# Nlpm Audit

> Audits natural-language programming artifacts such as SKILL.md, AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, slash commands, plugin manifests, hooks, rules, and prompt files. Use when reviewing AI-agent repositories, checking manifest-vs-disk consistency, scoring skill or agent quality, adding NL artifact CI gates, or diagnosing vocabulary and version drift across Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, and Antigravity-style projects.

- Skill: `seaworld008/nlpm-audit` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 7 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add seaworld008/nlpm-audit`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/seaworld008/nlpm-audit/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner FAIL, skillspector CAUTION)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- License: ISC
- Author: seaworld008 (https://skillmd.com/u/seaworld008)
- Updated: 2026-08-19
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/seaworld008/nlpm-audit

---


# NLPM Audit

Audit natural-language programming artifacts as first-class code. Use this
skill when a repository contains AI-facing markdown, agent definitions, skills,
commands, rules, hooks, prompts, or plugin manifests that need quality review,
cross-file consistency checks, or CI enforcement.

This skill is inspired by the NLPM project, but it is a portable audit workflow:
you can apply the method manually, with repository scripts, or with the upstream
`nlpm-check` validator when the project wants a standalone CI gate.

## 2026-08-10 Upstream Sync Notes

The latest upstream NLPM repository is still a fast-moving product, so this
skill remains a curated portable workflow instead of a mirror. The current
stable ideas to preserve locally are:

- multi-tool scoring across Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Antigravity/Gemini-lineage
  artifacts with a universal floor plus tool-specific overlays;
- standalone `bin/nlpm-check` for pre-commit, CI, and pre-publish gates, with
  manifest-vs-disk consistency as the highest-value deterministic check;
- multi-plugin monorepo detection, where each nested plugin is checked exactly
  once and summarized in aggregate JSON;
- eight user-facing `/nlpm:*` commands: `ls`, `score`, `check`, `fix`, `trend`,
  `test`, `init`, and `security-scan`;
- `nlpm-badge` output for a "Validated by NLPM" README badge;
- a published 50-rule rubric for Natural Language Programming, with vocabulary
  drift handled as an opt-in project policy rather than a default blocker;
- an auditor pipeline that audits real plugin/skill repositories, harvests clean
  exemplars, cites rules, validates rule-id drift, and reports rule health from
  real repository audits;
- NL-TDD test specs for writing artifacts against expected trigger behavior and
  output contracts before publishing them.
- scoring exclusions that distinguish an instruction using vague or deprecated
  language from a rule that names that language as data to detect or reject;
- example counting that ignores examples shown only inside fenced templates;
- deterministic vocabulary enforcement based on a reviewed registry, with
  open-ended LLM synonym clustering kept advisory;
- pull-request gates that score changed natural-language artifacts instead of
  re-judging an unrelated repository-wide corpus.
- manifest-vs-disk differences that remain observations until a repository's
  own publish contract proves the omitted artifact should be shipped;
- vague-term calibration that accepts a later reference to measurable
  selection criteria already defined earlier in the same artifact;
- release-gate coverage tests that enumerate every shipped client layout and
  assert mirrored skill bodies stay semantically synchronized.

Use those ideas when they improve this portable skill. Do not mirror the whole
upstream product surface unless the user explicitly asks to install or run NLPM
itself.

## Quick Start

For most repository reviews:

1. Inventory NL artifacts with local search.
2. Run the bundled lightweight checker when filesystem access is available:

   ```bash
   python skills/ai-workflow/nlpm-audit/scripts/nl_artifact_check.py . --json
   ```

   For a shareable report:

   ```bash
   python skills/ai-workflow/nlpm-audit/scripts/nl_artifact_check.py . --markdown --output nl-artifact-audit.md
   ```

3. Read only the references needed for the task:

| Need | Read |
|---|---|
| Recreate original `/nlpm:*` command workflows without installing upstream NLPM | `references/command-recipes.md` |
| Detailed rules for skills, agents, commands, hooks, memory files, prompts, plugins | `references/audit-rules.md` |
| Score a file or compare before/after quality | `references/scoring-rubric.md` |
| Add CI, pre-commit hooks, or an upstream refresh plan | `references/ci-and-maintenance.md` |
| Review hooks, scripts, MCP configs, install scripts, or executable command paths | `references/security-patterns.md` |

The bundled script catches common deterministic and semi-deterministic issues,
classifies artifacts, computes lightweight 100-point scores, and can emit a
Markdown audit report. Read `references/command-recipes.md` when the user asks
for NLPM-style commands such as check, score, report, security scan, vocabulary
drift, or fix.
For original NLPM behavior, install upstream NLPM or run upstream `nlpm-check`.

