New: 98,000+ skills indexed from GitHub repos with 100+ stars · every skill safety-checkedBrowse top skillsTop skills
Esc to closeBrowse all skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills

Agent skill

Marshal

by SethGammon in SethGammon/Citadel

Meta-orchestrator that takes any direction — broad, specific, or vague — and autonomously chains skills and context into actionable work.

MITAuto-check passedAgent Workflows

Install Marshal

skills CLI
$ npx skills add SethGammon/Citadel --skill marshal -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install SethGammon/Citadel marshal --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/SethGammon/Citadel.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/marshal .claude/skills/marshal && 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
marshal
GitHub stars
922
Token cost
~1.4k tokens
SKILL.md length
685 words
Files
3
Skills in repo
48
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Meta-orchestrator that takes any direction — broad, specific, or vague — and autonomously chains skills and context into actionable work.

  • Works in 5 steps: UNDERSTAND → PLAN CHAIN → EXECUTE → …
  • Agent Workflows work in your project
  • SKILL.md covers Orientation, Commands, Protocol and Agent Timeouts, plus 3 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Marshal is an agent skill from SethGammon/Citadel. Meta-orchestrator that takes any direction — broad, specific, or vague — and autonomously chains skills and context into actionable work. Gathers context from codebase, docs, and memory. Only asks the user when it genuinely cannot proceed. Single-session orchestrator.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.4k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 3 other files (for example `__benchmarks__/audit-and-report.md` and `__benchmarks__/vague-direction.md`).

It sits in Agent Workflows. The repository describes itself as: The operating layer for Claude Code + OpenAI Codex: persistent project memory, intent routing, safety hooks, cost telemetry, and parallel agent fleets. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Agent Workflows work in your project

Example prompts

  • “/marshal”

Workflow steps

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

  1. UNDERSTAND
  2. PLAN CHAIN
  3. EXECUTE
  4. REPORT
  5. LEARN

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit e41ff1d. 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.

    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

Marshal loads about 1.4k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 69 tokens; SKILL.md has 685 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~69
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.4k

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 SethGammon/Citadel at commit e41ff1d, republished under its MIT licence (© SethGammon). 685 words, ~1,445 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/marshal/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 2 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
marshal
description
Meta-orchestrator that takes any direction — broad, specific, or vague — and autonomously chains skills and context into actionable work. Gathers context from codebase, docs, and memory. Only asks the user when it genuinely cannot proceed. Single-session orchestrator.
license
MIT
user-invocable
true
auto-trigger
false
trigger_keywords
orchestrate, chain skills, multi-step
last-updated
2026-03-20

/marshal — Session Commander

Orientation

Use Marshal when the task is:

  • Multi-step but bounded (completable in one session)
  • Needs investigation before action
  • Spans multiple skills but doesn't need campaign persistence
  • Too complex for a single skill but doesn't need Archon/Fleet

Don't use when: the task spans multiple sessions (use /archon); work decomposes into 3+ parallel streams (use /fleet); you only need research with no action (use /research).

  • Parallel execution (use Fleet)

Commands

CommandBehavior
/marshal [direction]Full loop: understand → plan → execute → report
/marshal assess [area]Read-only: understand the area, produce findings, don't fix

Protocol

Phase 1: UNDERSTAND

Parse the user's direction into structured intent:

  1. Read CLAUDE.md to understand the project's architecture and conventions
  2. Identify: scope (which files/directories), perspective (user, developer, admin), mode (audit, fix, build, improve, map), depth (surface scan vs deep investigation)
  3. If the direction is ambiguous, make a reasonable interpretation and state it. Do NOT ask clarifying questions unless genuinely stuck.
Phase 2: PLAN CHAIN

Map the intent to a sequence of actions:

Direction PatternChain
"audit [area]"explore → analyze → report findings
"fix [thing]"investigate root cause → fix → verify → report
"map [area]"read files in parallel → synthesize → produce analysis
"improve [area]"audit current state → identify gaps → implement → verify
"what should [X] be"research → analyze options → recommend with reasoning
"research [topic]"search codebase + web → synthesize → report

Announce the chain before executing: "I'll [step 1], then [step 2], then [step 3]."

