Agent Skill
Openrig Operating Model skill
openrig-operating-modelmvschwarz/openrigpackages/daemon/assets/plugins/openrig-core/skills/openrig-operating-model/SKILL.md
Use when you do not know WHERE something belongs: you learned a lesson and are unsure which file takes it; you are about to create a new doc, folder, or convention; you are asking "should this be a skill, a note, or a chain file?"; you inherited a seat and want to know what SHOULD exist; or you are about to duplicate knowledge that already has a home. Also the trace-to-root: how a seat orients by reading one filename at each level from where it stands up to the fleet.
always on
113 tokname + description
once used
5,590 tokSKILL.md body
bundled files
105 scripts
repo stars
8.1kGitHub
Install the Openrig Operating Model skill
Skills CLI (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and others)
npx skills add https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig --skill openrig-operating-model
Claude Code, by hand (all projects)
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig.git /tmp/openrig mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills cp -R /tmp/openrig/packages/daemon/assets/plugins/openrig-core/skills/openrig-operating-model ~/.claude/skills/openrig-operating-model
For one project only, copy the folder into .claude/skills/ in that project instead. The agent picks it up when a task matches its description.
What it costs your context
Agent Skills load in three steps. Tokens counted with the o200k tokenizer; your model's count will differ a little.
| When | What loads | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Every session | Name and description | 113 tok |
| When the agent uses it | The SKILL.md instructions | 5,590 tok |
| Only if opened | 10 bundled files (39 KB) | varies |
Until it is used, openrig-operating-model costs about 12× less than the median MCP server we measured (1,362 tokens on every turn). Installing all 94 skills from mvschwarz/openrig would load 6,757 tokens of descriptions. Skills vs MCP study
Checks
- Ships scripts the agent can run. Read them before installing.
- The instructions are over 5,000 tokens, the Agent Skills specification's guideline for SKILL.md.
Checked 2026-10-22 · method
What's inside
The headings of its SKILL.md. Read the full file on GitHub.
- The OpenRig Operating Model
- 1. The model in one breath
- 2. THE GRID — what exists at each level, and who keeps it true
- Topology tree
- Work tree
- 3. Why this exists (the failure it fixes)
- 4. LEARNED.md — the living file (all altitudes; seat shown)
- 5. The trace — deliberate reorientation
- 5b. Trace and rig walk — one idea, two ends
- 6. Writing — two principles
- 7. Composed views
- 8. Where knowledge goes — the placement rule
- The one axis that decides file-vs-plugin: KIND or POSITION
- What belongs INSIDE a node — two tests before a sentence goes in
- Project knowledge: three kinds, three homes
- The other axis: AUDIENCE is not MATURITY
- 9. Standing the structure up
- 10. Pitfalls (only what isn't taught above)
- Files in this skill
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