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Agent skill

Instructor Release

by cognesy in cognesy/instructor-php

Prepare and execute a new InstructorPHP version release. An agent skill from cognesy/instructor-php.

MITAuto-check passedDevelopment

Install Instructor Release

skills CLI
$ npx skills add cognesy/instructor-php --skill instructor-release -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install cognesy/instructor-php instructor-release --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/cognesy/instructor-php.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/.codex/skills/instructor-release .claude/skills/instructor-release && 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
instructor-release
GitHub stars
328
Token cost
~1.7k tokens
SKILL.md length
814 words
Files
7 (incl. references)
Skills in repo
3
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Prepare and execute a new InstructorPHP version release. An agent skill from cognesy/instructor-php.

  • Works in 12 steps: Determine the target version and latest… → Create the bd epic and child tasks from… → Inventory changed packages since the… → …
  • Asked to cut a release
  • SKILL.md covers When To Use, Release Rules, Default Workflow and Deterministic bd Execution, plus 6 more sections
  • Calls composer

What it does

Instructor Release is an agent skill from cognesy/instructor-php. Prepare and execute a new InstructorPHP version release. Use when asked to cut a release, prepare release notes, run release QA, create a release epic and tasks in bd, verify changed packages since the last tag, run curated live examples, publish via scripts/release/publish-ver.sh, or prepare the launch announcement.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.7k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 8 other files, including reference files (for example `agents/openai.yaml`, `references/bd-release-template.md` and `references/examples-policy.md`).

It sits in Development, covering Changelog and release notes and Product launch strategy. It works with PHP and GitHub Actions. The repository describes itself as: Unified LLM API, structured data outputs with LLMs, and agent SDK - in PHP. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Asked to cut a release
  • Prepare release notes
  • Create a release epic and tasks in bd
  • Verify changed packages since the last tag

Example prompts

  • “/instructor-release”

Workflow steps

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

  1. Determine the target version and latest tag.
  2. Create the bd epic and child tasks from references/bd-release-template.md.
  3. Inventory changed packages since the last tag, focusing on packages/*/src.
  4. Run preflight from references/preflight-checks.md.
  5. Run curated live examples from references/examples-policy.md.
  6. Produce per-package change summaries from diffs.
  7. Consolidate those summaries into a release draft.
  8. Write docs/release-notes/vX.Y.Z.mdx using references/release-notes-template.mdx.
  9. Run composer qa:docs-sites -- --release X.Y.Z; never stage generated builds/ output.
  10. Ask for explicit approval before scripts/release/publish-ver.sh.
  11. After publish, verify both docs provenance endpoints, the GitHub release, and split workflow kickoff.
  12. Draft the announcement from references/post-release.md; post externally only

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 4a5a54d. 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:

    • composer

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

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    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

Instructor Release loads about 1.7k tokens when it runs, and up to ~4.4k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 84 tokens; SKILL.md has 814 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~84
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.7k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~4.4k

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 cognesy/instructor-php at commit 4a5a54d, republished under its MIT licence (© cognesy). 814 words, ~1,726 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/instructor-release/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 6 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
instructor-release
description
Prepare and execute a new InstructorPHP version release. Use when asked to cut a release, prepare release notes, run release QA, create a release epic and tasks in bd, verify changed packages since the last tag, run curated live examples, publish via scripts/release/publish-ver.sh, or prepare the launch announcement.

Instructor Release

This skill is the repo-local release orchestrator for InstructorPHP. A release is never a loose checklist. It is always a deterministic bd workflow with explicit gates, tracked blockers, and a final approval step before publish.

