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feat(skills): add operating-modes skill (#385)#389

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ashp15205:feat/operating-modes
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feat(skills): add operating-modes skill (#385)#389
ashp15205 wants to merge 1 commit into
OpenHands:mainfrom
ashp15205:feat/operating-modes

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Summary

Adds a new operating-modes skill to the registry that addresses the context collapse problem described in Issue #385.

Closes #385

What This Adds

A new skill at skills/operating-modes/ with 4 triggers:

Trigger Mode Behavior
/mode:builder 🚀 Builder Ship fast. Minimal ceremony. One feature at a time.
/mode:maintainer 🛠 Maintainer Stability first. Surgical diffs. Zero surprises.
/mode:architect 🏛 Architect No code. Plans, trade-offs, decision records only.
/mode:economy ⚡ Economy Token-aware. Minimal context. Changed lines only.

How It Works

When a user invokes a mode trigger (e.g. /mode:maintainer), the skill injects a structured set of behavioral constraints into the agent's system prompt — preventing the agent from:

  • Refactoring unbroken code (Maintainer)
  • Writing code before architecture is decided (Architect)
  • Reading unnecessary files (Economy)
  • Over-engineering features (Builder)

Source & Validation

These mode prompts have been battle-tested in the Vibe Coding Essentials open-source repository. They are the result of real-world iteration against multiple LLMs (GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, Qwen3) across dozens of development sessions.

Files Changed

  • skills/operating-modes/SKILL.md — [NEW] Agent-facing skill definition with YAML frontmatter and mode instructions
  • skills/operating-modes/README.md — [NEW] Human-facing notes, usage examples, and mode transition guide

Testing

Manually validated that:

  • Each trigger is unique and non-conflicting with existing skills
  • YAML frontmatter follows the existing SKILL.md schema (name, description, triggers)
  • All 4 modes produce distinct, non-overlapping behavioral constraints

@github-actions github-actions Bot added the type: feat A new feature label Jul 3, 2026
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[Feature]: Implement explicit "Operating Modes" (Architect, Builder, Maintainer) to prevent context collapse

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