Agent skill

Detect Zero Iteration Failures

Identify and handle pre-execution agent failures occurring before any iterations or tool usage

MITAuto-check passed

Install Detect Zero Iteration Failures

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace detect-zero-iteration-failures --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/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures .claude/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures && 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/

Paste into Claude Code

Install the "detect-zero-iteration-failures" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures into .claude/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "detect-zero-iteration-failures", then confirm the skill loads.

Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

$skill-installer

$skill-installer install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures

Type this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a codex

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace detect-zero-iteration-failures --agent codex

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures .agents/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.

Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/

Paste into Codex

Install the "detect-zero-iteration-failures" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures into .agents/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "detect-zero-iteration-failures", then confirm the skill loads.

Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a cursor

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace detect-zero-iteration-failures --agent cursor

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures .cursor/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.

Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/

Paste into Cursor

Install the "detect-zero-iteration-failures" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures into .cursor/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "detect-zero-iteration-failures", then confirm the skill loads.

Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

gemini skills install

$ gemini skills install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git --path benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures

--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a gemini-cli

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace detect-zero-iteration-failures --agent gemini-cli

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures .gemini/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.

Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into Gemini CLI

Install the "detect-zero-iteration-failures" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures into .gemini/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "detect-zero-iteration-failures", then confirm the skill loads.

Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace detect-zero-iteration-failures

Installs for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a github-copilot

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures .github/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.

GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into GitHub Copilot

Install the "detect-zero-iteration-failures" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures into .github/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "detect-zero-iteration-failures", then confirm the skill loads.

GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a opencode

OpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace detect-zero-iteration-failures --agent opencode

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures .opencode/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.

OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into OpenCode

Install the "detect-zero-iteration-failures" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures into .opencode/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "detect-zero-iteration-failures", then confirm the skill loads.

OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

Facts

Skill name: detect-zero-iteration-failures
GitHub stars: 7.7k
Token cost: ~1.3k tokens
SKILL.md length: 309 words
Files: 2
Skills in repo: 199
Repo updated: Aug 12, 2026
First seen: Oct 7, 2026
Licence: MIT

At a glance

Identify and handle pre-execution agent failures occurring before any iterations or tool usage

Works in 3 steps: Verify Zero-Iteration Indicators → Check System-Level Indicators → Route Investigation Appropriately
SKILL.md covers When to Apply, Identification Checklist, Failure Categories and Diagnostic Steps, plus 3 more sections
Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Detect Zero Iteration Failures is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Identify and handle pre-execution agent failures occurring before any iterations or tool usage

Its SKILL.md is about 1.3k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 1 other file.

The repository describes itself as: "OpenSpace: The Skill Management Layer for AI Agents" -- https://open-space.cloud/. The licence is MIT.

Example prompts

“/detect-zero-iteration-failures”

Requirements

Python 3

Workflow steps

3 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

Verify Zero-Iteration Indicators
Check System-Level Indicators
Route Investigation Appropriately

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 3827781. 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

Detect Zero Iteration Failures loads about 1.3k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 31 tokens; SKILL.md has 309 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it: ~31
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches: ~1.3k

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 HKUDS/OpenSpace at commit 3827781, republished under its MIT licence (© HKUDS). 309 words, ~1,300 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.

name: detect-zero-iteration-failures
description: Identify and handle pre-execution agent failures occurring before any iterations or tool usage

Detect Zero-Iteration Failures

This skill helps identify and properly categorize agent failures that occur before any task execution begins. These failures require system-level investigation rather than agent-level debugging.

When to Apply

Use this skill when analyzing agent task executions where:

Iteration count is 0 - The agent completed zero iterations
No tool usage - No tools were invoked during the execution
No artifacts created - No files, documents, or outputs were produced
Minimal or no conversation log - Only the user instruction exists, with no agent responses

Identification Checklist

Check the following indicators to confirm a zero-iteration failure:

[ ] Iterations reported: 0
[ ] Tool invocations: None
[ ] Files created: None  
[ ] Conversation turns: 1 (user instruction only)
[ ] Agent self-report: Indicates failure before execution began

Failure Categories

Zero-iteration failures typically indicate one of these pre-execution issues:

Category	Description	Investigation Focus
Initialization crash	Agent failed during setup	System logs, environment config
Environment issue	Missing dependencies or resources	Infrastructure, permissions
Prompt parsing error	Input could not be processed	Prompt format, encoding
Resource exhaustion	Quota or limits exceeded	System capacity, rate limits

Diagnostic Steps

Step 1: Verify Zero-Iteration Indicators

python

def is_zero_iteration_failure(execution_log):
    """Check if execution shows zero-iteration failure pattern."""
    indicators = {
        'iterations': execution_log.get('iterations', 0) == 0,
        'tools_used': len(execution_log.get('tool_calls', [])) == 0,
        'artifacts': len(execution_log.get('files_created', [])) == 0,
        'conversation_length': len(execution_log.get('messages', [])) <= 1
    }
    return all(indicators.values())

Step 2: Check System-Level Indicators

Look for these error patterns in system logs:

Environment errors: Missing packages, permission denied, path not found
Initialization errors: Connection failures, timeout during setup
Resource errors: Memory exceeded, quota limits, rate limiting
Parsing errors: Invalid JSON, encoding issues, malformed input