Treat these files as source of truth:

  • AGENTS.md for repo rules, bd, and git ownership constraints
  • CONTRIBUTING.md for release and package-management workflow
  • QUALITY.md for verification lanes
  • scripts/release/publish-ver.sh for the actual publish path
  • scripts/packages/sync-ver.sh for version synchronization
  • .github/workflows/docs.yml for validated Mintlify and GitHub Pages deployment
  • .github/workflows/php.yml for compatibility matrix coverage
  • .github/workflows/split.yml for post-tag split package publishing
  • docs/release-notes/*.mdx for public release-note shape

Read these references as needed:

  • references/bd-release-template.md
  • references/preflight-checks.md
  • references/examples-policy.md
  • references/release-notes-template.mdx
  • references/post-release.md

When To Use

Use this skill when the user asks to:

  • create or ship a new version release
  • prepare release notes or package-change summaries
  • run release-candidate QA or production-readiness checks
  • decide which tests, examples, docs checks, and CI reproductions are required before publish
  • publish with scripts/release/publish-ver.sh
  • prepare or post the release announcement

Release Rules

  • A release always gets a bd epic and child tasks.
  • Root quality gates must be green before publish unless the user explicitly accepts a waiver.
  • Split-package verification must be green before publish unless the user explicitly accepts a waiver.
  • Live examples are expensive. Run the curated live smoke set once per release cycle, then retry only failed examples after fixes.
  • Do not publish, tag, push, or post to X without explicit approval in the current conversation.
  • Do not hide failing checks. Record them in bd notes and block the release until resolved or explicitly waived.

Default Workflow

  1. Determine the target version and latest tag.
  2. Create the bd epic and child tasks from references/bd-release-template.md.
  3. Inventory changed packages since the last tag, focusing on packages/*/src.
  4. Run preflight from references/preflight-checks.md.
  5. Run curated live examples from references/examples-policy.md.
  6. Produce per-package change summaries from diffs.
  7. Consolidate those summaries into a release draft.
  8. Write docs/release-notes/vX.Y.Z.mdx using references/release-notes-template.mdx.
  9. Run composer qa:docs-sites -- --release X.Y.Z; never stage generated builds/ output.
  10. Ask for explicit approval before scripts/release/publish-ver.sh.
  11. After publish, verify both docs provenance endpoints, the GitHub release, and split workflow kickoff.
  12. Draft the announcement from references/post-release.md; post externally only after explicit approval.

Deterministic bd Execution

A release is always multi-step. Use bd, not ad hoc notes.

  1. Create or reuse a scoped release epic.
  2. Create child tasks by lane:
    • scope and changed-package inventory
    • root preflight
    • split-package verification
    • live example verification
    • package change summaries
    • docs/API drift audit
    • release notes draft
    • publish gate
    • post-release communication
  3. Claim tasks before work: bd update <id> --claim --json.
  4. Record exact commands, failures, retries, and blockers in task notes.
  5. Create discovered-from follow-up tasks for unrelated debt or tooling defects.
  6. Close tasks only when the gate is green or the blocker is explicitly tracked and waived.
Show full SKILL.md (349 more words)Show less

Preflight Policy

Default release gates:

  • composer validate --strict
  • composer test-all
  • composer qa
  • ./scripts/test/run-all-tests.sh
  • composer qa:docs
  • composer qa:docs-sites -- --release X.Y.Z
  • composer docs drift --tier=public
  • act pull_request -W .github/workflows/php.yml -j build --dryrun

Add targeted non-dryrun act cells when:

  • dependency constraints changed
  • workflow behavior changed
  • compatibility surfaces changed
  • the current release includes install-time or matrix-sensitive fixes

Example Policy

Use the deterministic example-selection rules in references/examples-policy.md.

Key rules:

  • do not run the entire example corpus by default
  • run the curated live smoke set once per release cycle
  • add conditional live examples only for changed surfaces
  • retry only the failed examples after fixes
  • use non-live examples as supplementary verification, not as a substitute for live smoke coverage

Package Change Summaries

Summaries must be package-aware and diff-based.

