# Refine Node > Refine node definitions - determines HOW each node is implemented (SDKs, libraries, input/output structures, tools, guidelines). - Skill: `timescale/refine-node` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add timescale/refine-node` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/timescale/refine-node/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: timescale (https://skillmd.com/u/timescale) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/timescale/refine-node --- # Refine Node Refine node definitions in existing node and agent files. While create-workflow determines **WHAT** each node does, this phase determines **HOW**: - **Input/Output structures** - Exact typed schemas (field names, types) - **Implementation approach** - Which SDKs, libraries, or APIs to use - **Tools** - For agent nodes, which tools they need - **Guidelines** - Behavioral guidelines for agent nodes --- ## Usage ``` /crayon:refine-node /crayon:refine-node ``` - With just workflow name: refines all unrefined nodes in the workflow - With node name: refines only that specific node --- ## Process ### Step 1: Load and Assess Read `src/crayon/workflows/.ts` and parse its `description` field to find all task nodes. Then read each referenced node/agent file and check its `description` field. A node **needs refinement** if its `inputSchema` / `outputSchema` are still empty `z.object({})`. ### Step 2: Research Implementation Approaches Before drafting, gather the information needed: 1. **For nodes that interact with external systems** (Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, etc.): - Invoke `/crayon:integrations` to determine which SDK/library/API to use - For listed integrations: read the specific file (e.g., `salesforce.md`) - For unlisted systems: read `unlisted.md` and research the best option - **CRITICAL — Connection Gate:** For each integration the node needs: 1. Call `get_connection` with the integration ID, workflow name, and node name. **If it succeeds**, the connection is already assigned — proceed with implementation using the returned config. 2. **If it fails** (no connection assigned), call `list_connections` for that integration to see all available connections. - **If connections exist:** Present them to the user and ask which one to use. Then call `assign_connection` to map the chosen connection to the workflow/node. Finally call `get_connection` again to retrieve provider-specific config (e.g., Salesforce `instance_url`). - **If no connections exist:** You MUST stop immediately. Do NOT create SDK files, client code, integration directories, or any implementation that depends on a live connection. Tell the user which connections are missing. If `list_connections` returned a `credentials_page_url`, tell the user to visit that URL to add a connection. Otherwise tell them to open the Dev UI Credentials page. Then say "continue" when ready. 2. **For agent nodes**, check AI SDK provider docs for available tools: - **OpenAI:** https://ai-sdk.dev/providers/ai-sdk-providers/openai - **Anthropic:** https://ai-sdk.dev/providers/ai-sdk-providers/anthropic - Use `WebFetch` to read these pages for provider tool options - **IMPORTANT:** When an agent uses a provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.), declare it in `integrations: ["openai"]` so the framework fetches the API key at runtime via `ctx.getConnection()`. Do NOT rely on env vars like `OPENAI_API_KEY`. The agent executor automatically detects the model provider in the integrations list and calls `ctx.getConnection()` to get the key. 3. **For simple compute nodes**: determine if any libraries are needed ### Step 3: Draft All Refinements Draft the complete refined definition for **every node that needs it**, then update all files at once. For each node, determine: - **Implementation approach** — SDK, library, or "pure TypeScript" - **Zod input schema** — derived from the Input Description - **Zod output schema** — derived from the Output Description - **Tools** (agent nodes only) — selected from the three categories below - **Guidelines** (agent nodes only) — behavioral rules, preferred sources, edge case handling Use your judgment to propose reasonable schemas and tool selections based on the descriptions. The user can correct anything after. ### Side-Effect Node Safety When refining a node that performs side effects (sends emails/messages, updates database records, calls write APIs, modifies external state): 1. **Targets must be intentional** — The recipient, channel, record ID, or destination must be either an explicit input field OR a deliberate constant with clear rationale. Never randomly choose or fabricate a target. If the target isn't obvious from the node description, ask the user — don't guess. 2. **Output schema MUST include action details** — Every side-effect node must return what it did (or would have done), regardless of whether the action was actually performed: - `messageSent: z.string().describe("The message that was sent")` - `recipientEmail: z.string().describe("The email address the message was sent to")` - `fieldsUpdated: z.record(z.string(), z.unknown()).describe("The fields that were updated and their new values")` - `testMode: z.boolean().describe("Whether the node ran in test mode (action was skipped)")` 3. **Guidelines for agents with side-effect tools** — If an agent uses tools that have side effects, add explicit guidelines: - "Only send messages to the channel/recipient specified in the input" - "Never modify records other than those explicitly identified in the input" ### Test Mode Support Side-effect nodes must support **test mode** via `ctx.testMode`. When `ctx.testMode` is `true`, the node should: - Skip the actual side effect (do not send the email, do not post to Slack, do not write to the database) - Still return the full output schema with all action details filled in (what WOULD have been done) - Include `testMode: ctx.testMode` in the output **Example pattern for side-effect nodes:** ```typescript execute: async (ctx, inputs) => { const message = `Summary for ${inputs.recipientName}: ...