Agent skill

Econml Causal Guide

by wentorai in wentorai/research-plugins

Apply EconML for causal inference combining machine learning and econometrics

MITAuto-check passedResearch & Science

Install Econml Causal Guide

skills CLI
$ npx skills add wentorai/research-plugins --skill econml-causal-guide -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install wentorai/research-plugins econml-causal-guide --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/wentorai/research-plugins.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/analysis/econometrics/econml-causal-guide .claude/skills/econml-causal-guide && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
econml-causal-guide
GitHub stars
298
Used in
1 other repo
Token cost
~1.8k tokens
SKILL.md length
570 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
405
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Apply EconML for causal inference combining machine learning and econometrics

  • Works in 5 steps: Always validate assumptions: DML… → Cross-fitting is essential: Never skip… → Report multiple estimators: Present… → …
  • Tasks that involve Econometrics and empirical research
  • SKILL.md covers Overview, Installation and Setup, Core Estimators and Methods and Research Workflow Integration, plus 2 more sections
  • Calls pip

What it does

Econml Causal Guide is an agent skill from wentorai/research-plugins. Apply EconML for causal inference combining machine learning and econometrics

Its SKILL.md is about 1.8k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Research & Science, covering Econometrics and empirical research and Machine learning. The repository describes itself as: 350+ academic research skills, MCP configs, and plugins for Research-Claw and AI agents. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Tasks that involve Econometrics and empirical research
  • Tasks that involve Machine learning

Example prompts

  • “/econml-causal-guide”

Requirements

  • Python 3

Workflow steps

5 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Always validate assumptions: DML requires conditional ignorability (selection on observables). Document your identification strategy…
  2. Cross-fitting is essential: Never skip the cross-fitting step, as it prevents overfitting bias in the nuisance estimates.
  3. Report multiple estimators: Present results from DML, DR Learner, and Causal Forest side by side to assess robustness.
  4. Check overlap: Verify sufficient overlap in covariate distributions between treated and control groups before estimation.
  5. Use honest estimation: EconML Causal Forests use sample splitting for honesty by default, ensuring valid inference.

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit bf44b3c. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

    • pip

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):

    • github.com
    • econml.azurewebsites.net

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Econml Causal Guide loads about 1.8k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 24 tokens; SKILL.md has 570 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~24
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.8k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from wentorai/research-plugins at commit bf44b3c, republished under its MIT licence (© wentorai). 570 words, ~1,789 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/econml-causal-guide/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
econml-causal-guide
description
Apply EconML for causal inference combining machine learning and econometrics

EconML Causal Inference Guide

Overview

EconML is a Python package developed by Microsoft Research as part of the ALICE (Automated Learning and Intelligence for Causation and Economics) project. It provides a comprehensive suite of methods for estimating heterogeneous treatment effects from observational data, bridging the gap between modern machine learning and classical econometric techniques for causal inference.

Traditional econometric approaches to causal inference often rely on strong parametric assumptions and struggle with high-dimensional data. Pure machine learning methods excel at prediction but do not inherently distinguish correlation from causation. EconML combines the strengths of both paradigms, offering methods that leverage the flexibility of ML for nuisance parameter estimation while maintaining the rigorous causal identification guarantees of econometric theory.

The library implements cutting-edge methods from the academic literature including Double Machine Learning (DML), Causal Forests, Doubly Robust Learners, Orthogonal Random Forests, and Instrumental Variable methods with ML first stages. These tools are essential for researchers across economics, public health, education policy, and any field where understanding causal mechanisms from non-experimental data is critical.

Installation and Setup

Install EconML via pip:

bash
pip install econml

For the full feature set including optional dependencies:

bash
pip install econml[all]

EconML builds on top of scikit-learn and integrates with the broader Python data science ecosystem. Core dependencies include numpy, scipy, pandas, scikit-learn, and statsmodels. Optional dependencies for specific estimators include LightGBM and PyTorch.

Verify installation:

python
import econml
print(econml.__version__)

from econml.dml import LinearDML
from econml.orf import DMLOrthoForest
print("EconML loaded successfully")

Core Estimators and Methods

Double Machine Learning (DML): The workhorse method for estimating average and heterogeneous treatment effects while controlling for high-dimensional confounders. DML uses cross-fitting and orthogonalization to eliminate regularization bias:

python
from econml.dml import LinearDML, CausalForestDML
from sklearn.ensemble import GradientBoostingRegressor

# Linear DML for parametric treatment effect estimation
est = LinearDML(
    model_y=GradientBoostingRegressor(),
    model_t=GradientBoostingRegressor(),
    cv=5,
    random_state=42
)
est.fit(Y, T, X=X, W=W)

# Get treatment effect estimates with confidence intervals
effect = est.effect(X_test)
ci = est.effect_interval(X_test, alpha=0.05)
print(f"ATE: {est.ate():.4f}")
print(f"ATE 95% CI: {est.ate_interval(alpha=0.05)}")

Here Y is the outcome, T is the treatment, X contains effect modifiers (features for heterogeneity), and W contains additional confounders.

