# Drain > Triage accumulated learnings from the local harny inbox into GitHub Issues, AGENTS.md edits, or discards. Walks one entry at a time, verifies claims against current code, opens issues with provenance. Sister of /learn. - Skill: `lfnovo/drain` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add lfnovo/drain` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/lfnovo/drain/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: lfnovo (https://skillmd.com/u/lfnovo) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/lfnovo/drain --- # drain — analytical triage of the harny learnings inbox The drainable companion to `/learn`. Walks the user through the inbox at `/.harny/LEARNINGS.local.md` (and optionally `.harny/*/review.md` files), classifying each entry into a destination — GitHub Issue, AGENTS.md edit, or DISCARD — with evidence cited. This skill is **analytical and slow**. Unlike `/learn` (which captures verbatim), drain verifies claims, decomposes multi-part actions, and writes back changes only with the user's approval per entry. --- ## Inputs - **`/.harny/LEARNINGS.local.md`** — raw captures from `/learn`. - **`/.harny/*/review.md`** — per-run reviews produced by `/review`. Treat the "Architect proposals" section as drainable; inline review narrative is context only. If neither source has content, tell the user there's nothing to drain and stop. --- ## UX — walk one at a time Batch summary tables tempt bulk classification without thinking. **Walk one entry at a time, human-in-the-loop.** For N > 10 entries, offer the user a pause marker mid-drain: > 5 done, 7 remaining — continue, or pause here? --- ## Per-item process For each entry, in order: ### 1. Read the entry verbatim back to the user So you both look at the same words. ### 2. Verify claims against current state Before classifying, check the code/repo: - **References to a file/commit/function** — does it exist? Does the referenced behavior match? Use `Read`, `git log -- `, `git show `. - **Look for absorption markers.** "Permanent fix landed", "Already infra-shipped", "Convention enshrined in AGENTS.md" — strong DISCARD signals. Verify each. - **Correlate with run history.** An entry about "task trailer duplication" + a run named `dedup-task-trailer` → fix likely landed. Check `git log --all --oneline --grep `. - **AGENTS.md cross-check.** If the entry's principle is now documented, it's been absorbed. ### 3. Decompose multi-part actions If the entry has sub-actions `(a)`, `(b)`, `(c)`, triage each separately. Common pattern: (a) and (b) landed, (c) is still open → opens an Issue scoped to (c) only, discards (a)+(b). ### 4. Apply the counterfactual test > Would a fresh dev, reading only AGENTS.md + code, hit the same friction? If yes → there's still teaching to do (AGENTS.md edit or Issue). If no → the lesson has been absorbed elsewhere → DISCARD. ### 5. Propose a destination Load the classification patterns once, early in the drain: ``` Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/patterns.md ``` Match the entry to one of the 6 patterns. Propose the destination with evidence. ### 6. Wait for user approval Show: - The classification verdict - The evidence supporting it - The proposed action (DISCARD, OPEN ISSUE, AGENTS.md edit, DEFER) Do not execute until the user says go. ### 7. Execute Per verdict: - **DISCARD** — Edit `.harny/LEARNINGS.local.md` to remove the entry. No other artifact created. - **PROMOTED to AGENTS.md** — Apply the edit (Edit tool). Remove inbox entry. - **OPEN ISSUE** — Use `gh issue list --search ...` to dedup first; then `gh issue create` with proper title prefix and `learning` label. Remove inbox entry. - **OPEN DISCUSSION** — `gh discussion create` with `rfc:` or `decide:` prefix. Remove inbox entry. - **DEFERRED** — Edit the entry in place to add `[deferred YYYY-MM-DD: ]`. Keep entry. --- ## Side-effect: stale doc drift While verifying entries, you'll often spot **unrelated documentation drift** — an AGENTS.md paragraph describing a value that changed months ago, a `§N` reference pointing at a deleted doc, etc. **Rule:** - **1-2 line factual fix** verifiable from code → propose inline alongside the current entry's verdict. - **Larger drift** (paragraph, multiple refs, architectural staleness) → open a separate Issue with label `documentation` rather than expanding the entry's verdict. --- ## Cluster detection Track classification cohorts during the walk. At the end, emit concise cluster alerts: - **"Migration debt":** N entries absorbed by file X scheduled to migrate. List what must be preserved. - **"Issue family":** N entries opened as Issues under a common theme. Propose a tracking milestone or umbrella Issue. - **"Doc drift found":** Inline fixes applied during the walk. Summarize for the user's review. --- ## GitHub discipline ### Issues - **Dedup first.** `gh issue list --search "" --state all --json number,title,state`. Surface matches before opening. - **Title prefix:** `feat:`, `bug:`, `learning:`, `docs:`, `chore:`. - **Labels:** always `learning` if origin was a drained entry, plus one of `enhancement` / `bug` / `documentation`. - **Body must include an "Origin" section** citing the source (file path + original entry text). Preserves provenance. ### Discussions - Use Discussions (not Issues) when the entry poses an **open question** ("is this worth doing?", "which of 3 approaches?") rather than a ready-to-implement change. - Title prefix: `rfc:` for debate, `decide:` for decision-shaped prompt. - Labels: `rfc` or `decision`. Add `resolved` after the discussion concludes (enables ADR-style search via `label:decision label:resolved`). --- ## Inbox mutation - DISCARD / PROMOTED / ISSUE-OPENED / DISCUSSION-OPENED → **delete the entry** from `.harny/LEARNINGS.local.md`. - DEFERRED → **keep and annotate** with `[deferred YYYY-MM-DD: ]`. - No separate history of drained items is kept. The resulting Issue / commit / Discussion IS the history. --- ## What this skill does NOT do - Does not auto-classify in batches without human approval. - Does not edit files outside `.harny/LEARNINGS.local.md`, the proposed AGENTS.md edits, and inline doc-drift fixes (each approved per-entry). - Does not bulk-open issues — every Issue creation is a single, deduped, evidence-backed action. --- ## Edge cases - **Inbox does not exist** → tell user, suggest `/learn` to capture first. - **Entry references a slug whose `.harny/` dir was cleaned** → state is gone, but the entry text is still drainable. Verify against current code instead. - **`gh` not authenticated** → ask user to `gh auth login`. Do not proceed with Issue/Discussion actions. - **User rejects a proposed classification** → take the feedback. Their context overrides yours. Re-classify or defer. - **Entry mid-drain triggers a follow-up thought from the user** → suggest they `/learn` it; resume drain.