Rule Extraction

Rule Extraction

This skill teaches you how to extract a structured, line-numbered list of rules from a skill directory.

What Counts as a Rule

A rule is any statement that prescribes or constrains agent behavior. Recognize rules by their form:

• Imperative directives: "Always add type annotations", "Never use var"
• Prohibition patterns: "Do not X", "Avoid X", "禁止 X"
• Requirement patterns: "Must X", "Should X", "需要 X", "必须 X"
• Conditional behavior: "If X, then Y", "When X, do Y"
• Style/format mandates: "Use camelCase", "Limit lines to 80 characters"
• Preference statements: "Prefer X over Y", "优先使用 X"

Rules can appear as:

• Bullet list items (- or * or +)
• Numbered list items (1., 2.)
• Bold or emphasized sentences (**Always do X**)
• Plain sentences within a paragraph that contain directive language
• Section headers that are themselves imperatives ("Never commit secrets")

What Does NOT Count as a Rule

Exclude the following from extraction:

• Descriptive text: Explanations of why a rule exists, background context
• Examples: Code blocks, sample outputs, "for example..." passages
• Metadata: YAML frontmatter, version info, author notes
• Headings that introduce a section (unless the heading itself is an imperative rule)
• Vague non-actionable statements: "Do good work", "Be helpful" — extract these but flag them as vague: true

Output Format

Return a JSON array. Each rule is an object:

[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "file": "SKILL.md",
    "line": 12,
    "text": "Always add type annotations to function parameters",
    "source_text": "- Always add type annotations to function parameters",
    "vague": false
  },
  {
    "id": 2,
    "file": "SKILL.md",
    "line": 15,
    "text": "Do not use var, prefer const or let",
    "source_text": "**Do not use `var`** — prefer `const` or `let`",
    "vague": false
  },
  {
    "id": 3,
    "file": "examples.md",
    "line": 4,
    "text": "Do good work",
    "source_text": "- Do good work",
    "vague": true
  }
]