  • identify changed packages from packages/*/src since the last tag
  • inspect package diffs directly; do not rely solely on generated scripts that require external CLIs
  • focus on developer-facing changes, public API shifts, fixes, behavior changes, and upgrade impact
  • keep one summary per changed package, then consolidate into the release draft

Release Notes

Write the public note to docs/release-notes/vX.Y.Z.mdx.

Requirements:

  • match the existing repo release-note style
  • include user-visible highlights, upgrade notes, and breaking changes if any
  • reflect the package summaries, not just a raw changelog
  • call out docs, compatibility, telemetry, runtime, agent, or provider changes only when they matter to users

Use references/release-notes-template.mdx as the starting shape.

Publish And Communication Gates

Before publish:

  • summarize the exact green gates
  • summarize any waived or unresolved risk
  • ask for explicit approval to run scripts/release/publish-ver.sh <version>

After publish:

  • verify the main GitHub release exists
  • verify both public documentation sites expose the release and final source SHA
  • verify the split workflow started
  • prepare announcement material

For announcement work:

  • use references/post-release.md to draft the short release announcement
  • post externally only if the user explicitly asks and approves it in the current conversation

Reporting Standard

The final release summary must include:

  • target version and base tag
  • changed packages
  • commands actually run
  • pass/fail status by release gate
  • live examples run and retried
  • blockers, waivers, and follow-up bd tasks
  • release-note file path
  • whether publish happened
  • whether announcement drafting/posting happened

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

Files

SKILL.md and 6 other files (references) in .codex/skills/instructor-release of cognesy/instructor-php.

  • SKILL.md
  • agents/openai.yaml
  • references/bd-release-template.md
  • references/examples-policy.md
  • references/post-release.md
  • references/preflight-checks.md
  • references/release-notes-template.mdx

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 4a5a54d

Compare with similar skills

Instructor Release next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Instructor Release compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Instructor Release this skillcognesy/instructor-php328—~1.7kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Ccb GitHubSeemSeam/claude_codex_bridge3.6k—~4.9kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence
Cline Desktop App Releasecline/cline70k—~4.5kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Cut Releasedelexw/claude-code-trace3771 repos~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Releasing Php Packageyansongda/pay5.4k—~1.6kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
ReleaseXGHeaven/homebox817—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassNone

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Works with

Categories

Questions about Instructor Release

What does Instructor Release do?

Prepare and execute a new InstructorPHP version release. An agent skill from cognesy/instructor-php. Instructor Release is an agent skill from cognesy/instructor-php. Prepare and execute a new InstructorPHP version release.

When should I use Instructor Release?

Instructor Release fits situations like: asked to cut a release; prepare release notes; create a release epic and tasks in bd; verify changed packages since the last tag.

How do I install Instructor Release in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add cognesy/instructor-php --skill instructor-release -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (.codex/skills/instructor-release in cognesy/instructor-php) into .claude/skills/instructor-release in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Instructor Release in Codex?

Run `npx skills add cognesy/instructor-php --skill instructor-release -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (.codex/skills/instructor-release in cognesy/instructor-php) into .agents/skills/instructor-release in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Instructor Release 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 cognesy/instructor-php --skill instructor-release -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/instructor-release, .gemini/skills/instructor-release, .github/skills/instructor-release and .opencode/skills/instructor-release in your project.

What does Instructor Release need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Instructor Release needs the command-line tools its instructions call (composer).

Does Instructor Release access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Instructor Release 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 Instructor Release use?

Instructor Release 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 Instructor Release use?

About 1.7k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 6.9k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 2.7k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Instructor Release?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Instructor Release: Ccb GitHub (SeemSeam/claude_codex_bridge, 3.6k stars), Cline Desktop App Release (cline/cline, 70k stars), Cut Release (delexw/claude-code-trace, 377 stars) and Releasing Php Package (yansongda/pay, 5.4k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Instructor Release?

cognesy (a GitHub organization) maintains it in cognesy/instructor-php, which has 328 GitHub stars. The repository holds 3 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 6, 2026.

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