Agent skill

Vasp Relax

by Hello-QM in Hello-QM/catgo-LRG

VASP geometry optimization (relaxation). An agent skill from Hello-QM/catgo-LRG.

AGPL-3.0Auto-check passed

Install Vasp Relax

skills CLI
$ npx skills add Hello-QM/catgo-LRG --skill vasp-relax -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install Hello-QM/catgo-LRG vasp-relax --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/Hello-QM/catgo-LRG.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/.claude/skills/vasp-relax .claude/skills/vasp-relax && 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
vasp-relax
GitHub stars
205
Token cost
~1.9k tokens
SKILL.md length
521 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
75
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
AGPL-3.0

At a glance

VASP geometry optimization (relaxation). An agent skill from Hello-QM/catgo-LRG.

  • SKILL.md covers Discussion Checkpoints, Scenario 1: Bulk Relaxation, Scenario 2: Slab Relaxation… and Scenario 3: Adsorbate on Slab, plus 6 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Vasp Relax is an agent skill from Hello-QM/catgo-LRG. VASP geometry optimization (relaxation). Handles bulk, slab, and adsorbate-on-slab scenarios with correct ISIF, frozen layers, and convergence settings.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.9k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

The repository describes itself as: AI-driven workbench for computational materials science — interactive 3D structure viewer, natural-language CatBot assistant, visual DAG workflow engine, HPC job submission… The licence is AGPL-3.0.

Example prompts

  • “/vasp-relax”

Requirements

  • Python 3

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit fd6291b. 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

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are python).

    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

Vasp Relax loads about 1.9k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 41 tokens; SKILL.md has 521 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~41
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.9k

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 Hello-QM/catgo-LRG at commit fd6291b, republished under its AGPL-3.0 licence (© Hello-QM). 521 words, ~1,873 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/vasp-relax/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
vasp-relax
description
VASP geometry optimization (relaxation). Handles bulk, slab, and adsorbate-on-slab scenarios with correct ISIF, frozen layers, and convergence settings.

VASP Geometry Optimization

Set up and submit VASP geometry optimizations. Three main scenarios with different parameter requirements.

Discussion Checkpoints

🔴 Must discuss with user:

  • Functional (METAGGA/GGA/+U) — PBE vs SCAN vs PBE+U fundamentally changes energetics; wrong functional invalidates the entire study
  • ISPIN — must be 2 for magnetic systems (Fe, Co, Ni, Mn oxides, NRR substrates); default ISPIN=1 gives wrong energies for magnetic materials
  • Structure source — bulk from Materials Project vs user-uploaded CIF vs previous optimization; wrong starting structure wastes all compute

🟡 Recommend confirming:

  • ENCUT (default: 520) — increase to 600+ for accurate equation of state or when comparing across different compositions
  • EDIFFG (default: -0.02 eV/A) — tighten to -0.01 for frequency calculations downstream; loosen to -0.05 for quick screening
  • k-points — must be converged for the system; small unit cells need denser meshes
  • Selective dynamics / frozen layers (default: freeze_layers=2 for slabs) — adjust based on slab thickness and whether subsurface relaxation matters
  • ISIF (default: 2) — must be 3 for bulk relaxation, 2 for slabs; wrong ISIF is a common mistake

🟢 Safe defaults:

  • EDIFF = 1E-5
  • ISMEAR = 0, SIGMA = 0.05
  • NSW = 200
  • IBRION = 2 (conjugate gradient)
  • PREC = Accurate
  • NCORE = 4

Scenario 1: Bulk Relaxation

Full cell + ionic relaxation. Use ISIF=3 to allow cell shape and volume to change.

python
from catgo.workflow import Workflow
from catgo.workflow.builtins import geo_opt

wf = Workflow("Bulk TiO2 relaxation")
struct = wf.add_task("structure_input", structure=bulk_json)
opt = wf.add_task(geo_opt, structure=struct.output.structure,
                  ISIF=3,        # Relax cell shape + volume + ions
                  EDIFFG=-0.02,  # Force convergence (eV/A)
                  system_name="bulk_TiO2")
wf.submit()

