---
name: orient-lab
description: Inspect the current OpenSDL repository and declared laboratory state. Use when a user asks for current status or needs a declared-state baseline before a concrete task; use start-here for setup planning, inventory changes, or new equipment.
---

# Orient to a laboratory

## Inputs

- manifest path
- optional run identifier or workflow path that defines the current task

Use `start-here` instead when the user is establishing the lab, changing its setup plan, or adding
newly reported equipment.

## Procedure

1. Read the nearest `AGENTS.md` and inspect `git status --short`, the branch, and recent commits.
2. Read the shared laboratory context under `docs/lab/` when present. Treat facts, assumptions,
   decisions, inventory evidence, and lab-specific work as planning context rather than runtime
   evidence.
3. Read the selected manifest and identify its environment, storage, adapters, capabilities,
   resources, and policy version.
4. Run `.agents/skills/orient-lab/run.sh MANIFEST` to validate files without opening the runtime
   store.
5. Read only the architecture and workflow files needed for the user's task.
6. `doctor`, capability listing, run inspection, and event queries read without writing: they
   compose the laboratory read-only and refuse to create a store that is not there. `doctor`
   reconciles incomplete runs only when asked with `--reconcile`, and reports what it moved.
7. Never pass `--reconcile` while work may be in flight: it moves every running run to
   `intervention_required` and releases its leases, which is recovery after a controller
   stopped, not a health check.
8. Report current evidence, mismatches, active assumptions, and commands that are unavailable.

## Completion

The user receives an on-demand summary tied to the current Git revision, validated manifest,
declared environment, adapters, capabilities, resources, and policy. Any runtime evidence is marked
as a state-touching query.

## Stop conditions

Stop if the manifest is missing or validation fails. Do not infer health, active runs, or physical
state from declared configuration.