## Capability Model

There are two useful operating modes:

| Mode | What you get | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| This repository skill | A portable review workflow that any Codex/Claude/Cursor-style agent can follow after installation | You want durable guidance, review reports, and integration with this curated skills repository |
| Upstream NLPM | Claude Code slash commands, multiple NLPM agents, rule skills, `bin/nlpm-check`, badge generation, templates, NL-TDD specs, and the auditor pipeline | You want behavior closest to the original product, especially `/nlpm:*` commands, multi-plugin CI, NL-TDD, or badge output |

The skill mode is installable and useful on its own, but it is not a byte-for-byte
replacement for upstream NLPM. Use upstream NLPM when a user explicitly asks for
the original slash commands, `nlpm-badge`, auditor workflows, or exact upstream
scoring behavior.

## Local Command Equivalents

Use these local equivalents before reaching for the upstream plugin:

| User asks for | Do this |
|---|---|
| "list NL artifacts" | Run the checker with `--json` and read `artifacts[]` |
| "check this plugin/skill repo" | Run the checker with `--json`; fix high findings first |
| "score these artifacts" | Use the generated `scores[]` table, then apply `references/scoring-rubric.md` for judgment |
| "make a report" | Run the checker with `--markdown --output nl-artifact-audit.md` |
| "security scan" | Run the checker, filter `security/*` findings, then read `references/security-patterns.md` |
| "find vocabulary drift" | Read `references/command-recipes.md` and perform the vocabulary drift recipe |
| "fix NLPM issues" | Apply the fix loop in `references/command-recipes.md`, then rerun the same check |
| "test NL artifacts" | Write or inspect `.nlpm-test/*.spec.md`, then use upstream `/nlpm:test` when exact behavior matters |
| "add a Validated by NLPM badge" | Use upstream `nlpm-check --json` piped to `nlpm-badge`; see `references/ci-and-maintenance.md` |
| "check a plugin monorepo" | Prefer upstream `nlpm-check` because it isolates nested plugin roots and aggregates `plugins[]` output |

## Upstream NLPM Usage

When the user wants the original tool experience, point them to the upstream
installation path instead of pretending this skill contains every command.

Claude Code plugin paths:

```bash
claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community
claude plugin install nlpm@claude-community --scope project

claude plugin marketplace add xiaolai/claude-plugin-marketplace
claude plugin marketplace update xiaolai
claude plugin install nlpm@xiaolai --scope project
```

The upstream README notes that the Anthropic community marketplace can lag the
maintainer marketplace, and that the xiaolai marketplace may need an explicit
`marketplace update` before install.

Standalone validator path:

```bash
curl -fsSL -o ./nlpm-check https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xiaolai/nlpm/main/bin/nlpm-check
python3 ./nlpm-check .
```

For CI, pin to a reviewed commit instead of `main` when reproducibility matters:

```bash
curl -fsSL -o ./nlpm-check \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xiaolai/nlpm/{reviewed-commit}/bin/nlpm-check
python3 ./nlpm-check .
```

## When to Use

Use this skill for:

- reviewing a skill, agent, plugin, prompt pack, or rules repository before
  publishing it;
- checking that files listed in manifests actually exist, and that files on disk
  are reachable from the target manifest or catalog;
- scoring `SKILL.md`, `AGENTS.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, `.cursorrules`, slash commands,
  hooks, rule files, and prompt files for clarity and trigger reliability;
- adding pre-commit, CI, or release gates for AI-agent repositories;
- finding drift between names, versions, commands, examples, and vocabulary;
- separating deterministic defects from judgment-based quality findings.

Route elsewhere when:

- the task is creating a single new skill from scratch: use `skill-creator`;
- the task is optimizing one user prompt or requirement: use `prompt-optimizer`;
- the task is setting up project context for a coding agent: use
  `context-engineering`;
- the task is security-only red teaming: use the repository's security audit
  skill first, then apply this skill to AI artifact structure.

