---
name: majiayu000/output-customization
source: https://app.decimal.ai/s/majiayu000-output-customization@1/SKILL.md
source_sha256: 7376f5b8e39a
---

# Output Styles Meta Skill

> ## 🚨 MANDATORY: Invoke docs-management First
>
> **STOP - Before providing ANY response about output styles:**
>
> 1. **INVOKE** `docs-management` skill
> 2. **QUERY** for the user's specific topic
> 3. **BASE** all responses EXCLUSIVELY on official documentation loaded
>
> **Skipping this step results in outdated or incorrect information.**
>
> ### Verification Checkpoint
>
> Before responding, verify:
>
> - [ ] Did I invoke docs-management skill?
> - [ ] Did official documentation load?
> - [ ] Is my response based EXCLUSIVELY on official docs?
>
> If ANY checkbox is unchecked, STOP and invoke docs-management first.

## Overview

Central authority for Claude Code output styles. This skill uses **100% delegation to docs-management** - it contains NO duplicated official documentation.

**Architecture:** Pure delegation with keyword registry. All official documentation is accessed via docs-management skill queries.

## When to Use This Skill

**Keywords:** output styles, output style, concise style, verbose style, markdown style, code-sparse style, /output-style command, custom output styles, output style frontmatter, output style prompt, style switching, output behavior, response format, output formatting

**Use this skill when:**

- Understanding available output styles
- Selecting appropriate output style for a task
- Creating custom output styles
- Configuring output style frontmatter
- Switching between output styles
- Comparing output style behaviors
- Customizing output format and verbosity

## Keyword Registry for docs-management Queries

Use these keywords when querying docs-management skill for official documentation:

### Output Style Fundamentals

| Topic | Keywords |
| --- | --- |
| Overview | "output styles", "output style overview", "response formatting" |
| Built-in Styles | "built-in output styles", "default styles" |
| Custom Styles | "custom output styles", "creating output styles" |

### Built-in Styles

| Topic | Keywords |
| --- | --- |
| Default Style | "default output style", "default style", "software engineering style" |
| Explanatory Style | "explanatory style", "explanatory output", "educational insights", "codebase insights" |
| Learning Style | "learning style", "learning output", "learn-by-doing", "TODO human markers", "collaborative coding" |

### Style Configuration

| Topic | Keywords |
| --- | --- |
| Frontmatter | "output style frontmatter", "style YAML frontmatter" |
| Name Field | "output style name", "style naming" |
| Description Field | "output style description", "style description" |
| Keep Coding Instructions | "keep-coding-instructions", "coding instructions", "software engineering prompts" |
| Style File Location | "output style file location", "~/.claude/output-styles", ".claude/output-styles", "user level styles", "project level styles" |

### Style Management

| Topic | Keywords |
| --- | --- |
| Switching Styles | "/output-style command", "switch output style", "change style" |
| Style Selection | "select output style", "choose style", "style recommendations" |
| Style Comparison | "compare output styles", "style differences", "style comparison" |

### Use Cases

| Topic | Keywords |
| --- | --- |
| Task-Based Selection | "output style use cases", "when to use styles" |
| Coding Tasks | "output style coding", "code-focused style" |
| Documentation Tasks | "output style documentation", "writing-focused style" |
| Learning Tasks | "output style learning", "educational style" |

### Comparisons to Related Features

| Topic | Keywords |
| --- | --- |
| vs CLAUDE.md | "output styles vs CLAUDE.md", "system prompt vs user message", "output style CLAUDE.md difference" |
| vs append-system-prompt | "output styles vs append-system-prompt", "system prompt modification", "--append-system-prompt" |
| vs Agents | "output styles vs agents", "output style agent difference", "sub-agents vs output styles" |
| vs Slash Commands | "output styles vs slash commands", "stored prompts vs stored system prompts" |

### Custom Style Development

| Topic | Keywords |
| --- | --- |
| Creating Styles | "create custom output style", "new output style" |
| Style Templates | "output style template", "style starting point" |
| Style Location | "output style file location", "where to save styles" |
| Style Testing | "test output style", "validate style" |

## Quick Decision Tree

**What do you want to do?**

1. **Understand available styles** -> Query docs-management: "built-in output styles", "output style overview"
2. **Use default coding assistant** -> Query docs-management: "default output style", "software engineering style"
3. **Learn about the codebase** -> Query docs-management: "explanatory style", "educational insights"
4. **Learn by doing (hands-on)** -> Query docs-management: "learning style", "TODO human markers", "learn-by-doing"
5. **Switch output style** -> Query docs-management: "/output-style command", "switch output style"
6. **Create custom style** -> Query docs-management: "create custom output style", "output style frontmatter"
7. **Compare to related features** -> Query docs-management: "output styles vs CLAUDE.md", "output styles vs agents"
8. **Where to save style files** -> Query docs-management: "output style file location", "~/.claude/output-styles"

## Topic Coverage

### Built-in Output Styles

- Default: Standard software engineering assistant behavior
- Explanatory: Adds educational "Insights" between tasks to help understand implementation choices
- Learning: Collaborative learn-by-doing mode with `TODO(human)` markers for user contributions

### Output Style Frontmatter

- name field (optional - defaults to filename)
- description field (optional - for UI display in /output-style menu)
- keep-coding-instructions field (optional - default false, whether to keep coding instructions in system prompt)