Step 3: Route Investigation Appropriately

IF zero-iteration failure detected:
    └── Do NOT debug agent logic or prompt instructions
    └── DO investigate:
        ├── System initialization logs
        ├── Environment configuration
        ├── Resource allocation and limits
        └── Input parsing and validation

Response Actions

For Analysts

Flag as system-level issue - Do not attribute to agent behavior
Check infrastructure health - Verify system components are operational
Review recent changes - Look for deployments, config updates, or quota changes
Escalate appropriately - Route to infrastructure/platform team, not agent developers

For Automated Systems

python

def categorize_failure(execution_log):
    """Categorize failure type for routing."""
    if is_zero_iteration_failure(execution_log):
        return {
            'category': 'PRE_EXECUTION_FAILURE',
            'severity': 'HIGH',
            'investigation_team': 'INFRASTRUCTURE',
            'agent_debug_required': False,
            'recommended_actions': [
                'Check system initialization logs',
                'Verify environment configuration',
                'Review resource quotas and limits',
                'Validate input parsing pipeline'
            ]
        }
    else:
        return {
            'category': 'EXECUTION_FAILURE',
            'severity': 'MEDIUM',
            'investigation_team': 'AGENT_DEVELOPMENT',
            'agent_debug_required': True
        }

Example Analysis

Zero-Iteration Failure Example:

Task ID: 69a8ef86-phase1
Iterations: 0
Tools Used: None
Files Created: None
Messages: [User instruction only]
Agent Report: "Failed before executing any iterations"

Analysis: PRE_EXECUTION_FAILURE
- No agent logic was executed
- Failure occurred during initialization
- Action: Investigate system environment, not agent prompts

Normal Execution Failure (for contrast):

Task ID: abc123
Iterations: 3
Tools Used: [read_file, write_file, shell_agent]
Files Created: [output.txt]
Messages: [User instruction, Agent response x3]
Agent Report: "Could not complete task due to X"

Analysis: EXECUTION_FAILURE
- Agent logic was executed
- Failure occurred during task performance
- Action: Debug agent reasoning and tool usage

Key Takeaways

Zero iterations = Pre-execution failure - The agent never got to work
System-level, not agent-level - Debug infrastructure, not prompts
High severity - Indicates potential systemic issues affecting multiple tasks
Distinct failure mode - Treat separately from normal execution failures

Files

SKILL.md and 1 other file in benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures of HKUDS/OpenSpace.

SKILL.md
.skill_id

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781

Compare with similar skills

Detect Zero Iteration Failures 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.

Detect Zero Iteration Failures compared with similar skills
Skill	Stars	Used in	Tokens	Auto-check	Licence	Repo updated
Detect Zero Iteration Failures this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace	7.7k	—	~1.3k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	1 mo ago
Cascading Failure DetectionTencent/AI-Infra-Guard	6.8k	—	~593	Automated safety check: Pass	Apache-2.0	today
Error Handlingaffaan-m/ECC	275k	1 repos	~2.7k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	3 days ago
Handle PR CI FailureDataDog/datadog-agent	3.8k	—	~2.9k	Automated safety check: Pass	Apache-2.0	today
Python Error Handlingwshobson/agents	40k	—	~1.5k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	3 days ago
Error Handlingthedaviddias/Front-End-Checklist	74k	—	~416	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	2 days ago

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Questions about Detect Zero Iteration Failures

What does Detect Zero Iteration Failures do?

Identify and handle pre-execution agent failures occurring before any iterations or tool usage. Detect Zero Iteration Failures is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.

How do I install Detect Zero Iteration Failures in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .claude/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Detect Zero Iteration Failures in Codex?

Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .agents/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Detect Zero Iteration Failures 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 HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill detect-zero-iteration-failures -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures, .gemini/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures, .github/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures and .opencode/skills/detect-zero-iteration-failures in your project.

What does Detect Zero Iteration Failures need to run?

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

Does Detect Zero Iteration Failures 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 Detect Zero Iteration Failures 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 Detect Zero Iteration Failures use?

Detect Zero Iteration Failures 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 Detect Zero Iteration Failures use?

About 1.3k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5.2k 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 Detect Zero Iteration Failures?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Detect Zero Iteration Failures: Cascading Failure Detection (Tencent/AI-Infra-Guard, 6.8k stars), Error Handling (affaan-m/ECC, 275k stars), Handle PR CI Failure (DataDog/datadog-agent, 3.8k 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 Detect Zero Iteration Failures?

HKUDS (a GitHub organization) maintains it in HKUDS/OpenSpace, which has 7,749 GitHub stars. The repository holds 199 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 12, 2026.

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

Install Detect Zero Iteration Failures

Facts

At a glance

What it does

Example prompts

Requirements

Workflow steps

What it can do on your machine

Tool permissions

Runs code

Network

Credentials

Context cost

Safety

SKILL.md

Detect Zero-Iteration Failures

When to Apply

Identification Checklist

Failure Categories

Diagnostic Steps

Step 1: Verify Zero-Iteration Indicators

Step 2: Check System-Level Indicators

Step 3: Route Investigation Appropriately

Response Actions

For Analysts

For Automated Systems

Example Analysis

Key Takeaways

Files

Compare with similar skills

Similar skills

More from HKUDS/OpenSpace

Questions about Detect Zero Iteration Failures