Agent skill

Fallback Doc With Delegation

by HKUDS in HKUDS/OpenSpace

Generate professional documents after tool failures using shellagent for complex formats or writefile for simple text/markdown

MITAuto-check passedDocuments & Office

Install Fallback Doc With Delegation

skills CLI
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-doc-with-delegation -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-doc-with-delegation --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/write-file-fallback-report-enhanced .claude/skills/fallback-doc-with-delegation && 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
fallback-doc-with-delegation
GitHub stars
7.8k
Token cost
~2.2k tokens
SKILL.md length
554 words
Files
2
Skills in repo
199
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Generate professional documents after tool failures using shellagent for complex formats or writefile for simple text/markdown

  • Works in 5 steps: Detect Tool Failure Pattern → Choose the Appropriate Fallback Method → Structure Content Professionally → …
  • Documents & Office work in your project
  • SKILL.md covers When to Use This Skill, Step-by-Step Instructions, Code Example and Best Practices, plus 4 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Fallback Doc With Delegation is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Generate professional documents after tool failures using shellagent for complex formats or writefile for simple text/markdown

Its SKILL.md is about 2.2k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 1 other file.

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

When your agent uses it

  • Documents & Office work in your project

Example prompts

  • “/fallback-doc-with-delegation”

Requirements

  • Python 3

Workflow steps

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

  1. Detect Tool Failure Pattern
  2. Choose the Appropriate Fallback Method
  3. Structure Content Professionally
  4. Leverage Embedded Domain Knowledge
  5. Validate Output

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 and markdown).

    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

Fallback Doc With Delegation loads about 2.2k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 39 tokens; SKILL.md has 554 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~39
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.2k

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). 554 words, ~2,214 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/fallback-doc-with-delegation/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
fallback-doc-with-delegation
description
Generate professional documents after tool failures using shell_agent for complex formats or write_file for simple text/markdown

Fallback Document Generation with Delegation

When to Use This Skill

Use this workflow when attempting to generate a document or report, but multiple primary data source tools fail simultaneously:

  • read_file returns binary/image data instead of text (common with PDFs)
  • search_web returns errors or no results
  • execute_code_sandbox fails unexpectedly
  • Other data retrieval tools are unavailable

Key insight: Rather than getting stuck on failed data retrieval, pivot immediately to generating the document using the most appropriate available method—either shell_agent for complex formats or write_file for simple text.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Detect Tool Failure Pattern

Recognize when you're in a fallback scenario:

TOOL_FAILURE_INDICATORS = [
    "read_file returns binary or image data",
    "search_web returns unknown error or empty results",
    "execute_code_sandbox fails repeatedly",
    "Multiple consecutive tool failures on data retrieval"
]

Decision point: If 2+ indicators are present, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Choose the Appropriate Fallback Method

Critical Decision: Select between shell_agent and write_file based on document complexity:

Use shell_agent when...Use write_file when...
Generating PDFs or formatted documentsCreating simple markdown/text files
Complex layout or styling neededPlain structured content is sufficient
External libraries required (reportlab, pandoc)No special formatting libraries needed
Multi-step generation processSingle-pass content generation
Verification/validation neededDirect file creation is adequate

Decision Tree:

Is the output a PDF or complex formatted document?
├── YES → Use shell_agent (delegates to skilled agent)
└── NO → Is it markdown or plain text?
    ├── YES → Use write_file (direct content generation)
    └── NO → Use shell_agent (handles uncertainty)
Step 3A: Execute with shell_agent (Complex Documents)

For PDFs and complex formatting:

python
# Delegate to shell_agent with clear task description
shell_agent(
    task="Generate a professional [document type] about [topic]. "
         "Use appropriate libraries (e.g., reportlab for PDFs). "
         "Include: [list key sections/requirements]. "
         "Save to working directory as [filename]."
)

Advantages of shell_agent:

  • Agent autonomously handles library selection and usage
  • Automatically retries and fixes errors
  • Can use multiple tools internally (run_shell, execute_code_sandbox)
  • Validates output before completion

Example:

python
shell_agent(
    task="Create a 1-page SBAR (Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation) "
         "template PDF with 4 sections. Each section should have guiding points "
         "and blank lined spaces for user input. Use reportlab library. "
         "Save as SBAR_template.pdf in current directory."
)
Step 3B: Execute with write_file (Simple Documents)

For markdown and plain text:

python
# Generate content with embedded domain knowledge
report_content = f"""# [Document Title]

## Executive Summary
[Brief overview of key findings/content]

## Background
[Context and scope - use embedded knowledge]

## Main Content
[Organized sections with headers, lists, tables as appropriate]

## Limitations & Notes
[Transparent about data source limitations if relevant]

## Recommendations/Next Steps
[Actionable guidance based on available information]
"""

write_file(path="output/report.md", content=report_content)
Step 4: Structure Content Professionally