## Core Principles

Treat natural-language artifacts like executable code:

- **Inventory before judging.** Build a complete map of artifacts, manifests,
  references, and generated files before scoring quality.
- **Separate deterministic failures from subjective quality.** Missing files,
  broken references, invalid frontmatter, bad hook event names, and version drift
  should fail CI. Tone, examples, and trigger quality may need human review.
- **Descriptions are triggers.** A skill or agent description must contain
  concrete action phrases that match real user requests, not a summary like
  "helps with testing".
- **Every line must change agent behavior.** Long, ornamental, or duplicated
  instructions consume attention budget and reduce reliability.
- **Prefer positive, testable rules.** "Use named exports because refactors stay
  reliable" is easier to follow than "do not use default exports".
- **Track drift over time.** NL artifacts degrade through vocabulary synonyms,
  stale examples, renamed files, old test commands, and version numbers updated
  in only one place.

## Audit Workflow

Run this sequence for a repository-level review.

### 1. Discover Artifacts

Create an inventory before opening files one by one.

```bash
find . -name 'SKILL.md' -o -name 'AGENTS.md' -o -name 'CLAUDE.md' -o -name 'GEMINI.md'
find . -path '*/commands/*.md' -o -path '*/agents/*.md' -o -path '*/rules/*.md'
find . -name 'plugin.json' -o -name 'marketplace.json' -o -name 'hooks.json' -o -name 'settings.json'
```

On Windows PowerShell:

```powershell
Get-ChildItem -Recurse -File |
  Where-Object {
    $_.Name -in @('SKILL.md','AGENTS.md','CLAUDE.md','GEMINI.md','plugin.json','marketplace.json','hooks.json','settings.json') -or
    $_.FullName -match '\\(commands|agents|rules)\\[^\\]+\.md$'
  } |
  Select-Object FullName
```

Classify each artifact:

| Artifact | Primary checks |
|---|---|
| `SKILL.md` | frontmatter, trigger description, examples, scope, line budget |
| agent definitions | description, examples, model/tool fit, output format |
| slash commands | numbered flow, empty-input behavior, outputs, error paths |
| rules files | imperative wording, rationale, enforceability, path scope |
| memory files | project map, commands, test instructions, architecture, boundaries |
| plugin manifests | declared files exist, disk files are declared, version consistency |
| hooks | event names, script paths, fail-open/fail-closed intent, permissions |
| prompts | layered intent, exact output shape, injection resistance |

### 2. Check Manifest-vs-Disk Consistency

This is the highest-value deterministic check. Look for both directions:

- **Declared but missing:** a manifest references a skill, command, agent, hook,
  or script path that does not exist.
- **Present but unreachable:** a `SKILL.md`, command, agent, or hook exists on
  disk but is absent from the manifest, marketplace file, README index, catalog,
  or install surface users rely on.

The first case is a deterministic defect: a declared path cannot resolve. The
second case is initially an observation, because a repository may intentionally
ship only a curated subset. Escalate it to a blocking defect only when the
repository's own instructions, generated catalog contract, or package boundary
says that every artifact in that scope must be published. Quote that contract
with the diff. Otherwise report the omission as advisory and let the maintainer
choose whether to register the artifact or narrow the stated publish scope.

Example report:

```text
BROKEN  .claude-plugin/plugin.json references skills/reviewer/SKILL.md
        file not found; actual path is skills/code-reviewer/SKILL.md

ORPHAN  skills/refactor-helper/SKILL.md
        skill exists on disk but is not listed in plugin.json or catalog

DRIFT   plugin.json version 1.4.0, marketplace.json version 1.3.9
        release metadata will publish a stale version
```

For machine checks, prefer a deterministic script over manual review. If the
project only needs a lightweight bundled check:

```bash
python skills/ai-workflow/nlpm-audit/scripts/nl_artifact_check.py . --json
```

If the project wants the upstream NLPM validator:

```bash
curl -fsSL -o ./nlpm-check https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xiaolai/nlpm/main/bin/nlpm-check
python3 ./nlpm-check .
```

Pin the downloaded script to a reviewed commit in CI if supply-chain stability is
more important than receiving upstream fixes immediately.

