squid-pipeline

Required Reading — Reference Files

This skill includes reference docs and working examples. You MUST read the relevant files before generating pipelines or tests. SKILL.md alone is not sufficient — the references contain critical syntax details.

BEFORE creating or modifying any pipeline, read:

• references/step-types.md — Full config for every step type (run, spawn, gate, parallel, loop, branch, transform, pipeline). Contains exact field names, types, and valid values.
• references/patterns.md — Validated workflow patterns with complete YAML examples. Use these as templates.

BEFORE creating or modifying any test file, read:

• references/testing.md — Full test file schema, mock syntax, assertion types, mode behaviors. Contains exact valid field names and values.

BEFORE writing a pipeline that matches an example pattern, read the matching example:

• examples/simple-deploy.yaml + examples/simple-deploy.test.yaml — Basic pipeline with tests
• examples/multi-agent-dev.yaml — Multi-agent with parallel branches
• examples/iterative-refinement.yaml — Restart loop pattern
• examples/advanced-gates.yaml — Structured gate input
• examples/orchestrator.yaml — Sub-pipeline composition

All paths are relative to this skill directory.

Install

If Squid is not installed, install it first:

git clone https://github.com/dominno/squid.git
cd squid
npm install
npm run build

Then use directly:

npx squid run pipeline.yaml
npx squid test
npx squid validate pipeline.yaml
npx squid viz pipeline.yaml
npx squid init --template basic --name my-pipeline

Or link globally:

npm link
squid run pipeline.yaml

Requires Node.js 20+.

Mandatory Rules

These rules are NON-NEGOTIABLE. Every pipeline you generate MUST follow all of them. Violations are bugs.

R1: Gate before side effects

Any step that modifies external state (git push, API POST, deploy, file write to shared storage, PR creation, sending messages) MUST be preceded by a type: gate step. The side-effect step MUST have when: $gate.approved in its condition.