Causal Forest DML: Combines DML orthogonalization with Causal Forest estimation for flexible, nonparametric heterogeneous treatment effects:

python
from econml.dml import CausalForestDML

cf_est = CausalForestDML(
    model_y=GradientBoostingRegressor(),
    model_t=GradientBoostingRegressor(),
    n_estimators=200,
    min_samples_leaf=10,
    cv=5,
    random_state=42
)
cf_est.fit(Y, T, X=X, W=W)

# Heterogeneous treatment effects
hte = cf_est.effect(X_test)
# Feature importance for treatment effect heterogeneity
importances = cf_est.feature_importances_

Doubly Robust Learner: Provides consistent treatment effect estimates when either the outcome model or the propensity score model is correctly specified:

python
from econml.dr import DRLearner
from sklearn.ensemble import RandomForestClassifier, RandomForestRegressor

dr_est = DRLearner(
    model_propensity=RandomForestClassifier(),
    model_regression=RandomForestRegressor(),
    model_final=RandomForestRegressor(),
    cv=5
)
dr_est.fit(Y, T, X=X, W=W)

Instrumental Variable Methods: For settings where unobserved confounding is present but valid instruments are available:

python
from econml.iv.dml import DMLIV

iv_est = DMLIV(
    model_y_xw=GradientBoostingRegressor(),
    model_t_xw=GradientBoostingRegressor(),
    model_t_xwz=GradientBoostingRegressor(),
    cv=5
)
iv_est.fit(Y, T, Z=Z, X=X, W=W)
Show full SKILL.md (243 more words)Show less

Research Workflow Integration

Experiment Analysis: When randomized experiments suffer from non-compliance or attrition, use IV methods in EconML to recover local average treatment effects. The ML-based first stages handle complex relationships between instruments and treatment uptake.

Policy Evaluation: Estimate heterogeneous treatment effects to identify which subpopulations benefit most from an intervention. The CATE (Conditional Average Treatment Effect) estimates can directly inform targeted policy design:

python
# Identify subgroups with largest treatment effects
import pandas as pd

effects_df = pd.DataFrame({
    "effect": cf_est.effect(X_test).flatten(),
    "ci_lower": cf_est.effect_interval(X_test, alpha=0.05)[0].flatten(),
    "ci_upper": cf_est.effect_interval(X_test, alpha=0.05)[1].flatten()
}, index=X_test.index)

# Top beneficiaries
top_group = effects_df.nlargest(100, "effect")

Sensitivity Analysis: Combine EconML estimates with sensitivity analysis frameworks to assess robustness to potential unobserved confounders. Report how much unmeasured confounding would be required to explain away your findings.

Publication-Ready Results: EconML provides confidence intervals and hypothesis tests based on asymptotic theory, producing results suitable for peer-reviewed publications. Use the summary methods to generate formatted regression-style output.

Best Practices for Academic Research

  1. Always validate assumptions: DML requires conditional ignorability (selection on observables). Document your identification strategy clearly.
  2. Cross-fitting is essential: Never skip the cross-fitting step, as it prevents overfitting bias in the nuisance estimates.
  3. Report multiple estimators: Present results from DML, DR Learner, and Causal Forest side by side to assess robustness.
  4. Check overlap: Verify sufficient overlap in covariate distributions between treated and control groups before estimation.
  5. Use honest estimation: EconML Causal Forests use sample splitting for honesty by default, ensuring valid inference.

References

© wentorai, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in skills/analysis/econometrics/econml-causal-guide of wentorai/research-plugins.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit bf44b3c

Used in 1 other repository

We found 1 copy of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 1 other GitHub owner. This page covers the copy in wentorai/research-plugins, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

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Questions about Econml Causal Guide

What does Econml Causal Guide do?

Apply EconML for causal inference combining machine learning and econometrics. Econml Causal Guide is an agent skill from wentorai/research-plugins.

When should I use Econml Causal Guide?

Econml Causal Guide fits situations like: tasks that involve Econometrics and empirical research; tasks that involve Machine learning.

How do I install Econml Causal Guide in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add wentorai/research-plugins --skill econml-causal-guide -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/analysis/econometrics/econml-causal-guide in wentorai/research-plugins) into .claude/skills/econml-causal-guide in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Econml Causal Guide in Codex?

Run `npx skills add wentorai/research-plugins --skill econml-causal-guide -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/analysis/econometrics/econml-causal-guide in wentorai/research-plugins) into .agents/skills/econml-causal-guide in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Econml Causal Guide in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add wentorai/research-plugins --skill econml-causal-guide -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/econml-causal-guide, .gemini/skills/econml-causal-guide, .github/skills/econml-causal-guide and .opencode/skills/econml-causal-guide in your project.

What does Econml Causal Guide need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Econml Causal Guide needs the command-line tools its instructions call (pip). Our summary lists: Python 3.

Does Econml Causal Guide access the network?

SKILL.md names 2 domains. As links in the text: github.com and econml.azurewebsites.net. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Econml Causal Guide safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Econml Causal Guide use?

Econml Causal Guide is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Econml Causal Guide use?

About 1.8k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 7.2k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Econml Causal Guide?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Econml Causal Guide: Ols Regression (brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills, 4.5k stars), Ectj Literature Positioning (brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills, 1.2k stars), ML Causal (brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills, 4.5k stars) and Senior Data Scientist (borghei/Claude-Skills, 886 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Econml Causal Guide?

wentorai (a GitHub user) maintains it in wentorai/research-plugins, which has 298 GitHub stars. The repository holds 405 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on June 19, 2026.

Source: wentorai/research-plugins on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.