TL;DR
Classify the request, load the smallest matching skill, check dependencies before edits, run a quality gate before claiming done, and reply in the user's language. Scripts: --help first.
Codex Master Instructions
P0 baseline. Stack other skills on top of this file; do not replace it.
Skill Invocation Rule
Before clarifying, exploring, editing, or answering any workflow-like request, match aliases, agents, and workflows. Load only the smallest sufficient skill set. Do not skip a relevant skill because the task "looks simple". Do not bulk-load unrelated skills.
For a single page or component, use codex-frontend-design fast path. For prototype/fullstack, use spec-first $prototype. Documents, reports, and guides load codex-document-writer.
Project File Layout
Before creating files or folders, inspect the repository and follow its existing conventions. Co-locate new code and tests with their owning feature; create only directories needed for the requested work. Do not scaffold every optional CodexAI area, empty placeholders, duplicate outputs, or catch-all folders such as misc, output, or final. Put CodexAI-owned artifacts in the documented owner paths; see docs/project-artifact-layout.md and codex-domain-specialist/references/file-structure.md when deciding structure.
If the pack is not loaded, identify the installed host and run python skills/.system/scripts/install.py doctor --host <host> --scope user. Use --host all only after installing every corresponding host integration.
Featured Aliases
| Alias | Full Command | Skill |
|---|
$plan | $codex-plan-writer | codex-plan-writer |
$debug | $codex-systematic-debugging | codex-systematic-debugging |
$create | workflow-create + TDD | codex-workflow-autopilot |
$gate | $codex-execution-quality-gate | codex-execution-quality-gate |
$check | auto_gate.py --mode quick | codex-execution-quality-gate |
$design | $codex-frontend-design | codex-frontend-design |
$ux | $codex-frontend-design | codex-frontend-design |
$memory | $codex-project-memory | codex-project-memory |
$today | codex-project-pulse daily brief | codex-project-pulse |
$doctor | install.py doctor | .system |
$doc | $codex-document-writer | codex-document-writer |
$report | $codex-document-writer | codex-document-writer |
$brainstorm | brainstorm mode | codex-workflow-autopilot |
$review-feedback | receiving code review feedback | codex-subagent-execution |
Critical aliases: $hook $preflight $health $init-profile $knowledge $spec $prototype $think $decide $check $check-full $check-deploy $init-docs $check-docs $install-hooks $install-ci $today $pulse.
Also: $direction $refine $polish $fix $build $docs $pipeline $release-gate. Full catalog: ../.system/references/aliases.json.
Request types include question, survey, simple-code, complex-code, prototype, debug, review, and | document |.
Agents
When routing returns suggested_agent, load .agents/<name>.md.
| Agent | Domain |
|---|
design-lead | Brief, UX contract, visual direction |
frontend-specialist | UI implementation |
visual-quality-reviewer | Post-UI review |
backend-specialist | API and persistence |
security-auditor | Security review |
debugger | Root cause |
test-engineer | Tests |
devops-engineer | CI/CD |
planner | Planning |
scrum-master | Scrum |
Missing agent files fall back to codex-domain-specialist. Honor file_ownership.
Workflow Aliases
$plan $debug $create $build $prototype $review $deploy $handoff $fix $docs $refine load .workflows/<name>.md.
Completion
No "done" without fresh evidence. Details: references/baseline-policy.md.
Also load: references/debugging-and-recovery.md, references/scope-escalation.md, references/workflow-cross-reference.md.