Author a contributing doc
Draft a contributing doc grounded in real code, in the format the repository prescribes.
Which doc skill?
Backing doc: authoring-contributing-docs.md. This skill is a convenience wrapper — it adds no knowledge that is not already in that doc. The asset conventions, templates, and budgets it relies on live in contributing-agent-assets.md.
When to use
- A contributor workflow ("how do I do X?") has no doc, or its doc does not follow the standard format.
- You are invoked by /radius.author-doc or by the
radius-add-ai-capability agent to write a capability's primary doc.
For an architecture doc ("how does a subsystem work?"), use the radius-architecture-documenter skill instead — it owns docs/architecture/.
Do not use this skill to invent content. Every path, command, and flag must be verified against the repository.
Inputs
- A topic (the contributor workflow to document).
- A starting code reference — a file, package, command, or Make target the doc will describe.
Steps
- Confirm it's a contributing doc. This skill authors contributing docs (
docs/contributing/, CONTRIBUTING.md) — guides for how to perform a task. A capability's primary backing doc is always a contributing doc. For how a subsystem works, stop and use the radius-architecture-documenter skill instead.
- Discover the current layout. List
docs/contributing/ and read the nearest README.md/index before choosing a location. Place the doc in the narrowest section that fully covers the topic; only create a new page when none fits.
- Draft from the template. Copy the contributing-doc template from contributing-agent-assets.md and fill it in: Purpose → Prerequisites → Steps → Verification → Troubleshooting.
- Ground every reference in code. Link to real files and symbols; verify each command and flag by reading the source or running it. Never invent a path. Links in
docs/contributing/ are relative to the file (repo-root files ../../, architecture docs ../architecture/, sibling contributing docs ./).
- Update navigation. Link the new page from the nearest index — a section
README.md or CONTRIBUTING.md. When the doc backs a capability, follow extending-agent-ex.md to add a capability-index row.
- Hand off for review. A human reviews the draft before merge.
Verification
The doc uses all five contributing sections (Purpose, Prerequisites, Steps, Verification, Troubleshooting).
Every command, path, flag, and link resolves to something real — no hallucinated paths.
The doc is within review reach (one round of edits, not a rewrite).
cspell passes:
make spellcheck
1---2name: radius-author-doc3description: Create a NEW contributing doc (or expand a stub into the standard Purpose → Prerequisites → Steps → Verification → Troubleshooting format) for a contributor workflow that has none. Not for fixing an existing doc (use radius-update-doc) or for architecture docs (use radius-architecture-documenter).4---56# Author a contributing doc78Draft a contributing doc grounded in real code, in the format the repository prescribes.910## Which doc skill?1112| You want to… | Use |13|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|14| **Create** a new contributing doc | **this skill** |15| **Fix** an existing doc that drifted from code | [radius-update-doc](../radius-update-doc/SKILL.md) |16| **Find** missing or stale docs, or assess a code change's doc impact | [radius-contributing-docs-updater](../radius-contributing-docs-updater/SKILL.md) |17| **Diagram** a subsystem / write an architecture doc | [radius-architecture-documenter](../radius-architecture-documenter/SKILL.md) |1819Backing doc: [authoring-contributing-docs.md](../../../docs/contributing/authoring-contributing-docs.md). This skill is a convenience wrapper — it adds no knowledge that is not already in that doc. The asset conventions, templates, and budgets it relies on live in [contributing-agent-assets.md](../../../docs/contributing/contributing-agent-assets.md).2021## When to use2223- A contributor workflow ("how do I do X?") has no doc, or its doc does not follow the standard format.24- You are invoked by [/radius.author-doc](../../prompts/radius.author-doc.prompt.md) or by the `radius-add-ai-capability` agent to write a capability's primary doc.2526For an **architecture** doc ("how does a subsystem work?"), use the [radius-architecture-documenter](../radius-architecture-documenter/SKILL.md) skill instead — it owns `docs/architecture/`.2728Do not use this skill to invent content. Every path, command, and flag must be verified against the repository.2930## Inputs3132- A **topic** (the contributor workflow to document).33- A **starting code reference** — a file, package, command, or Make target the doc will describe.3435## Steps36371. **Confirm it's a contributing doc.** This skill authors **contributing docs** (`docs/contributing/`, `CONTRIBUTING.md`) — guides for *how to perform a task*. A capability's primary backing doc is always a contributing doc. For *how a subsystem works*, stop and use the [radius-architecture-documenter](../radius-architecture-documenter/SKILL.md) skill instead.382. **Discover the current layout.** List `docs/contributing/` and read the nearest `README.md`/index before choosing a location. Place the doc in the narrowest section that fully covers the topic; only create a new page when none fits.393. **Draft from the template.** Copy the contributing-doc template from [contributing-agent-assets.md](../../../docs/contributing/contributing-agent-assets.md#templates) and fill it in: **Purpose → Prerequisites → Steps → Verification → Troubleshooting**.404. **Ground every reference in code.** Link to real files and symbols; verify each command and flag by reading the source or running it. Never invent a path. Links in `docs/contributing/` are relative to the file (repo-root files `../../`, architecture docs `../architecture/`, sibling contributing docs `./`).415. **Update navigation.** Link the new page from the nearest index — a section `README.md` or [CONTRIBUTING.md](../../../CONTRIBUTING.md). When the doc backs a capability, follow [extending-agent-ex.md](../../../docs/contributing/extending-agent-ex.md) to add a capability-index row.426. **Hand off for review.** A human reviews the draft before merge.4344## Verification4546- The doc uses all five contributing sections (Purpose, Prerequisites, Steps, Verification, Troubleshooting).47- Every command, path, flag, and link resolves to something real — no hallucinated paths.48- The doc is within review reach (one round of edits, not a rewrite).49- `cspell` passes:5051 ```sh52 make spellcheck53 ```
radius-project