Regardless of method, ensure professional organization:

markdown
# [Document Title]

## Executive Summary
[Brief overview of key findings/content]

## Background
[Context and scope - use embedded knowledge]

## Main Content
[Organized sections with headers, lists, tables as appropriate]

## Limitations & Notes
[Transparent about data source limitations if relevant]

## Recommendations/Next Steps
[Actionable guidance based on available information]
Step 5: Leverage Embedded Domain Knowledge

When external data is unavailable:

  • Use general domain knowledge appropriately
  • Clearly distinguish between verified facts and general guidance
  • Include actionable frameworks rather than specific unverified data
  • Add placeholder notes where specific data would enhance the document

Example:

markdown
> **Note**: Specific [metric/data point] would typically be sourced from 
> [expected source]. The guidance below reflects established best practices 
> in this domain.
Step 6: Validate Output
python
# For shell_agent: verify the output exists and is valid
list_dir(path=".")  # Confirm file was created

# For PDFs, optionally verify with pdfinfo via run_shell
# For markdown, optionally read to confirm content

# For write_file: confirm file exists
list_dir(path=".")  # Confirm file exists

Code Example

python
# Complete detection and pivot pattern
def generate_fallback_document(task_goal, output_format="markdown"):
    # After detecting tool failures:
    
    # Step 1: Choose method based on format
    if output_format == "pdf" or "complex" in task_goal:
        # Use shell_agent for complex formats
        shell_agent(
            task=f"Generate a professional {output_format} document about "
                 f"{task_goal}. Use appropriate libraries. Include executive "
                 f"summary, main content, limitations, and recommendations. "
                 f"Save to working directory."
        )
        return "Document generated via shell_agent delegation"
    
    else:
        # Use write_file for simple formats
        report_content = f"""# {task_goal} Report

## Executive Summary
This report was generated using established domain knowledge due to 
temporary unavailability of primary data sources.

## Key Frameworks and Guidance
[Structured content with headers, bullets, tables]

## Limitations
- Specific data points from [expected sources] were unavailable
- Recommendations based on general best practices

## Action Items
1. [Concrete step 1]
2. [Concrete step 2]
"""
        write_file(path="generated_report.md", content=report_content)
        return "Report generated with write_file"

Best Practices

DoDon't
Choose method based on document complexityDefault to write_file for PDFs without consideration
Delegate complex formatting to shell_agentKeep retrying failing tools 5+ times
Be transparent about limitationsClaim unverified specifics as facts
Provide actionable frameworksLeave the task incomplete
Use professional document structureOutput unstructured text walls
Validate the generated outputAssume success without verification
Show full SKILL.md (204 more words)Show less

Common Pitfalls

  1. Wrong tool selection: Using write_file for PDF generation instead of delegating to shell_agent
  2. Over-apologizing: Acknowledge limitations once, then deliver value
  3. Under-delivering: A well-structured partial report beats no report
  4. Misrepresenting certainty: Use appropriate hedging language
  5. Skipping validation: Always confirm the file was created successfully

Success Criteria

The skill is successfully applied when:

  • Document is generated despite tool failures
  • Appropriate method chosen (shell_agent for complex, write_file for simple)
  • Content is professionally structured (headers, sections, lists)
  • Limitations are transparently noted
  • Actionable guidance is provided
  • File is successfully created and verified

Method Comparison

Aspectshell_agentwrite_file
Best forPDFs, complex layouts, multi-step generationMarkdown, plain text, single-pass content
Error handlingAutonomous retry and fixManual error handling required
Library accessFull library ecosystemContent-only (no external libs)
Processing timeLonger (agent reasoning)Faster (direct write)
VerificationBuilt-in validationManual verification needed
CostHigher (agent execution)Lower (simple operation)

Decision Checklist

Before selecting method, ask:

  1. Is the output format PDF or other binary format? → shell_agent
  2. Does it require external libraries (reportlab, pandoc, etc.)? → shell_agent
  3. Is it markdown or plain text only? → write_file
  4. Does it need multi-step processing or validation? → shell_agent
  5. Is quick, simple content generation sufficient? → write_file

© HKUDS, 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 1 other file in benchmarks/gdpval/skills/write-file-fallback-report-enhanced of HKUDS/OpenSpace.

  • SKILL.md
  • .skill_id

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781

Compare with similar skills

Fallback Doc With Delegation 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.