For badge output, use upstream `nlpm-badge` with the JSON stream from
`nlpm-check`:

```bash
nlpm-check --json . | nlpm-badge > nlpm-badge.json
```

### 3. Score Artifact Quality

Use a 100-point score as a communication tool, not as an absolute truth. Start
at 100 and subtract penalties for concrete defects.

| Finding | Typical penalty | Why it matters |
|---|---:|---|
| Missing description/frontmatter | -25 | artifact cannot be discovered or routed reliably |
| Generic trigger description | -15 | model cannot tell when to invoke it |
| No examples for an agent or user-invocable skill | -10 to -15 | trigger behavior is under-specified |
| Missing output format | -10 | downstream users cannot compare results |
| Tool permissions exceed body needs | -5 to -10 | unnecessary security and review risk |
| Broken manifest/reference path | -10 to -20 | installed artifact silently disappears |
| Vague terms without criteria | -2 each, cap at -20 | "appropriate" and "as needed" hide decisions |
| Vocabulary drift after project opt-in | -2 each, cap at -10 | the same concept has competing names across artifacts |
| Overgrown body with repeated theory | -5 to -10 | context budget is wasted |
| Missing test/build commands in memory file | -5 | agent cannot verify work |

Suggested bands:

| Score | Meaning | Action |
|---:|---|---|
| 90-100 | production-ready | publish after deterministic checks pass |
| 80-89 | good | fix high-signal gaps before release if cheap |
| 70-79 | acceptable | publish only for legacy artifacts or internal use |
| 60-69 | weak | improve before users depend on it |
| below 60 | rewrite | redesign the artifact around real workflows |

### 4. Review Trigger Descriptions

A description should be a router. It should name user intents, file types,
contexts, and nearby phrases a real user might type.

Weak:

```yaml
description: "Helps with code review."
```

Better:

```yaml
description: "Reviews pull request diffs for correctness, security, performance, and maintainability. Use when checking an auth refactor, API endpoint, migration, or dependency change before merge."
```

Check each description for:

- three or more specific trigger phrases;
- the artifact's boundary against adjacent skills or agents;
- verbs that name work, such as "review", "score", "migrate", "audit",
  "summarize", or "generate";
- absence of empty intensifiers such as "useful", "helpful", and criteria-free
  adverbs that hide decisions.

### 5. Check Examples and Output Contracts

For skills and agents, examples are executable documentation for the model.

Minimum useful example:

```markdown
<example>
Context: Developer preparing a Claude Code plugin for release.
user: "Check whether my new skill is actually installable from plugin.json."
assistant: "I'll inventory the manifest and disk paths, then report missing,
orphaned, and version-drift findings before scoring the skill body."
</example>
```

For commands and agents, require an output contract:

```markdown
## Output Format

### Summary
N artifacts scanned | N deterministic failures | N quality findings

### Blocking Findings
| File | Rule | Evidence | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|

### Advisory Findings
| File | Score | Reason | Suggested next action |
|---|---:|---|---|
```

### 6. Find Vocabulary and Version Drift

Drift appears when a project uses multiple words for the same operation or
updates version metadata in only one location.

Look for:

- `lint`, `score`, `audit`, `validate`, and `check` used interchangeably;
- renamed agents or skills still referenced by old names;
- README command examples that no longer match scripts;
- version numbers split across plugin manifest, marketplace metadata, changelog,
  README tables, badges, and release notes;
- contradictory memory files, such as `AGENTS.md` saying `pnpm test` while
  `CLAUDE.md` says `npm test`.

When drift is large, create a small vocabulary registry:

```yaml
canonical:
  check:
    definition: "deterministic structural validation"
    deprecated: [lint, validate]
  score:
    definition: "100-point quality judgment with penalties"
    deprecated: [grade, rate]
```

Do not enforce vocabulary too early. Use it once a project has at least ten NL
artifacts or multiple authors.

When the project has enough warrant, model the upstream R51 flow:

1. Bootstrap candidate terms from the corpus.
2. Prune false positives and define canonical terms plus deprecated synonyms.
3. Run an advisory drift check to find hidden synonym clusters.
4. Opt in to enforcement only after the registry is reviewed.

