How SKILL.md Files Serve as Entry Points for Each Skill in the Reverse-Skill Framework

Each SKILL.md file acts as the canonical entry point that bridges abstract routing logic with concrete, skill-specific actions after the router identifies the appropriate skill from config/routing.json.

The reverse-skill repository implements a modular, contract-driven architecture where every functional module—such as reverse-engineering, apk-reverse, or windows-ad—contains its own SKILL.md. This markdown file becomes the single source of truth for executing workflows, validating contracts, and guiding operators or AI assistants through structured action blocks.

Routing to the SKILL.md Entry Point

The platform-neutral router (scripts/master-route.sh or scripts/master-route.ps1) handles the initial handoff to the SKILL.md entry point. The process follows three distinct stages:

1. Parse config/routing.json – The router matches the user-provided hint against route definitions and selects a primary route ID (e.g., R11).

2. Resolve skill path – It extracts the route["skill"] value (e.g., "reverse-engineering/SKILL.md") and writes it into route-scope.md as primary_skill: skills/<skill-path>/SKILL.md.

3. Trigger action prompt – The router outputs the mandatory instruction forcing the next step:

# From scripts/master-route.sh (lines 60-67)

echo "ACTION: Open PRIMARY SKILL.md now and execute ACTION REQUIRED."

This explicit prompt ensures no workflow proceeds without consulting the SKILL.md entry point, as implemented in the reverse-skill source code.

SKILL.md Structure and Capabilities

Each SKILL.md follows a standardized structure that enables both human operators and automated systems to execute skill-specific workflows:

• Front-matter metadata – Skill name and description for indexing and validation

• Capability list – Supported toolchains, file formats, and environment requirements

• Actionable sections – ## ACTION REQUIRED and ## NEXT STEPS blocks containing executable instructions

• Routing metadata – References used by INDEX.md generators and contract validators

The master skill manifest at skills/SKILL.md enumerates all sub-skills and codifies the entry point workflow:

---
name: skill-system
description: Master index and workflow orchestrator for all reverse-engineering skills.
---

# SKILL System Master Index

## Workflow

1. Run the router (`scripts/master-route.sh`)
2. Initialise the case (`scripts/case-init.sh`)
3. **Open the PRIMARY `SKILL.md`** identified in `route-scope.md`

This hierarchy ensures that SKILL.md functions as the gate between routing decisions and concrete execution.

Contract Validation and the SKILL.md Entry Point

Helper scripts enforce the SKILL.md entry point contract before any action executes. The verify-routing-coherence.ps1 script validates that route-scope.md contains a properly formed primary_skill: reference:

# From scripts/verify-routing-coherence.ps1 (lines 33-38)

$skillHits = [regex]::Matches($Text, '(?m)^- primary_skill:\s*skills/(\S+)\s*$')
foreach ($hit in $skillHits) {
    $skillPath = $hit.Groups[1].Value
    # Validate that referenced SKILL.md exists and is readable

}

Similarly, case-init.sh and case-init.ps1 write the primary_skill: marker into scope.md during case initialization, preventing any ACT step from proceeding without a validated entry point.

SKILL.md Entry Point Example: Reverse Engineering Module

The reverse-engineering/SKILL.md demonstrates how an entry point translates routing decisions into actionable workflows:

---
name: reverse-engineering
description: Core reverse-engineering workflow, static & dynamic analysis, de-obfuscation.
---

# Reverse Engineering

## ACTION REQUIRED

- Run static analysis with `r2` or `IDA`
- If dynamic hooks are needed, launch Frida scripts
- Document findings in `field-journal/_template.md`

## NEXT STEPS

- Cross-reference with `apk-reverse/SKILL.md` if Android-specific
- Escalate to `windows-ad/SKILL.md` for Active Directory artifacts

This structure allows the router to remain agnostic of implementation details while ensuring each skill module defines its own execution path.

Key Files Supporting the SKILL.md Entry Point Pattern

File	Role in Entry Point Flow
skills/SKILL.md	Master index listing all sub-skills and defining the entry-point workflow
skills/<sub-skill>/SKILL.md	Skill-specific entry point with capabilities and ACTION blocks
scripts/master-route.sh / master-route.ps1	Router that writes primary_skill: to route-scope.md and prompts for SKILL.md opening
config/routing.json	Route ID to skill path mappings ("skill": "reverse-engineering/SKILL.md")
scripts/verify-routing-coherence.ps1	Validates primary_skill: presence and correctness in scope contracts
scripts/case-init.sh / case-init.ps1	Initializes cases with primary_skill: markers before ACT execution

Summary

• SKILL.md is the canonical entry point for every skill module in the reverse-skill framework, enforced by explicit router prompts and contract validation.
• The router (master-route.sh/master-route.ps1) remains workflow-agnostic, delegating all execution details to the referenced SKILL.md.
• Contract validators (verify-routing-coherence.ps1, case-init.sh) ensure no action proceeds without a verified primary_skill: reference pointing to a valid SKILL.md.
• Standardized front-matter and ACTION blocks enable both human operators and automated systems to parse and execute skill workflows consistently.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if the SKILL.md file is missing?

The verify-routing-coherence.ps1 script fails validation when it cannot locate the file referenced by primary_skill:. This prevents case initialization from completing and blocks any subsequent ACT steps until the routing configuration is corrected.

Can multiple SKILL.md files be active simultaneously?

The routing system designates a single primary SKILL.md per case via primary_skill: in route-scope.md. However, the ## NEXT STEPS sections within any SKILL.md can reference and direct workflow to other skill modules as needed.

How does the router know which SKILL.md to select?

The router parses config/routing.json, which maps route IDs to skill paths. When a user provides a hint matching a route pattern, the router extracts the skill field value and resolves it relative to the skills/ directory root.

Is the SKILL.md format compatible with automated parsing?

Yes. The front-matter block uses standard YAML syntax, while ## ACTION REQUIRED and ## NEXT STEPS headers provide predictable anchor points for parsing. The verify-routing-coherence.ps1 script demonstrates programmatic extraction of skill references using regular expressions.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}