`; if (!ctx.testMode) { // Actually send the message await slackClient.postMessage({ channel: inputs.slackChannel, text: message }); } return { messageSent: message, channelName: inputs.slackChannel, recipientName: inputs.recipientName, testMode: ctx.testMode, }; }, ``` The key insight: the output schema is the SAME in both modes. The node always returns what it did (or would have done). Test mode only skips the external call. ### Tool Categories (Agent Nodes) | Category | Description | Examples | |----------|-------------|---------| | **Built-in nodes** | Ships with crayon | `webRead` | | **Provider tools** | From AI SDK providers (see import below) | `openai.tools.webSearch()`, `openai.tools.codeInterpreter()` | | **User nodes** | Custom nodes in `src/crayon/nodes/` | `enrichCompany`, `sendSlackMessage` | Common mappings: | Need | Tool | Category | |------|------|----------| | Fetch web pages | `webRead` | builtin | | Search the web | `openai.tools.webSearch()` | provider | | Run Python code | `openai.tools.codeInterpreter()` | provider | | Domain-specific (CRM, email) | User must implement | user node | **Provider tool imports:** Provider tools require creating a provider instance from `@ai-sdk/openai` (NOT from `crayon` or `openai`): ```typescript import { createOpenAI } from "@ai-sdk/openai"; const openai = createOpenAI(); // Then use: openai.tools.webSearch(), openai.tools.codeInterpreter(), etc. ``` ### What to Update in Node Files For each node/agent file (`src/crayon/nodes/.ts` or `src/crayon/agents/.ts`), update: 1. **The `description` field** — add typed schemas and (for agents) tools/guidelines: **Refined node description:** ```markdown **Implementation:** **Input Description:** **Output Description:** ``` **Refined agent description:** ```markdown **Implementation:** **Tools needed:** - webRead (builtin) - openai.tools.webSearch() (provider) - myCustomNode (user node in src/crayon/nodes/my-custom-node.ts) **Guidelines:** **Input Description:** **Output Description:** ``` 2. **The `inputSchema` and `outputSchema`** — replace empty `z.object({})` with proper Zod types 3. **For agents: the `integrations` array** — add the model provider (e.g. `"openai"`, `"anthropic"`) and any external services the agent needs. This is how the framework knows to fetch API keys at runtime via `ctx.getConnection()`. 4. **For agents: the `tools` record** — add tool imports and entries based on `**Tools needed:**` 5. **For agents: the spec file** (`src/crayon/agents/.md`) — update guidelines, output format sections, and optionally add `model` and `maxSteps` to the YAML frontmatter: - `model: openai/gpt-4o` — override the default model (use when a specific model is needed, e.g. cheaper model for simple tasks, stronger model for complex reasoning) - `maxSteps: 10` — max tool-call iterations (increase for agents that need many sequential tool calls, decrease for simple single-shot agents) ### Step 4: Write and Continue After writing all refinements: 1. **Save a version** — Call the `create_version` MCP tool with a message like: ``` Refine nodes: ``` 2. Tell the user the node files have been updated 3. Invoke `/crayon:compile-workflow` to regenerate the workflow's `run()` method with proper types --- ## Worked Example A workflow has an `enrich-lead` agent with empty schemas from create-workflow: **Before** (`src/crayon/agents/enrich-lead.ts`): ```typescript export const enrichLead = Agent.create({ name: "enrich-lead", integrations: ["openai"], description: ` Searches the web to find additional professional info about a lead. **Input Description:** A lead's name, email, and any known company or title from Salesforce. **Output Description:** Enriched lead info including LinkedIn URL, company, job title, and summary. `, inputSchema: z.object({}), outputSchema: z.object({}), tools: {}, specPath: path.resolve(__dirname, "./enrich-lead.md"), }); ``` **After refinement** — schemas filled, description enriched, tools added: ```typescript import { createOpenAI } from "@ai-sdk/openai"; const openai = createOpenAI(); export const enrichLead = Agent.create({ name: "enrich-lead", integrations: ["openai"], description: ` Given a lead's name, email, and any existing Salesforce fields, searches the web to find additional information: LinkedIn profile URL, current company, job title, and other relevant professional details. **Implementation:** OpenAI GPT-4o with web search tool **Tools needed:** - openai.tools.webSearch() (provider) **Guidelines:** Search by name + email domain or company. Prioritize LinkedIn as primary source. Do not fabricate URLs. **Input Description:** A lead's name, email, and any known company or title from Salesforce. **Output Description:** Enriched lead info including LinkedIn URL, company, job title, and summary. `, inputSchema: z.object({ name: z.string().describe("Lead's full name"), email: z.string().describe("Lead's email address"), company: z.string().nullable().describe("Company from Salesforce, if known"), title: z.string().nullable().describe("Title from Salesforce, if known"), }), outputSchema: z.object({ name: z.string(), email: z.string(), linkedinUrl: z.string().nullable().describe("LinkedIn profile URL if found"), company: z.string().nullable().describe("Current company if found"), jobTitle: z.string().nullable().describe("Current job title if found"), summary: z.string().describe("Brief summary of findings"), }), tools: { webSearch: openai.tools.webSearch({}), }, specPath: path.resolve(__dirname, "./enrich-lead.md"), }); ``` What changed: 1. **Description** — expanded with Implementation, Tools needed, Guidelines 2. **inputSchema** — filled with typed fields derived from Input Description 3. **outputSchema** — filled with typed fields derived from Output Description 4. **tools** — `webSearch` added based on Tools needed --- ## Principles 1. **Draft first, ask later** — propose complete schemas based on descriptions; let the user correct rather than interrogating 2. **Preserve descriptions** — keep the original Input/Output Description fields from create-workflow 3. **Concrete types** — every field needs a type; no `any` or untyped fields 4. **Research before guessing** — check integration skills and provider docs before selecting tools/SDKs 5. **Side effects require intentional targets** — never let a side-effect node target an ambiguous or fabricated recipient/destination. The target must be a required input field or deliberate constant.