Keep vocabulary findings advisory unless maintainers explicitly choose a
registry-backed gate.

### 7. Add CI or Pre-Commit Gates

Use different gates for different confidence levels.

Blocking gates:

- manifest references missing files;
- disk artifacts omitted from a required install manifest or generated catalog
  when the repository's publish contract says they belong there;
- invalid YAML/TOML/JSON frontmatter;
- hook scripts referenced but absent;
- version metadata inconsistent across release surfaces;
- security-sensitive executable artifact added without review.

Advisory gates:

- quality score below threshold;
- too many vague terms;
- missing examples;
- description has weak trigger phrases;
- vocabulary drift candidates.

For changed-artifact scoring, test the selector itself. Enumerate all shipped NL
artifact layouts, including generated Codex or other client mirrors, and fail
when any publishable artifact cannot match the selector. When one source skill
is mirrored into multiple client layouts, compare normalized bodies so the
release gate cannot silently ship different rules to different clients.

Example GitHub Actions shape:

```yaml
name: nl-artifact-check
on:
  pull_request:
    paths:
      - "skills/**"
      - "agents/**"
      - "commands/**"
      - ".claude-plugin/**"
      - ".codex-plugin/**"
      - "AGENTS.md"
      - "CLAUDE.md"
jobs:
  check:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Run deterministic NL artifact checks
        run: |
          curl -fsSL -o nlpm-check https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xiaolai/nlpm/main/bin/nlpm-check
          python3 nlpm-check .
```

For repositories like this one, keep using the local canonical pipeline first.
Add NLPM-style checks only when they catch a gap the repository pipeline does
not already cover.

For plugin monorepos or README badges, prefer upstream `nlpm-check` because it
knows how to isolate nested plugin roots and produce badge-ready JSON.

## Triage Rules

Classify findings so maintainers know what to fix now.

| Severity | Criteria | Default action |
|---|---|---|
| Blocking | artifact cannot install, trigger, run, or pass manifest checks | fix in the same PR |
| High | security-sensitive permission, executable hook risk, or stale release metadata | fix before publish |
| Medium | trigger ambiguity, missing examples, weak output format | schedule before next release |
| Low | wording cleanup, minor drift, optional score improvement | batch with maintenance |
| External noise | API rate limit, stale upstream clone, network failure | report separately and retry |

Never mix external-state noise with repository regressions. A GitHub API rate
limit is not a quality failure; a generated catalog drift is.

## Maintenance Guidance

For upstream-derived NLPM practices:

- re-check the upstream repository before major refreshes because artifact
  schemas and supported tools evolve quickly;
- keep copied guidance small and method-oriented, not a mirror of every upstream
  rule;
- prefer stable checks such as manifest consistency, trigger specificity, and
  output contracts over tool-specific details that may change;
- treat Antigravity/Gemini-lineage rules as advisory until their spec stabilizes;
- record the upstream license and source URL in frontmatter;
- pin CI scripts to reviewed commits when adopting upstream executable files.

Read `references/ci-and-maintenance.md` before changing sync behavior, CI
templates, or the upstream refresh process.

Detailed refresh commands, monitor-only sync expectations, and upstream review
targets live in `references/ci-and-maintenance.md`.

## Deliverable Template

Use this structure for audit results:

```markdown
## NL Artifact Audit

### Decision
PASS | PASS WITH FIXES | BLOCKED

### Inventory
- Skills:
- Agents:
- Commands:
- Rules:
- Manifests:
- Hooks:

### Blocking Findings
| File | Finding | Evidence | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|

### Quality Scores
| File | Score | Band | Main penalties |
|---|---:|---|---|

### Drift Findings
| Concept | Current variants | Canonical recommendation |
|---|---|---|

### CI Recommendation
[blocking/advisory gates to add or skip]

### Maintenance Notes
[upstream version checked, license, false positives, unresolved external noise]
```

## Boundaries

- Do not copy unlicensed upstream artifacts into a project.
- Do not make subjective scoring the only release gate.
- Do not fail CI on advisory vocabulary drift until maintainers opt in.
- Do not replace a repository's established generated-file pipeline unless the
  maintainers explicitly choose that migration.
- Do not grant hook or command execution permissions just because an artifact
  asks for them; audit executable paths separately.