Key parameters:

  • ISIF=3 — relax ions + cell shape + cell volume
  • EDIFFG=-0.02 — converge when max force < 0.02 eV/A (negative = force criterion)
  • NSW=200 — max ionic steps (default, usually converges in 50-100)

MCP equivalent:

catgo_workflow_engine(action="create", params={"name": "Bulk TiO2"})

catgo_workflow_engine(action="add_task", params={
  "workflow_id": "wf_xxx",
  "task_type": "structure_input",
  "name": "input",
  "structure": "<bulk_json>"
})

catgo_workflow_engine(action="add_task", params={
  "workflow_id": "wf_xxx",
  "task_type": "geo_opt",
  "software": "vasp",
  "structure": "{{t_001.output.structure}}",
  "ISIF": 3,
  "system_name": "bulk_TiO2"
})

catgo_workflow_engine(action="submit", params={"workflow_id": "wf_xxx"})

Scenario 2: Slab Relaxation (Clean Surface)

Fixed cell, relax only ions. Bottom layers frozen to mimic bulk.

python
wf = Workflow("RuO2(110) slab")
struct = wf.add_task("structure_input", structure=slab_json)
opt = wf.add_task(geo_opt, structure=struct.output.structure,
                  ISIF=2,              # Fix cell, relax ions only
                  selective_dynamics=True,
                  freeze_layers=2,     # Freeze bottom 2 layers
                  system_name="clean_slab")
wf.submit()

Key parameters:

  • ISIF=2 — MANDATORY for slabs. Fixes cell shape and volume
  • freeze_layers=2 — freeze bottom N layers (sorted by z-coordinate)
  • selective_dynamics=True — enable per-atom freeze in POSCAR
  • Vacuum: ensure >= 15 A in z-direction to avoid periodic image interaction

ISIF reference:

ISIFIonsCell shapeCell volumeUse case
2YesNoNoSlabs, adsorbates
3YesYesYesBulk relaxation
4YesYesNoBulk at fixed volume
Show full SKILL.md (208 more words)Show less

Scenario 3: Adsorbate on Slab

Same as slab relaxation, but the structure has an adsorbate. Adsorbate atoms are always free.

python
wf = Workflow("OH on RuO2(110)")
struct = wf.add_task("structure_input", structure=adsorbate_slab_json)
opt = wf.add_task(geo_opt, structure=struct.output.structure,
                  ISIF=2,
                  selective_dynamics=True,
                  freeze_layers=2,
                  EDIFFG=-0.02,
                  system_name="*OH")
wf.submit()

Guidelines for adsorbates:

  • freeze_layers only affects the slab — adsorbate atoms above the surface are always relaxed
  • Use system_name="*OH" convention (asterisk = adsorbed species)
  • For weak adsorbates (CO2, H2O physisorption), add IVDW=11 for DFT-D3

Confirmation Gate

By default, HPC tasks (including VASP relaxation) pause at PENDING_REVIEW after local preprocessing completes. This lets users verify the structure, frozen layers, and VASP parameters in the task detail panel before committing HPC resources. Click "Confirm & Submit" in the UI, or use wf.submit(auto_submit=True) to bypass the gate.

