Core Skills

# Ask User Skill Use the `ask_user` tool to pause agent execution and request input from the user. This is essential for interactive workflows where you need clarification, confirmation, or additional information. ## When to Use Use `ask_user` when you: - Need clarification on ambiguous requirements - Want confirmation before taking an irreversible action - Require domain-specific knowledge only the user has - Need to present options for the user to choose from - Want feedback on a draft or plan before proceeding ## When NOT to Use Avoid `ask_user` when: - You can infer the answer from context - The information is available through other tools (search, documents) - You're asking obvious or unnecessary questions - You already have sufficient information to proceed ## Parameters | Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description | | -------------- | -------- | -------- | --------- | ----------------------------------...

# Current Date and Time Skill Use this skill whenever a user asks about “right now”, “today”, or the current date/time. The goal is to return a **precise, unambiguous representation of the current date and time**, including timezone information, and to make it safe to use for follow-up calculations or logging. --- ## 1. Choose a Single Source of Truth for “Now” When determining the current date/time: 1. Prefer a concrete value provided by the **environment or tools**, for example: - A dedicated time tool such as `get_current_time` - A `current_datetime`, `current_time`, or `current_date` field in the prompt or metadata - An explicit timestamp supplied by the user 2. Treat that value as the **single source of truth** for all relative calculations in the conversation. 3. Never fabricate the current time if a trusted source is available. If you cannot access any reliable current time, explain the limitation instead of guessing. --- ## 2. Using a Time Tool (e.g. `get_curr...

# Date and Time Manipulation Skill Use this skill whenever you need to reason about dates and times—today’s date, relative offsets (yesterday, next week), ranges, or scheduling windows. The goal is to produce **precise, unambiguous date math** that humans and other tools can trust. --- ## 1. Representing Dates and Times **Preferred formats:** - **Date (ISO 8601)**: `YYYY-MM-DD` (e.g. `2025-03-15`) - **DateTime (ISO 8601)**: `YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ` or with offset, e.g. `2025-03-15T09:30:00Z`, `2025-03-15T09:30:00+01:00` - **Date ranges**: `[start_date, end_date]` with ISO dates, and explicitly state whether the range is inclusive or exclusive. Always: - Use 24‑hour time where possible. - Specify time zone whenever local time matters (e.g. `"2025-03-15T09:30:00-05:00 (America/New_York)"`). - Avoid ambiguous short formats like `03/04/25` unless you explicitly define the convention. --- ## 2. Knowing “Today” When you need **today’s date**: 1. Prefer a concrete value provided by...

# Output Formatting Reference **You must read this skill to properly format your responses to users.** This is the authoritative reference for all output formats. Before writing responses that include visualizations, structured data, code blocks, or artifact references, consult this guide. Other skills reference this document - do not duplicate formatting information found here. --- ## Quick Reference | Format | Use Case | Syntax | |--------|----------|--------| | Markdown | Text, lists, links | Standard markdown | | Math | Equations, formulas | `$inline$` or `$$display$$` | | Columns | Side-by-side content | `:::columns` / `:::column` | | Callout (directive) | Styled note/warning boxes | `:::note`, `:::warning`, `:::tip`, `:::caution`, `:::important` | | Callout (GitHub) | Blockquote alerts | `> [!NOTE]`, `> [!WARNING]`, `> [!TIP]`, etc. | | Definition list | Term–definition pairs | `Term\n: Definition` | | Strikethrough | Deleted/changed text | `~~old text~~` | | Task list | C...

# Vega-Lite Reference Core Vega-Lite grammar for the charts produced by `learn_make_chart` (inline charts in chat) and `learn_data_visualization` (persisted SQL-backed dashboards). Learn it when you need the exact syntax for a mark, encoding, transform, scale, axis, tooltip, number or date format. **Advanced topics** - faceting (small multiples), concatenation, statistical charts (box plots, histograms, regression, density), annotations, interactive selections and dashboards, and geographic maps are in `learn_vega_reference_advanced`. --- ## Mark Types | Mark | Use Case | Example | | ----------- | ----------------------------------- | ----------------------- | | `bar` | Categorical comparisons, histograms | Sales by region | | `line` | Time series, trends | Stock prices over time | | `point` | Scatter plots, distributions | Height vs weight | | `area` | Cumulative trends, ...

# Vega-Lite Advanced Reference Patterns that go beyond a single mark and a single view. The core grammar (marks, encodings, transforms, scales, axes, tooltips, formatting, sizing) is in `learn_vega_reference`; learn that first. Use these patterns from `learn_make_chart` (inline `chart` blocks, `"options": {"mode": "dashboard"}` for interactive layouts) or from `learn_data_visualization` (persisted dashboards, where only the `spec` object is used). --- ## Faceting (Small Multiples) Split data into one view per value of a field. Use `column` for side-by-side panels, `row` for stacked panels, or both for a grid: ```json { "facet": {"column": {"field": "region", "type": "nominal"}}, "spec": { "mark": "line", "encoding": { "x": {"field": "date", "type": "temporal"}, "y": {"field": "sales", "type": "quantitative"} } } } ``` ### Facet Grid ```json { "facet": { "row": {"field": "year", "type": "ordinal"}, "column": {"field": "quarter", "type": "o...