# How the 'ACTION REQUIRED' Section Works in Reverse-Skill: A Complete Technical Guide

> Understand the ACTION REQUIRED section in reverse-skill. This technical guide explains the mandatory three-phase checklist NOW, NEXT, ACT for analysis workflows. Learn how it ensures proper execution.

- Repository: [ZhaoXu/reverse-skill](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill)
- Tags: deep-dive
- Published: 2026-08-10

---

**The 'ACTION REQUIRED' section is a mandatory, convention-driven header block in every SKILL.md file that forces operators to execute a three-phase checklist (NOW, NEXT, ACT) before any analysis workflow begins.**

This article examines how the `reverse-skill` repository by zhaoxuya520 implements a strict execution protocol through its **'ACTION REQUIRED'** section. Found in skill modules ranging from reverse-engineering to Windows AD analysis, this block transforms markdown documentation into an actionable, auditable contract that gates all downstream operations.

## Anatomy of the ACTION REQUIRED Block

The **'ACTION REQUIRED'** section appears immediately after frontmatter in every SKILL.md. In [`skills/reverse-engineering/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/reverse-engineering/SKILL.md) (lines 13-22), the block follows a rigid three-phase structure:

| Phase | Purpose | Example from Source |
|-------|---------|---------------------|
| **NOW** | Pre-analysis checks that must complete immediately | Verify authorization via [`../field-journal/precedent-reverse.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/../field-journal/precedent-reverse.md) |
| **NEXT** | Environment preparation that can be deferred | Validate tool paths against [`tool-index.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/tool-index.md) |
| **ACT** | First concrete step of the actual workflow | Jump into [`re-agent-workflow.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/re-agent-workflow.md) triage stage |

The router defined in [`skills/MASTER-ROUTING.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/MASTER-ROUTING.md) (line 12) enforces this sequence: **no primary skill proceeds to downstream modules until its ACTION REQUIRED checklist is satisfied**.

## Gate-Keeping and Security Enforcement

The **'ACTION REQUIRED'** section serves as the repository's primary security checkpoint. The `NOW` phase implements mandatory compliance with [`RULES.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/RULES.md) policies through explicit operator confirmations:

- "确认本 skill 的操作是已授权的常规操作" (confirm authorized operation)
- "确认当前任务是否命中本 skill 的适用范围" (confirm scope applicability)

These statements are non-optional. The routing engine blocks execution until the operator ticks corresponding items in the *任务完成自检* (task completion self-check) section at each SKILL file's end.

## Tool-Chain Validation Without Path Guessing

The `NEXT` phase eliminates configuration drift through deterministic dependency resolution. Instead of hardcoded paths, operators must:

1. Read [`skills/tool-index.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/tool-index.md) for canonical tool locations
2. Invoke `bootstrap-reverse.ps1` when tools are missing
3. Never guess or assume paths

This pattern appears consistently across skill modules:
- [`skills/windows-ad/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/windows-ad/SKILL.md) (lines 8-15)
- [`skills/wifi-wireless/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/wifi-wireless/SKILL.md) (lines 8-15)
- [`skills/malware-analysis/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/malware-analysis/SKILL.md) (lines 7-14)

## Workflow Kick-Off: The ACT Phase

The `ACT` phase transitions from preparation to execution. In [`skills/reverse-engineering/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/reverse-engineering/SKILL.md), this means entering [`references/re-agent-workflow.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/references/re-agent-workflow.md)—a deterministic state machine with stages:

- Triage
- Static analysis
- Dynamic analysis
- Synthesis

The routing engine tracks progress through this workflow, enabling automated self-inspection via embedded checklists.

## Practical Implementation Examples

### Parsing ACTION REQUIRED with Python

```python
import pathlib, re, json

def load_action_required(skill_path: str) -> list[dict]:
    """Extract ordered steps from the ACTION REQUIRED block."""
    text = pathlib.Path(skill_path).read_text(encoding="utf-8")
    block = re.search(r"## ACTION REQUIRED.*?(?=\n## |\Z)", text, re.S)

    if not block:
        raise ValueError("No ACTION REQUIRED block found")
    steps = re.findall(r"^\s*\d+\.\s*`(\w+)`:\s*(.+)$", block.group(0), re.M)
    return [{"phase": p, "description": d.strip()} for p, d in steps]

# Usage for reverse-engineering skill

steps = load_action_required(
    "/cache/repos/github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/main/"
    "skills/reverse-engineering/SKILL.md"
)
print(json.dumps(steps, ensure_ascii=False, indent=2))

