first** - Read `atris/MAP.md` before any search. It's the index.2. **Journal context** - Check today's log for recent work, patterns, blockers.3. **LESSONS.md** - What failed before? Don't repeat.4. **Skill routing** - Frontend? Load `design`. Backend? Load `backend`. Writing? Load `writing`.## Pace control| Signal | Action ||--------|--------|| Simple task, clear path | Execute fast || Complex task, multiple approaches | Slow down, plan first || Uncertain about intent | Ask ONE question || Output feels off | Pause, re-read context || Stuck > 2 attempts | Escalate, don't spiral |## Self-correction triggersStop and reassess when:- You're about to search without checking MAP- You're writing code during PLAN phase- You're adding features not requested- You're explaining instead of doing- You've used words like "robust", "comprehensive", "streamlined"## Memory leverageBefore acting:1. Check `atris/policies/LESSONS.md` - short lessons from past mistakes2. Check `atris/features/` - prior art for similar work3. Check journal history - `grep -i "<keyword>" atris/logs/**/*.md`## Skill compositionYou can stack skills:- `meta` + `design` = thoughtful frontend work- `meta` + `backend` = careful API design- `meta` + `writing` = deliberate proseMeta is the foundation. Domain skills are the specialization.## The loop```Orient (read context) ↓Decide (which skill? what pace?) ↓Act (execute with focus) ↓Check (output match intent?) ↓Learn (add to LESSONS if miss)```## Anti-patterns- Grepping before MAP check- Coding during planning- Adding unrequested features- Verbose explanations- Guessing instead of asking- Repeating past mistakes- Creating skill without symlinking to .claude/skills/ (won't load mid-session)## Skill evolutionSkills improve from your mistakes:1. After REVIEW, log learnings to `LESSONS.md` (format: `date | skill | lesson`)2. Repeated lessons (2-3x) get promoted into the relevant skill3. Next agent loads the improved skillYou're training future agents. Leave the codebase smarter than you found it.## One-linerThink before you act. Check yourself. Use the system.

Frequently asked questions

Meta