### Style Configuration Options

- Default style configuration
- Per-session style switching
- Style persistence across sessions

### /output-style Command

- List available styles
- Switch to different style
- View current style
- Style selection syntax

### Custom Style Creation

- File location for custom styles
- Frontmatter structure
- Prompt crafting for custom behavior
- Testing and validation

### Style Selection Criteria

- Task-based recommendations
- Verbosity preferences
- Output format needs
- Code vs explanation balance

### Style Comparisons

- Output Styles vs CLAUDE.md vs --append-system-prompt (system prompt modification approaches)
- Output Styles vs Agents (main loop vs specific tasks, different configuration options)
- Output Styles vs Slash Commands (stored system prompts vs stored prompts)
- When to use each approach

## Delegation Patterns

### Standard Query Pattern

```text
User asks: "What output styles are available?"

1. Invoke docs-management skill
2. Use keywords: "built-in output styles", "output style overview"
3. Load official documentation
4. Provide guidance based EXCLUSIVELY on official docs
```

### Multi-Topic Query Pattern

```text
User asks: "I want brief responses with less code"

1. Invoke docs-management skill with multiple queries:
   - "concise style", "brief responses"
   - "code-sparse style", "minimal code"
2. Synthesize guidance from official documentation
```

### Troubleshooting Pattern

```text
User reports: "My custom output style isn't working"

1. Invoke docs-management skill
2. Use keywords: "output style frontmatter", "create custom output style"
3. Check official docs for style configuration requirements
4. Guide user through proper style setup
```

## Troubleshooting Quick Reference

| Issue | Keywords for docs-management |
| --- | --- |
| Style not changing | "/output-style command", "switch output style" |
| Custom style not loading | "output style frontmatter", "style file location" |
| Too verbose responses | "concise style", "brief responses" |
| Not enough detail | "verbose style", "detailed responses" |
| Want formatted output | "markdown style", "formatted output" |
| Too much code in output | "code-sparse style", "minimal code" |
| Style selection guidance | "output style use cases", "style recommendations" |

## Repository-Specific Notes

This repository does not currently use custom output styles. Output style documentation is relevant for:

- Understanding how output styles affect response behavior
- Potential custom style creation for repository-specific workflows
- Understanding style configuration for team preferences

When working with output style topics, always use the docs-management skill to access official documentation.

## Auditing Output Styles

This skill provides the validation criteria used by the `output-style-auditor` agent for formal audits.

### Audit Resources

| Resource | Location | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Audit Framework | `references/audit-framework.md` | Query guides and scoring criteria |

### Scoring Categories

| Category | Points | Key Criteria |
| --- | --- | --- |
| File Structure | 20 | Correct location, .md extension |
| YAML Frontmatter | 30 | Required fields present and valid |
| Content Quality | 30 | Clear instructions, proper structure |
| Compatibility | 20 | Works with style switching, no conflicts |

**Thresholds:** 85+ = PASS, 70-84 = PASS WITH WARNINGS, <70 = FAIL

### Related Agent

The `output-style-auditor` agent (Haiku model) performs formal audits using this skill:

- Auto-loads this skill via `skills: output-customization`
- Uses audit framework and docs-management for rules
- Generates structured audit reports
- Invoked by `/audit-output-styles` command

### External Technology Validation

When auditing output styles that reference external technologies (scripts, packages, runtimes), the auditor MUST validate claims using MCP servers before flagging findings.

**Technologies Requiring MCP Validation:**

- .NET/C# scripts: Validate with microsoft-learn + perplexity
- Node.js/npm packages: Validate with context7 + perplexity
- Python scripts/packages: Validate with context7 + perplexity
- Shell scripts: Validate with perplexity
- Any version-specific claims: ALWAYS validate with perplexity

**Validation Rule:**

Never flag a technology usage as incorrect without first:

1. Querying appropriate MCP server(s) for current documentation
2. Verifying with perplexity for recent changes (especially .NET 10+)
3. Documenting MCP sources in the finding

**Stale Data Warning:**

- microsoft-learn can return cached/outdated documentation
- ALWAYS pair microsoft-learn with perplexity for version verification
- Trust perplexity for version numbers and recently-released features

## References

**Official Documentation (via docs-management skill):**

- Primary: "output-styles" documentation
- Related: "settings", "configuration", "terminal-config"

**Repository-Specific:**

- Output style settings: `.claude/settings.json` (outputStyle setting)

## Version History

- **v1.1.0** (2025-11-27): Content accuracy fixes
  - Fixed built-in styles (Default, Explanatory, Learning - not concise/verbose/markdown/code-sparse)
  - Fixed frontmatter fields (keep-coding-instructions, not "prompt")
  - Added "Comparisons to Related Features" section (vs CLAUDE.md, vs Agents, vs Slash Commands)
  - Added file location keywords (~/.claude/output-styles, .claude/output-styles)
  - Updated decision tree with correct styles
  - Updated topic coverage with accurate descriptions
- **v1.0.0** (2025-11-26): Initial release
  - Pure delegation architecture
  - Comprehensive keyword registry
  - Quick decision tree
  - Topic coverage for all output style features
  - Troubleshooting quick reference

---

## Last Updated

**Date:** 2025-11-28
**Model:** claude-opus-4-5-20251101