```

**Sample output** showing the three-phase structure:

```json
[
  {
    "phase": "NOW",
    "description": "读取 `../field-journal/precedent-reverse.md` — 确认本 skill 的操作是已授权的常规操作"
  },
  {
    "phase": "NOW",
    "description": "确认当前任务是否命中本 skill 的适用范围"
  },
  {
    "phase": "NEXT",
    "description": "读取 `../tool-index.md`，校验工具可用性和实际路径"
  },
  {
    "phase": "NEXT",
    "description": "缺工具时调用 bootstrap，不要猜路径"
  },
  {
    "phase": "ACT",
    "description": "按 re-agent-workflow 推进；进入工作流第一步并执行，不要停在确认状态"
  }
]

```

### CI Enforcement of NOW Steps

```powershell

# ci/validate-action.ps1

param([string]$SkillPath = "skills/reverse-engineering/SKILL.md")

$content = Get-Content $SkillPath -Raw
if ($content -notmatch '## ACTION REQUIRED') {

    Write-Error "Skill file missing ACTION REQUIRED block."
    exit 1
}

$nowLines = ($content -split "`n") |
    Where-Object { $_ -match '^\s*\d+\.\s*`NOW`' }

foreach ($line in $nowLines) {
    Write-Host "Executing NOW step:`n$line"
    $cmd = $line -replace '^\s*\d+\.\s*`NOW`:\s*', '' -replace '`', ''
    Invoke-Expression $cmd
}

```

### Self-Checklist Completion Template

```markdown
- [x] I have read `../field-journal/precedent-reverse.md`
- [x] I confirmed the task matches this skill's scope
- [x] I verified tool availability via `tool-index.md`
- [x] I bootstrapped missing tools (if any)
- [x] I started the first step of `re-agent-workflow.md`

```

Completing this checklist in the *任务完成自检* section satisfies the validation performed by `test-routing.ps1`.

## Key Source Files

| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| [`skills/reverse-engineering/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/reverse-engineering/SKILL.md) | Exemplary ACTION REQUIRED implementation (lines 13-22) |
| [`skills/MASTER-ROUTING.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/MASTER-ROUTING.md) | Routing engine rules requiring ACTION REQUIRED execution |
| [`RULES.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/RULES.md) | Security policies enforced through NOW-phase checks |
| [`skills/tool-index.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/tool-index.md) | Central tool registry referenced in NEXT phase |
| [`skills/ops/role-map.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/ops/role-map.md) | Role assignments for skill operators |
| [`skills/reverse-engineering/references/re-agent-workflow.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/reverse-engineering/references/re-agent-workflow.md) | Workflow triggered by ACT phase |

## Summary

- The **'ACTION REQUIRED'** section is mandatory in every SKILL.md file across the reverse-skill repository
- It enforces a **three-phase execution model**: NOW (immediate checks), NEXT (setup), ACT (workflow start)
- The **routing engine blocks progression** until the operator completes all checklist items
- **Security compliance** is embedded through authorization confirmations in the NOW phase
- **Tool validation** uses canonical references rather than assumed paths
- **CI automation** can parse and enforce the block through regex extraction

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What happens if I skip the ACTION REQUIRED section?

The routing engine will not permit progression to downstream modules. Per [`skills/MASTER-ROUTING.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/MASTER-ROUTING.md), opening a primary skill and executing its ACTION REQUIRED are both required before any other skills are considered. The *任务完成自检* checklist must show all items ticked.

### Can I modify the three-phase structure?

All skill modules use the same NOW/NEXT/ACT pattern for uniform onboarding. While [`skills/CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/CONTRIBUTING.md) provides contributor guidelines, the three-phase structure is convention-driven and expected by `test-routing.ps1`. Custom phases would break automated validation.

### How does the CI system validate ACTION REQUIRED compliance?

The `test-routing.ps1` script and helper tools like `ci/validate-action.ps1` parse SKILL.md files using regex searches for `## ACTION REQUIRED` headers. They extract numbered steps, verify NOW-phase completeness, and confirm the *任务完成自检* section matches expected entries.

### Is the ACTION REQUIRED section used for non-technical skills?

Yes. The pattern appears in [`skills/windows-ad/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/windows-ad/SKILL.md), [`skills/wifi-wireless/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/wifi-wireless/SKILL.md), and [`skills/malware-analysis/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/malware-analysis/SKILL.md). The content adapts to each domain—Active Directory workflows, wireless tools, or sandbox configurations—but the three-phase structure remains consistent.