How do I install the Is Shape skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add ideaspaces-xyz/is-shape 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.

Is Is Shape safe to use?

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 Is Shape?

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.

Is Is Shape free to use?

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

Who published Is Shape?

IdeaSpaces-xyz (@ideaspaces-xyz) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Is Shape by ideaspaces-xyz — Agent Skill

Name: Is Shape
Author: IdeaSpaces-xyz

Is Shape

Shape the `_agent/` contract — create a reusable primitive (procedure, checklist, review pattern, memory routine) or codify a perspective (a repeatable thinking pattern). Use when the user wants to make how the agent works in a situation repeatable, or to define an evaluation/analysis they apply often. Not for saving a decision or finding; that is is-capture.

File contents

Shape the `_agent/`

Canonical protocols: read form primitive for procedures, checklists, routines, and agents; read form perspective for reusable thinking patterns.

Which one

Primitive — how to work in a situation: a procedure, checklist, review pattern, memory routine. Any part of _agent/ with name + description frontmatter (the description is the trigger). Use form primitive.
Perspective — how to think about something repeatably: an evaluation or analysis with Object Definition, Thinking Structure, Expected Outcome. Use form perspective.

If the user wants consistent evaluation/analysis, it's a perspective. If they want a repeatable procedure/behavior, it's a primitive.

How

Elicit progressively — don't demand the full structure up front. Start from a real instance ("walk me through the last time you did this"), find the invariant, draft, and show it before saving.

Primitives and perspectives live in _agent/ at the level where they apply; everything in _agent/ composes along the path root → current position.

Use native write / edit for _agent/skills/*, _agent/perspectives/*, and other agent-context primitives because they use name + description frontmatter, not Note name + summary frontmatter. For a skill, its entry id and frontmatter name must be the same portable id — follow the exact rule and worked example in form primitive. Pi warns at startup when a loaded skill violates it. Use is_write only when shaping ordinary Notes such as _agent/purpose.md or _agent/now.md that should carry Note-style summary frontmatter.

Preview, confirm, then write — the write gate in guide applies to shaping like any capture.

Shaping changes the agent agreement, so finish with the capture boundary:

For ordinary Note-style files written with is_write, commit staged knowledge with is_commit after confirmation.
For native _agent/ edits, commit the explicit changed paths with is_commit after confirmation.
If the user only wanted a draft, say that it remains local/uncommitted.

---name: is-shapedescription: Shape the `_agent/` contract — create a reusable primitive (procedure, checklist, review pattern, memory routine) or codify a perspective (a repeatable thinking pattern). Use when the user wants to make how the agent works in a situation repeatable, or to define an evaluation/analysis they apply often. Not for saving a decision or finding; that is is-capture.---# Shape the `_agent/`Canonical protocols: read [form primitive](../../reference/form-primitive.md) for procedures, checklists, routines, and agents; read [form perspective](../../reference/form-perspective.md) for reusable thinking patterns.## Which one- **Primitive** — *how to work* in a situation: a procedure, checklist, review pattern, memory routine. Any part of `_agent/` with `name` + `description` frontmatter (the description is the trigger). Use [form primitive](../../reference/form-primitive.md).- **Perspective** — *how to think* about something repeatably: an evaluation or analysis with Object Definition, Thinking Structure, Expected Outcome. Use [form perspective](../../reference/form-perspective.md).If the user wants consistent *evaluation/analysis*, it's a perspective. If they want a repeatable *procedure/behavior*, it's a primitive.## HowElicit progressively — don't demand the full structure up front. Start from a real instance ("walk me through the last time you did this"), find the invariant, draft, and **show it before saving**.Primitives and perspectives live in `_agent/` at the level where they apply; everything in `_agent/` composes along the path root → current position.Use native `write` / `edit` for `_agent/skills/*`, `_agent/perspectives/*`, and other agent-context primitives because they use `name` + `description` frontmatter, not Note `name` + `summary` frontmatter. For a skill, its entry id and frontmatter `name` must be the same portable id — follow the exact rule and worked example in [form primitive](../../reference/form-primitive.md). Pi warns at startup when a loaded skill violates it. Use `is_write` only when shaping ordinary Notes such as `_agent/purpose.md` or `_agent/now.md` that should carry Note-style summary frontmatter.Preview, confirm, then write — the write gate in [guide](../../reference/guide.md) applies to shaping like any capture.Shaping changes the agent agreement, so finish with the capture boundary:- For ordinary Note-style files written with `is_write`, commit staged knowledge with `is_commit` after confirmation.- For native `_agent/` edits, commit the explicit changed paths with `is_commit` after confirmation.- If the user only wanted a draft, say that it remains local/uncommitted.

Frequently asked questions