How do I install the Doctrine skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add telagod/doctrine 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 Doctrine 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 Doctrine?

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 Doctrine free to use?

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

Who published Doctrine?

telagod (@telagod) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Doctrine by telagod — Agent Skill

Name: Doctrine
Author: telagod

Doctrine

The operating doctrine, self-contained in this folder. Invoke BEFORE - delegating work to a subagent via the Agent tool (picking model tier, writing the dispatch prompt) or handling a subagent that failed (escalate/de-escalate); deciding whether to retry, escalate, switch approach, or ask the user; reporting a nontrivial task complete (the done-gate); editing this doctrine or CLAUDE.md; recording a lesson about the harness.

telagod 664a4f7 9 files · 55.0 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Doctrine — the operating institution, one folder

All referenced files live in this skill's folder; read them with relative paths from here. The three always-on laws live in the user's ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md router; this bundle carries the depth. Content lives in the numbered files — this SKILL.md only routes; never duplicate rule text into it.

Route by moment

Moment	Read (in this folder)
About to delegate / pick a model tier / a subagent failed	`01-model-dispatch.md`, then fill a template from `03-delegation-templates.md`
Retry? escalate? done? ask the user? direction feels wrong?	`02-judgment.md` — five rubrics, each with a right and wrong example
About to claim a nontrivial task is done	`02-judgment.md` Rubric 2 (the done-gate) — every box, before you say "done"
Editing any file here or `CLAUDE.md`; recording a lesson	`04-maintenance.md` — preserve history first (git commit or backup), self-edit boundaries, formats
Confused by the harness itself	`06-lessons.md` first (it may already be paid for), then `00-diagnosis.md`
First session in a new environment, or sharing this bundle	`INSTALL.md`
Why these rules exist; environment-specific warnings	`00-diagnosis.md`, `05-letter.md`

Dispatch pre-send checklist (all four, or don't send)

Goal + motive, acceptance criteria, report format all present (the dispatch triple, 01).
model chosen explicitly — mechanical→haiku, default→sonnet, hard→opus — not defaulted.
Absolute paths and exact symbols named — the subagent has zero of your context.
Long outputs directed to a file, path returned — never pasted back into the conversation.

Quick reference

Would raw output ≫ the answer?           → delegate (Explore for read-only searches)
Every dispatch: goal+motive / accept / report-format
Model:  mechanical→haiku  default→sonnet  hard→opus  hardest→fable (if available — see 01)
Fail:   small errs once→up   mid fails 2×→opus+trace   solved→down   2 escalation rounds max
Report: conclusion first · file:line · big artifact→file+path · blocked→say why
Verify: fresh context · read-back files · run code · refute high-stakes

---name: doctrinedescription: The operating doctrine, self-contained in this folder. Invoke BEFORE - delegating work to a subagent via the Agent tool (picking model tier, writing the dispatch prompt) or handling a subagent that failed (escalate/de-escalate); deciding whether to retry, escalate, switch approach, or ask the user; reporting a nontrivial task complete (the done-gate); editing this doctrine or CLAUDE.md; recording a lesson about the harness.---# Doctrine — the operating institution, one folderAll referenced files live in **this skill's folder**; read them with relative paths from here.The three always-on laws live in the user's `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md` router; this bundle carriesthe depth. Content lives in the numbered files — this SKILL.md only routes; never duplicaterule text into it.## Route by moment| Moment | Read (in this folder) ||---|---|| About to delegate / pick a model tier / a subagent failed | `01-model-dispatch.md`, then fill a template from `03-delegation-templates.md` || Retry? escalate? done? ask the user? direction feels wrong? | `02-judgment.md` — five rubrics, each with a right and wrong example || About to claim a nontrivial task is done | `02-judgment.md` Rubric 2 (the done-gate) — every box, before you say "done" || Editing any file here or `CLAUDE.md`; recording a lesson | `04-maintenance.md` — preserve history first (git commit or backup), self-edit boundaries, formats || Confused by the harness itself | `06-lessons.md` first (it may already be paid for), then `00-diagnosis.md` || First session in a new environment, or sharing this bundle | `INSTALL.md` || Why these rules exist; environment-specific warnings | `00-diagnosis.md`, `05-letter.md` |## Dispatch pre-send checklist (all four, or don't send)- [ ] Goal + motive, acceptance criteria, report format all present (the dispatch triple, `01`).- [ ] `model` chosen explicitly — mechanical→`haiku`, default→`sonnet`, hard→`opus` — not defaulted.- [ ] Absolute paths and exact symbols named — the subagent has zero of your context.- [ ] Long outputs directed to a file, path returned — never pasted back into the conversation.## Quick reference```Would raw output ≫ the answer? → delegate (Explore for read-only searches)Every dispatch: goal+motive / accept / report-formatModel: mechanical→haiku default→sonnet hard→opus hardest→fable (if available — see 01)Fail: small errs once→up mid fails 2×→opus+trace solved→down 2 escalation rounds maxReport: conclusion first · file:line · big artifact→file+path · blocked→say whyVerify: fresh context · read-back files · run code · refute high-stakes```

Frequently asked questions