Composition Modes

When the user invokes or triggers multiple skills, they compose in one of four modes.

Mode A: Pipeline (Sequential)

One skill's output feeds into the next. Order matters.

User: "Write a postmortem, then compress it"
Flow: postmortem → generates report → compress → shrinks the report

Signal words: "then", "after that", "once done", "now compress it"

Example

/postmortem → /compress

Postmortem generates a full incident report with root cause analysis, action items, and timeline. Then Compress shrinks it for storage or distribution.

Mode B: Layered (Simultaneous)

Multiple skills apply to the same output at once, each handling its domain.

User: "Write a blog post in caveman mode"
Flow: blogger handles voice + content structure
      caveman handles density
      Both apply to the same output

Signal words: "in X mode", "using X", "with X", simultaneous invocation

Example

/blog technical + /caveman lite

Blogger writes with authentic voice and content structure. Caveman applies lite compression to reduce verbosity. Both operate on the same output simultaneously.

Mode C: Handoff (Delegated)

One skill recognizes it needs another skill's capability and explicitly calls for it.

Skill (postmortem): "This incident involved a UI regression.
                     Invoking painter for the visual audit section."

Signal: Skill detects content outside its domain that another skill could handle better.

When Handoff Happens

• A process skill encounters visual/design content → hands off to craft
• A content skill needs specific voice → hands off to voice
• A craft skill needs structured output → hands off to process

Mode D: Advisory (Consult)

A skill references another skill's principles without fully activating it.

Skill (blogger): Writing a technical blog about UI decisions.
                 References painter's heuristics for accuracy,
                 but voice stays in blogger's domain.

Signal: Domain overlap in content (not output style).

Advisory vs Handoff

Aspect	Advisory	Handoff
Activation	Partial — references principles	Full — delegates section
Control	Original skill retains control	Receiving skill takes control
Scope	Background influence	Specific content section

Syntax

# Pipeline
/skill1 → /skill2

# Layered
/skill1 + /skill2

# Natural language (parsed by context)
"Write a blog in caveman mode"

The → operator means pipeline. The + operator means layered. Natural language is parsed by context.