Agent skill

Fallback File Ops

Use runshell as fallback when executecodesandbox or shellagent fail on filesystem operations

MITAuto-check passed

Install Fallback File Ops

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-ops -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-ops --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/fallback-file-ops .claude/skills/fallback-file-ops && 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 "fallback-file-ops" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-ops into .claude/skills/fallback-file-ops/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-ops", 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/fallback-file-ops

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 fallback-file-ops -a codex

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

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-ops --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/fallback-file-ops .agents/skills/fallback-file-ops && 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 "fallback-file-ops" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-ops into .agents/skills/fallback-file-ops/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-ops", 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 fallback-file-ops -a cursor

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

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-ops --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/fallback-file-ops .cursor/skills/fallback-file-ops && 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 "fallback-file-ops" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-ops into .cursor/skills/fallback-file-ops/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-ops", 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/fallback-file-ops

--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 fallback-file-ops -a gemini-cli

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

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-ops --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/fallback-file-ops .gemini/skills/fallback-file-ops && 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 "fallback-file-ops" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-ops into .gemini/skills/fallback-file-ops/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-ops", 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 fallback-file-ops

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 fallback-file-ops -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/fallback-file-ops .github/skills/fallback-file-ops && 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 "fallback-file-ops" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-ops into .github/skills/fallback-file-ops/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-ops", 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 fallback-file-ops -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 fallback-file-ops --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/fallback-file-ops .opencode/skills/fallback-file-ops && 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 "fallback-file-ops" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-ops into .opencode/skills/fallback-file-ops/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-ops", 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: fallback-file-ops
GitHub stars: 7.7k
Token cost: ~718 tokens
SKILL.md length: 252 words
Files: 2
Skills in repo: 199
Repo updated: Aug 12, 2026
First seen: Oct 7, 2026
Licence: MIT

At a glance

Use runshell as fallback when executecodesandbox or shellagent fail on filesystem operations

Works in 4 steps: Detect Tool Failure → Switch to run_shell → Verify Creation → …
SKILL.md covers Purpose, When to Apply, Procedure and Example: Creating Project…, plus 2 more sections
Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Fallback File Ops is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Use runshell as fallback when executecodesandbox or shellagent fail on filesystem operations

Its SKILL.md is about 720 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

“/fallback-file-ops”

Workflow steps

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

Detect Tool Failure
Switch to run_shell
Verify Creation
Continue with Hybrid Approach

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 bash and yaml).
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 File Ops loads about 718 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 29 tokens; SKILL.md has 252 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it: ~29
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches: ~718

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). 252 words, ~718 tokens.

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

name: fallback-file-ops
description: Use run_shell as fallback when execute_code_sandbox or shell_agent fail on filesystem operations

Fallback File Operations

Purpose

When execute_code_sandbox or shell_agent fail with 'unknown error' on filesystem operations, fall back to run_shell with explicit mkdir and file write commands. This hybrid approach is more reliable for creating complex project structures.

When to Apply

execute_code_sandbox returns 'unknown error' on file/directory creation
shell_agent fails to write files or create nested directories
You need to create complex project structures with multiple levels

Procedure

Step 1: Detect Tool Failure

Monitor for these failure patterns:

Error message contains "unknown error"
File operations silently fail (file not created)
Directory creation returns success but directory doesn't exist

Step 2: Switch to run_shell

When failures occur, immediately switch to run_shell for filesystem operations:

bash

# Create directory structure explicitly
run_shell: mkdir -p /path/to/nested/directory

# Write files using shell redirection or echo
run_shell: echo "content" > /path/to/file.txt

# Or use cat with heredoc for multi-line files
run_shell: cat > /path/to/file.txt << 'EOF'
line 1
line 2
EOF

Step 3: Verify Creation

After each operation, verify the file/directory was created:

bash

run_shell: ls -la /path/to/created/item
run_shell: test -f /path/to/file && echo "File exists"
run_shell: test -d /path/to/dir && echo "Directory exists"

Step 4: Continue with Hybrid Approach

Use run_shell for all filesystem operations (mkdir, write, copy, move)
Continue using execute_code_sandbox or shell_agent for code execution, compilation, or other non-filesystem tasks
Document which tool handles which operation for clarity

Example: Creating Project Structure

yaml

# Failed attempt with execute_code_sandbox
execute_code_sandbox: create directory src/components

# Fallback with run_shell
run_shell: mkdir -p src/components
run_shell: mkdir -p src/utils
run_shell: mkdir -p tests/unit
run_shell: echo "// Component file" > src/components/Button.tsx
run_shell: echo "// Utility file" > src/utils/helpers.ts

Best Practices

Be explicit: Always use full paths or confirm working directory
Create parent directories: Use mkdir -p for nested structures
Verify before proceeding: Check files exist before dependent operations
Log tool switches: Note when you fall back to run_shell for debugging
Batch operations: Group related file operations in consecutive run_shell calls

Common Pitfalls

Don't assume filesystem state after tool failure
Don't mix tools for the same file operation (pick one and stick with it)
Don't skip verification steps when using fallback

Files

SKILL.md and 1 other file in benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-ops of HKUDS/OpenSpace.

SKILL.md
.skill_id

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781

Compare with similar skills

Fallback File Ops 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 File Ops compared with similar skills
Skill	Stars	Used in	Tokens	Auto-check	Licence	Repo updated
Fallback File Ops this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace	7.7k	—	~718	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	1 mo ago
Executealirezarezvani/claude-skills	28k	—	~831	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	1 mo ago
Debugging Executionsn8n-io/n8n	207k	—	~2.6k	Automated safety check: Pass	Custom licence	today
Terminal Opsaffaan-m/ECC	275k	2 repos	~750	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	3 days ago
Agent Sandboxruvnet/ruflo	74k	3 repos	~777	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	today
Project Flow Opsaffaan-m/ECC	275k	3 repos	~787	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	3 days ago

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Questions about Fallback File Ops

What does Fallback File Ops do?

Use runshell as fallback when executecodesandbox or shellagent fail on filesystem operations. Fallback File Ops is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.

How do I install Fallback File Ops in Claude Code?

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

How do I install Fallback File Ops in Codex?

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

Can I use Fallback File Ops 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-file-ops -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-file-ops, .gemini/skills/fallback-file-ops, .github/skills/fallback-file-ops and .opencode/skills/fallback-file-ops in your project.

What does Fallback File Ops need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Fallback File Ops is instructions for the agent only.

Does Fallback File Ops 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 File Ops 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 File Ops use?

Fallback File Ops 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 File Ops use?

About 718 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 2.9k 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 File Ops?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Fallback File Ops: Execute (alirezarezvani/claude-skills, 28k stars), Debugging Executions (n8n-io/n8n, 207k stars), Terminal Ops (affaan-m/ECC, 275k stars) and Agent Sandbox (ruvnet/ruflo, 74k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Fallback File Ops?

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 Fallback File Ops

Facts

At a glance

What it does

Example prompts

Workflow steps

What it can do on your machine

Tool permissions

Runs code

Network

Credentials

Context cost

Safety

SKILL.md

Fallback File Operations

Purpose

When to Apply

Procedure

Step 1: Detect Tool Failure

Step 2: Switch to run_shell

Step 3: Verify Creation

Step 4: Continue with Hybrid Approach

Example: Creating Project Structure

Best Practices

Common Pitfalls

Files

Compare with similar skills

Similar skills

More from HKUDS/OpenSpace

Questions about Fallback File Ops