Phase 3: EXECUTE

For each step in the chain:

  1. Load the relevant skill if one exists (e.g., /review for audit steps)
  2. Gather context: read relevant files, check git history, search for patterns
  3. Perform the action
  4. Check the result against the plan — did it produce what was expected?
  5. If a step fails, try one alternative approach before escalating
Phase 4: REPORT

Produce a structured report:

=== Marshal Report ===

Direction: {original direction}
Scope: {what was examined}

Findings:
- {finding 1 with file:line reference}
- {finding 2}

Actions Taken:
- {what was changed, if anything}

Recommendations:
- {next steps if applicable}
Phase 5: LEARN

If the investigation revealed reusable patterns or pitfalls:

  • Note them in the report
  • Suggest creating a skill if a pattern will recur: "This pattern would make a good skill. Run /create-skill to capture it."

Agent Timeouts

When Marshal spawns sub-agents (e.g., for parallel investigation or delegated skill execution), it must enforce execution time limits. Sub-agents can hang indefinitely on tool calls — the circuit breaker catches failures, not hangs.

Show full SKILL.md (312 more words)Show less
Default Timeouts
Agent TypeDefault Timeout
Skill-level agents10 minutes
Research agents15 minutes

Timeouts are configurable in harness.json under agentTimeouts (same config Fleet uses). If an agent exceeds its timeout:

  1. Log the timeout in telemetry
  2. Check for partial output — extract usable findings if any
  3. Try one alternative approach (simpler prompt, reduced scope)
  4. If retry also times out, skip and note the gap in the report

Never wait indefinitely. A timed-out agent's scope becomes a "gap" in the Marshal Report's Findings section.

Fringe Cases

  • Direction is vague (e.g., "do the thing", "fix it", "make it better"): Ask one clarifying question before proceeding. Do not attempt to guess scope on truly ambiguous input — one focused question is cheaper than executing the wrong plan.
  • A sub-task fails on first attempt: Retry once with a different approach (narrower scope, different tool, simpler method). If the second attempt also fails, record the blocker in the report and move on.
  • No relevant files found for the stated scope: Report the empty result honestly. Do not fabricate findings. Suggest the user verify the scope or file paths.
  • CLAUDE.md missing: Proceed without it. Note the absence in the report so the user knows project conventions weren't applied.
  • Typecheck not configured: Skip the verification step and note it as "unverified" in the report rather than blocking completion.

Quality Gates

  • Every finding must cite a specific file and line number
  • Every action must be verified (typecheck passes, tests pass)
  • If a fix was applied, confirm the original issue is resolved
  • The report must be concise — no filler, no repetition
  • If you're stuck on a step for more than 3 attempts, skip it and report the blocker

Exit Protocol

  1. Output the Marshal Report (format above)
  2. If work items were discovered but not addressed, suggest creating intake items
  3. Output a HANDOFF block summarizing what was done
---HANDOFF---
- What: {behavior changed or goal achieved — not the file name, the outcome}
- Decisions: {key tradeoffs made — include the alternative that was rejected}
- Unresolved: {what is still open or blocked — actionable next step}
- Reversibility: {green | amber | red} — {how to undo}
---

© SethGammon, 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 2 other files in skills/marshal of SethGammon/Citadel.

  • SKILL.md
  • __benchmarks__/audit-and-report.md
  • __benchmarks__/vague-direction.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit e41ff1d

Compare with similar skills

Marshal 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.

Marshal compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Marshal this skillSethGammon/Citadel922—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
MCP Server Builderanthropics/skills180k64 repos~2.3kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Hook Development for Claude Code Pluginsanthropics/claude-plugins-official38k11 repos~4.1kAutomated safety check: NotesApache-2.0
Using Superpowersfarm-fe/farm5.6k35 repos~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Executing Plans Inlineobra/superpowers296k2 repos~5.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Claude Code Agent Developmentanthropics/claude-plugins-official38k8 repos~2.8kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0

Similar skills

  • MCP Server Builder

    anthropics/skills

    Official

    Guides the design and implementation of Model Context Protocol servers in TypeScript or Python, from tool naming and error messages to evaluation.

