Add Template

Add Template

Scaffold a new document template inside an existing addon or framework.

Triggers

Alternate expressions and non-obvious activations (primary phrases are matched automatically from the skill description):

• "I need a new template" → scaffold template in specified target
• "add a document template" → prompt for name, category, and target
• "create a template for X documents" → derive name from X, prompt for target
• "template for use cases" → name=use-case, prompt for target and category

Trigger Patterns Reference

Process

1. Parse Arguments

Extract from $ARGUMENTS:

• <name> — kebab-case template name (required)
• --to <target> — addon or framework directory name (required)
• --category <category> — subdirectory within templates/ (optional; e.g., requirements, architecture, security)
• --interactive — enable guided design questions

If either <name> or --to is missing, ask before proceeding.

2. Validate Target

Confirm the target exists:

# Check addons
ls agentic/code/addons/<target>/templates/

# Check frameworks
ls agentic/code/frameworks/<target>/templates/

3. Determine Category

If --category is not provided and the target has existing category subdirectories, list them and ask. Common categories in sdlc-complete:

If no category is appropriate, place directly in templates/.

4. Interactive Design (if --interactive)

Ask before generating:

1. Purpose: What SDLC artifact does this template produce?
2. Audience: Who fills in this template? (developer, architect, project manager)
3. Required sections: What sections must every instance include?
4. Optional sections: What sections depend on the specific project?
5. Variables: What {{placeholder}} variables should be pre-populated by tooling?
6. Examples: Should the template include inline examples?

5. Run Scaffolding

aiwg add-template <name> --to <target> [--category <category>]

6. Customize the Generated Template

Templates use Markdown with YAML frontmatter and {{variable}} placeholders:

---
template: <name>
version: 1.0.0
category: <category>
description: <one-sentence purpose>
variables:
  - project_name
  - author
  - date
---

# <Template Title>

**Project**: {{project_name}}
**Author**: {{author}}
**Date**: {{date}}
**Version**: 1.0

---

## Purpose

[What this document is for and when to create it]

## Section 1: <Required Section>

[Instructions for completing this section]

> **Guidance**: [What a good answer looks like]

## Section 2: <Required Section>

[Instructions]

## Section 3: <Optional Section> *(if applicable)*

[Instructions]

---

## Review Checklist

Before finalizing this document:

- [ ] All required sections completed
- [ ] Variables replaced with actual values
- [ ] Reviewed by [role]
- [ ] Approved by [role]

7. Register in Templates Manifest

The CLI tool updates the templates manifest. Verify:

{
  "templates": {
    "<category>": ["existing-template", "<name>"]
  }
}

Generated Structure

<target>/templates/<category>/<name>-template.md

Or at root if no category:

<target>/templates/<name>-template.md

Manifest updated: <target>/manifest.json (or templates/manifest.json if present)

Output Format

Template Created: <name>
────────────────────────
Location: <target>/templates/<category>/<name>-template.md
Category:  <category>

Created:
  ✓ <name>-template.md

Manifest updated: <target>/manifest.json

Next Steps:
  1. Define required sections and guidance text
  2. Add {{variable}} placeholders for automation
  3. Include review checklist
  4. Test: aiwg template-engine apply <name> --to .aiwg/<category>/

Examples

Example 1: Architecture decision record

User: "add template adr --to sdlc-complete --category architecture"

Action:

aiwg add-template adr --to sdlc-complete --category architecture

Result: agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/templates/architecture/adr-template.md scaffolded with standard ADR sections (Context, Decision, Consequences, Alternatives).

Example 2: Security threat model

User: "create a threat model template for sdlc-complete"

Extraction: name=threat-model, target=sdlc-complete, category=security

Action:

aiwg add-template threat-model --to sdlc-complete --category security

Example 3: Interactive template design

User: "add template --interactive --to sdlc-complete"

Process: Guided questions establish the artifact type, required sections, variables, and whether examples should be embedded.

References

• @$AIWG_ROOT/src/cli/handlers/scaffolding.ts — CLI handler implementation
• @$AIWG_ROOT/docs/cli-reference.md — Full CLI reference
• @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/templates/ — Example templates
• @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/addons/aiwg-utils/skills/devkit-create-skill/SKILL.md — Related scaffolding pattern