Tank Package Creator

Route any "I want to create..." request to the correct specialized creator.

Core Philosophy

1. Route, do not duplicate. This skill identifies the right creator and hands off. The 8 creator skills contain the deep knowledge. Loading all of them wastes context; loading the right one is the job.

2. Format follows need. Instruction-only skills are simpler to author, review, and maintain. Reach for multi-atom bundles only when the problem demands machine enforcement, delegation, or external integration.

3. Composition over complexity. Most packages need 1-3 atom kinds. A bundle with all 7 atom kinds is almost certainly over-engineered. Start with the minimum atoms that solve the problem.

4. Quality is non-negotiable. Every package passes the same checklist before publishing. No exceptions for "simple" packages.

What Do You Want to Create?

"I want to teach the agent domain knowledge"

1. This is an instruction-only skill (the simplest package type).
2. Load @tank/skill-creator for the full workflow.
3. Create under skills/{name}/ with SKILL.md + tank.json.

"I want to intercept agent behavior at lifecycle events"

1. This requires a hook atom inside a multi-atom bundle.
2. Load @tank/hook-creator for event catalog and handler patterns.
3. Load @tank/bundle-creator for the bundle scaffold.

"I want to wire an MCP server into the agent"

1. This requires a tool atom inside a multi-atom bundle.
2. Load @tank/tool-creator for transport wiring and extension bags.
3. Load @tank/bundle-creator for the bundle scaffold.

"I want to enforce a policy without writing code"

1. This requires a rule atom inside a multi-atom bundle.
2. Load @tank/rule-creator for policy design and event targeting.
3. Load @tank/bundle-creator for the bundle scaffold.

"I want to define a sub-agent with specific tools"

1. This requires an agent atom inside a multi-atom bundle.
2. Load @tank/agent-creator for role design and tool scoping.
3. Load @tank/bundle-creator for the bundle scaffold.

"I want a reusable template or slash command"

1. This requires a prompt atom inside a multi-atom bundle.
2. Load @tank/prompt-creator for template design and variable syntax.
3. Load @tank/bundle-creator for the bundle scaffold.

"I want to expose data the agent can read on demand"

1. This requires a resource atom inside a multi-atom bundle.
2. Load @tank/resource-creator for URI design and pull-model patterns.
3. Load @tank/bundle-creator for the bundle scaffold.

"I want a composite package with multiple atom types"

1. Start with @tank/bundle-creator for the scaffold and atoms array.
2. Load the specific creator for each atom kind you need.
3. Refer to references/decision-guide.md for common combinations.

Decision Trees

Format Selection

Signal	Format	Creator
Pure knowledge, no enforcement needed	Instruction-only	@tank/skill-creator
Need lifecycle hooks	Multi-atom	@tank/bundle-creator
Need a sub-agent with scoped tools	Multi-atom	@tank/bundle-creator
Need declarative policy enforcement	Multi-atom	@tank/bundle-creator
Need MCP tool or resource registration	Multi-atom	@tank/bundle-creator
Need on-demand prompt templates	Multi-atom	@tank/bundle-creator

Atom Kind Selection

Need	Atom Kind	Specialized Creator
Behavioral context injected every session	instruction	@tank/skill-creator
Code at lifecycle events (gate, format)	hook	@tank/hook-creator
Delegatable sub-agent with scoped tools	agent	@tank/agent-creator
Declarative block/warn/allow policy	rule	@tank/rule-creator
MCP server registration	tool	@tank/tool-creator
On-demand readable data or context	resource	@tank/resource-creator
Reusable invocable template	prompt	@tank/prompt-creator

Common Bundle Patterns

Pattern	Atoms Involved	Example
Quality gate	hook + agent + instruction	@tank/quality-gate
Safety policy	rule + instruction	Command blocklist
Tool integration	tool + instruction	MCP server wrapper
Automated workflow	prompt + agent + hook	PR description bot
Context provider	resource + instruction	Project architecture
Full enforcement pipeline	hook + agent + rule + instruction	Review + block + fix

Pre-Publish Checklist (Quick)

Run through references/quality-checklist.md before every tank publish. Summary of critical gates:

1. name field matches between SKILL.md and tank.json
2. name starts with @tank/
3. SKILL.md body under 200 lines
4. SKILL.md description has 10-15 trigger phrases
5. tank.json permissions are minimal
6. tank.json repository is https://github.com/tankpkg/packages
7. Reference files: 250-450 lines, no frontmatter, no overlap
8. Multi-atom: every atom has required fields, files exist

-> See references/quality-checklist.md for the full checklist.

Creator Skills Index

Creator	Scope
@tank/skill-creator	Instruction-only skills (SKILL.md + references)
@tank/bundle-creator	Multi-atom bundle scaffold and atoms array
@tank/hook-creator	Hook atoms, DSL/JS handlers, lifecycle events
@tank/tool-creator	Tool atoms, MCP wiring, extension bags
@tank/rule-creator	Rule atoms, policy design, declarative guards
@tank/agent-creator	Agent atoms, role design, tool scoping
@tank/prompt-creator	Prompt atoms, templates, variable design
@tank/resource-creator	Resource atoms, URI design, pull-model context

Reference Index

File	Contents
references/decision-guide.md	Complete package type identification guide
references/quality-checklist.md	Universal pre-publish validation checklist