What Is `disable-model-invocation` in the i-have-adhd Skill?

The disable-model-invocation flag is a metadata property that prevents the i-have-adhd skill from automatically loading, requiring explicit user invocation via its command (e.g., /i-have-adhd).

The i-have-adhd skill is an open-source productivity tool designed to reshape AI output for readers with ADHD. According to the ayghri/i-have-adhd repository, the skill uses a specific control flag to govern when its formatting rules are applied. Understanding this mechanism is essential for users integrating the skill with Claude Code, Copilot, or similar AI harnesses.

How disable-model-invocation Works in SKILL.md

The flag is declared as a top-level metadata property in the skill's descriptor file. In skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md, line 4 sets this value:

disable-model-invocation: true

This single line controls the skill's activation behavior. When present and set to true, the surrounding harness interprets this as an instruction to ignore the skill's rules during normal operation.

The complete skill definition follows this pattern:

---
name: i-have-adhd
description: 'Shape output for a reader with ADHD …'
disable-model-invocation: true   # ← prevents auto‑loading

license: MIT
---

Without this flag (or with it set to false), the harness would apply the skill's output-shaping rules to every response automatically—behavior the skill author explicitly avoids.

Why Explicit Invocation Is Required

The i-have-adhd skill modifies how AI responses are structured: breaking content into scannable sections, using bold emphasis strategically, and limiting paragraph length. These transformations are not universally desired—they're only helpful when the user specifically needs ADHD-optimized formatting.

The flag enforces this opt-in design:

• Default state: The model receives no special instructions; responses follow standard formatting
• Activated state: The user runs /i-have-adhd and the skill's rules immediately reshape subsequent output

This mirrors Claude Code's skill invocation pattern, where specialized behaviors remain dormant until explicitly called.

Platform-Specific Behavior

The repository documents how major AI platforms respect this flag.

Copilot Integration

Per INSTALL.md around line 406, Copilot checks for disable-model-invocation before loading any skill. The platform's harness skips the i-have-adhd skill entirely during automatic skill detection, only surfacing it when the user types the invocation command.

Claude Code vs. Codex Differences

A later section in INSTALL.md (line 560) clarifies behavioral differences between platforms. Claude Code strictly honors the flag, while some codex implementations may vary in their default skill-loading behavior. The explicit true setting ensures consistent cross-platform dormancy.

File Locations and Reference

File	Path	Purpose
Primary skill definition	skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md	Contains the disable-model-invocation flag and core rules
Cached copy	.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md	Mirror of the skill descriptor for Cursor IDE users
Installation guide	INSTALL.md	Platform-specific integration instructions

All three locations maintain identical flag values to ensure consistent behavior across deployment contexts.

Practical Activation Example

To use the skill after installation:

/i-have-adhd   # user explicitly invokes the skill

This command overrides the disable-model-invocation restriction for that session, loading the ADHD-optimized formatting rules on demand.

Summary

• disable-model-invocation in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md controls automatic skill loading
• Set to true on line 4, it keeps the skill dormant until explicit invocation
• Platforms like Copilot and Claude Code respect this flag per INSTALL.md documentation
• Users activate the skill via /i-have-adhd command when needed
• The cached copy at .cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md maintains identical configuration

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if disable-model-invocation is set to false?

The harness would automatically apply the i-have-adhd skill's formatting rules to every AI response without requiring user invocation. This would force ADHD-optimized output even when standard formatting is preferred, defeating the skill's purpose as an on-demand productivity tool.

Do I need to modify the flag to use the skill?

No modification is necessary. The default true value is intentional—simply type /i-have-adhd to activate the skill when you need its formatting benefits. This preserves normal AI behavior as the default.

Is disable-model-invocation a standard skill property?

While not universal, this flag follows emerging conventions in AI assistant configuration. The ayghri/i-have-adhd repository aligns with Claude Code's skill ecosystem, where explicit invocation patterns are preferred for specialized output transformations.

Where else is this flag documented beyond SKILL.md?

The INSTALL.md file references the flag at lines 406 and 560, explaining how Copilot respects it and contrasting Claude Code's behavior with Codex implementations. These sections provide platform-specific context for developers integrating the skill.

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