Fallback Doc With Delegation compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Fallback Doc With Delegation this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace7.8k—~2.2kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Markdown Article FormatterJimLiu/baoyu-skills26k6 repos~3.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
MarkitdownImCa0/just-laws78214 repos~3.2kAutomated safety check: NotesMIT
Obsidian MarkdownAtmosphere/atmosphere3.8k20 repos~1.3kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
DOCXrvdbreemen/OTGW-firmware20733 repos~4.3kAutomated safety check: PassProprietary
Gzh Designisjiamu/gzh-design-skill3.9k1 repos~2.2kAutomated safety check: PassAGPL-3.0

Similar skills

  • Markdown Article Formatter

    JimLiu/baoyu-skills

    Reformats plain text or Markdown articles with frontmatter, a title, a summary, headings, bold, lists and code blocks, and saves a separate formatted copy.

    26k GitHub starsUsed in 6 repos~3.5k tokens
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed
  • Markitdown

    ImCa0/just-laws

    Convert files and office documents to Markdown. An agent skill from ImCa0/just-laws.

    782 GitHub starsUsed in 14 repos~3.2k tokens
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check: notes
  • Obsidian Markdown

    Atmosphere/atmosphere

    Create and edit Obsidian Flavored Markdown with wikilinks, embeds, callouts, properties, and other Obsidian-specific syntax.

    3.8k GitHub starsUsed in 20 repos~1.3k tokens
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed
  • DOCX

    rvdbreemen/OTGW-firmware

    A skill your agent uses whenever the user wants to create, read, edit, or manipulate Word documents (.docx files).

    207 GitHub starsUsed in 33 repos~4.3k tokens
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed
  • Gzh Design

    isjiamu/gzh-design-skill

    微信公众号文章排版引擎,将 Markdown 转换为可直接粘贴到公众号编辑器的 HTML。主题风格从 references/theme-index.md 注册的自定义主题库中选取,自动章节编号、关键词下划线标记、引言卡片、目录导航、代码块、图片/GIF、作者签名。支持 Markdown / Word(.docx) / PDF / 纯文本输入(非 Markdown…

    3.9k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~2.2k tokens
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed
  • Reads, creates and edits Word .docx files with python-docx, and drops to raw OOXML for tracked changes, comments and byte-exact edits.

    41k GitHub stars~2.5k tokensUpdated 2 days ago
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed

More from HKUDS/OpenSpace

All 199 skills in this repo
  • Walks through producing a master audio track plus stems in Python, from checking a reference file and timing sections by BPM to effects, a zip archive and final verification.

    7.8k GitHub stars~2.9k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Handle cascading data retrieval tool failures by falling back to embedded knowledge generation

    7.8k GitHub stars~765 tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Gives an agent a workaround when its code-execution sandbox keeps failing: save the Python script to a file and run it through the shell instead.

    7.8k GitHub stars~588 tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • A recovery routine for agents whose sandboxed code runner keeps failing: save the Python script to disk, then run it through the shell and read the output.

    7.8k GitHub stars~652 tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Fallback ladder for failed sandboxed code runs, plus the habit of fixing the working directory first so generated files land in the right place.

    7.8k GitHub stars~1.1k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Fallback workflow for executing Python code when executecodesandbox fails repeatedly

    7.8k GitHub stars~1.1k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed

Questions about Fallback Doc With Delegation

What does Fallback Doc With Delegation do?

Generate professional documents after tool failures using shellagent for complex formats or writefile for simple text/markdown. Fallback Doc With Delegation is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.

When should I use Fallback Doc With Delegation?

Fallback Doc With Delegation fits situations like: documents & Office work in your project.

How do I install Fallback Doc With Delegation in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-doc-with-delegation -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/write-file-fallback-report-enhanced in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .claude/skills/fallback-doc-with-delegation in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Fallback Doc With Delegation in Codex?

Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-doc-with-delegation -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/write-file-fallback-report-enhanced in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .agents/skills/fallback-doc-with-delegation in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Fallback Doc With Delegation 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 fallback-doc-with-delegation -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/fallback-doc-with-delegation, .gemini/skills/fallback-doc-with-delegation, .github/skills/fallback-doc-with-delegation and .opencode/skills/fallback-doc-with-delegation in your project.

What does Fallback Doc With Delegation need to run?

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

Does Fallback Doc With Delegation 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 Fallback Doc With Delegation 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 Fallback Doc With Delegation use?

Fallback Doc With Delegation 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 Fallback Doc With Delegation use?

About 2.2k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 8.9k 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 Fallback Doc With Delegation?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Fallback Doc With Delegation: Markdown Article Formatter (JimLiu/baoyu-skills, 26k stars), Markitdown (ImCa0/just-laws, 782 stars), Obsidian Markdown (Atmosphere/atmosphere, 3.8k stars) and DOCX (rvdbreemen/OTGW-firmware, 207 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Fallback Doc With Delegation?

HKUDS (a GitHub organization) maintains it in HKUDS/OpenSpace, which has 7,750 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.