attac-t Skill: Pipelines
"Pipelines are for transformations. Actions are for operations."
The Decision
Use Pipeline when:
- Data flows through sequential transformations
- Steps are interchangeable/configurable
- Each step enriches the same payload
- 3+ steps in sequence
Use Sequential Calls when:
- Steps have strong dependencies on each other
- Control flow (if/else) needed between steps
- Less than 3 steps
- Steps don't share a common payload
The Heuristic
Ask: "Am I transforming a payload, or orchestrating operations?"
- Transforming → Pipeline
- Orchestrating → Action composition
The Quick Test
| Ask Yourself | Answer | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 3+ sequential steps? | Yes | Pipeline |
| Steps reorderable? | Yes | Pipeline |
| Needs if/else between steps? | Yes | Actions |
| Steps need each other's methods? | Yes | Actions |
Real-World Examples
For concrete examples, see examples.md.