    180k GitHub starsUsed in 64 repos~2.3k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • Hook Development for Claude Code Plugins

    anthropics/claude-plugins-official

    Official

    Explains how to write Claude Code plugin hooks, both prompt-based checks and bash commands, for events such as PreToolUse, Stop and SessionStart.

    38k GitHub starsUsed in 11 repos~4.1k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check: notes

  • Using Superpowers

    farm-fe/farm

    A skill your agent uses when starting any conversation - establishes how to find and use skills, requiring Skill tool invocation before ANY response including clarifying questions

    5.6k GitHub starsUsed in 35 repos~1.4k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • Executing Plans Inline

    obra/superpowers

    Has the agent carry out an implementation plan itself, task by task in the current session, keeping a ledger, proving each step with a test and ending with one whole-branch review.

    296k GitHub starsUsed in 2 repos~5.1k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • Claude Code Agent Development

    anthropics/claude-plugins-official

    Official

    Explains how to write agents for Claude Code plugins: the markdown file with YAML frontmatter, trigger descriptions, model and color settings, and system prompt design.

    38k GitHub starsUsed in 8 repos~2.8k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • Skill Creator

    Azure/azqr

    Official

    Create new skills, modify and improve existing skills, and measure skill performance.

    795 GitHub starsUsed in 89 repos~8.2k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

More from SethGammon/Citadel

All 48 skills in this repo

  • Create Skill

    SethGammon/Citadel

    Creates new skills from the user's repeating patterns. An agent skill from SethGammon/Citadel.

    922 GitHub stars~1.9k tokensUpdated 6 days ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Houseclean

    SethGammon/Citadel

    Cross-drive storage audit and cleanup. An agent skill from SethGammon/Citadel.

    922 GitHub stars~2.2k tokensUpdated 6 days ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Loop

    SethGammon/Citadel

    Bounded foreground repetition for the current session. An agent skill from SethGammon/Citadel.

    922 GitHub stars~1.4k tokensUpdated 6 days ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Triage

    SethGammon/Citadel

    GitHub issue and PR investigator. An agent skill from SethGammon/Citadel.

    922 GitHub stars~2.7k tokensUpdated 6 days ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Watch

    SethGammon/Citadel

    File sentinel that monitors the working directory for changes and marker comments, then auto-triggers appropriate skills.

    922 GitHub stars~2.9k tokensUpdated 6 days ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Archon

    SethGammon/Citadel

    Autonomous multi-session campaign agent. An agent skill from SethGammon/Citadel.

    922 GitHub stars~5.4k tokensUpdated 6 days ago
    Auto-check passed

Categories

Questions about Marshal

What does Marshal do?

Meta-orchestrator that takes any direction — broad, specific, or vague — and autonomously chains skills and context into actionable work. Marshal is an agent skill from SethGammon/Citadel. Meta-orchestrator that takes any direction — broad, specific, or vague — and autonomously chains skills and context into actionable work.

When should I use Marshal?

Marshal fits situations like: agent Workflows work in your project.

How do I install Marshal in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add SethGammon/Citadel --skill marshal -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/marshal in SethGammon/Citadel) into .claude/skills/marshal in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Marshal in Codex?

Run `npx skills add SethGammon/Citadel --skill marshal -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/marshal in SethGammon/Citadel) into .agents/skills/marshal in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Marshal 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 SethGammon/Citadel --skill marshal -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/marshal, .gemini/skills/marshal, .github/skills/marshal and .opencode/skills/marshal in your project.

What does Marshal need to run?

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

Does Marshal 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 Marshal 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 Marshal use?

Marshal is published under the MIT licence (declared in SKILL.md). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Marshal use?

About 1.4k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5.8k 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 Marshal?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Marshal: MCP Server Builder (anthropics/skills, 180k stars), Hook Development for Claude Code Plugins (anthropics/claude-plugins-official, 38k stars), Using Superpowers (farm-fe/farm, 5.6k stars) and Executing Plans Inline (obra/superpowers, 296k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Marshal?

SethGammon (a GitHub user) maintains it in SethGammon/Citadel, which has 922 GitHub stars. The repository holds 48 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 1, 2026.

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