Visual Verification Steps

Before submitting, verify the structure in the viewer:

# Step 1: Check current structure in viewer
catgo_view(action="get_state")
# Verify: correct composition, reasonable cell parameters, vacuum > 15 A for slabs

# Step 2: For slabs, verify frozen atoms
catgo_view(action="get_state")
# Check that bottom-layer atoms will be frozen

# Step 3: After optimization completes, push result to viewer
catgo_workflow_engine(action="get_result", params={"task_id": "t_opt"})
catgo_view(action="push", params={"structure": "<optimized_structure_json>"})

Convergence Monitoring

# Check if optimization is converged
catgo_analyze(action="convergence", params={"task_id": "t_opt"})
# Returns: energy vs step, max force vs step, whether converged

# Check remaining forces
catgo_analyze(action="forces", params={"task_id": "t_opt"})
# Returns: per-atom forces, max force, force on each species

Common Chain: Relaxation then Frequency

For thermodynamic properties (Gibbs energy, ZPE), chain relaxation with frequency:

python
from catgo.workflow.builtins import geo_opt, freq, gibbs_energy

wf = Workflow("OH adsorption thermodynamics")
struct = wf.add_task("structure_input", structure=slab_oh_json)

opt = wf.add_task(geo_opt, structure=struct.output.structure,
                  ISIF=2, freeze_layers=2, system_name="*OH")

frq = wf.add_task(freq, structure=opt.output.structure,
                  freeze_mode="layers", freeze_layers=4,
                  system_name="*OH")

gib = wf.add_task(gibbs_energy,
                  energy=opt.output.energy,
                  frequencies=frq.output.frequencies,
                  phase="adsorbed", system_name="*OH")

wf.submit()

Troubleshooting

ProblemFix
Forces not convergingIncrease NSW (e.g., 400), or loosen EDIFFG to -0.03
Atoms escaping into vacuumCheck initial adsorbate placement, reduce POTIM to 0.3
SCF not convergingSwitch ALGO=All, increase NELM=400, try AMIX=0.1
Cell shape changing for slabEnsure ISIF=2, not ISIF=3
Wrong energy (magnetic system)Set ISPIN=2, provide MAGMOM

Parameter Defaults (inherited from config)

These are applied automatically unless overridden:

  • ENCUT=520, EDIFF=1e-5, PREC=Accurate
  • IBRION=2 (conjugate gradient), NSW=200
  • EDIFFG=-0.02, ISIF=2
  • ISMEAR=0, SIGMA=0.05 (Gaussian smearing)
  • NCORE=4, LREAL=Auto

© Hello-QM, AGPL-3.0. 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 .claude/skills/vasp-relax of Hello-QM/catgo-LRG.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit fd6291b

Compare with similar skills

Vasp Relax 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.

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Questions about Vasp Relax

What does Vasp Relax do?

VASP geometry optimization (relaxation). An agent skill from Hello-QM/catgo-LRG. Vasp Relax is an agent skill from Hello-QM/catgo-LRG. VASP geometry optimization (relaxation).

How do I install Vasp Relax in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add Hello-QM/catgo-LRG --skill vasp-relax -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (.claude/skills/vasp-relax in Hello-QM/catgo-LRG) into .claude/skills/vasp-relax in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Vasp Relax in Codex?

Run `npx skills add Hello-QM/catgo-LRG --skill vasp-relax -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (.claude/skills/vasp-relax in Hello-QM/catgo-LRG) into .agents/skills/vasp-relax in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Vasp Relax 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 Hello-QM/catgo-LRG --skill vasp-relax -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/vasp-relax, .gemini/skills/vasp-relax, .github/skills/vasp-relax and .opencode/skills/vasp-relax in your project.

What does Vasp Relax need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Vasp Relax is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: Python 3.

Does Vasp Relax 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 Vasp Relax 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 Vasp Relax use?

Vasp Relax is published under the AGPL-3.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Vasp Relax use?

About 1.9k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 7.5k 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 Vasp Relax?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Vasp Relax: Error Handling (affaan-m/ECC, 277k stars), Error Handling (thedaviddias/Front-End-Checklist, 74k stars), Error Handling (affaan-m/ECC, 276k stars) and Python Error Handling (wshobson/agents, 40k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Vasp Relax?

Hello-QM (a GitHub user) maintains it in Hello-QM/catgo-LRG, which has 205 GitHub stars. The repository holds 75 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on September 22, 2026.

Source: Hello-QM/catgo-LRG on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.