How to Add a Custom Skill Module to the reverse-skill Routing Matrix

Adding a custom skill module to the reverse-skill routing matrix requires creating a skill folder with a SKILL.md file, registering it in skills/config/routing.json with a unique ID and keyword rules, and optionally adjusting the priority array.

The reverse-skill repository by zhaoxuya520 implements a modular routing system for reverse engineering tasks. All routing decisions flow through a single-source-of-truth JSON configuration, making skill registration a straightforward three-step process with no code changes required to core routing logic.

Understand the Routing Architecture

The routing system centers on skills/config/routing.json, which serves as the authoritative registry mapping skill IDs to executable descriptions and trigger conditions. The primary routing script master-route.ps1 consumes this file directly, along with supporting verification tools test-routing.ps1 and verify-routing-coherence.ps1.

Key components:

• Skill ID — a unique identifier in Rxx format (e.g., R42, R7)
• SKILL.md — the human-readable entry point documenting purpose, usage, and prerequisites
• Keyword rules — regular expression patterns that determine when a skill activates
• Priority array — ordered list controlling evaluation sequence when keywords overlap

For authoritative context on the routing contract, consult skills/MASTER-ROUTING.md.

Step 1: Create the Skill Bundle

Create a new folder under skills/ containing at minimum a SKILL.md file. Optional reference materials may reside in subdirectories.

Folder structure

skills/my-custom-skill/
├─ SKILL.md           # Required: main skill documentation

└─ references/
   └─ overview.md     # Optional: supplementary documentation

SKILL.md template

Model your file after skills/js-reverse/SKILL.md. A minimal valid structure:

# My Custom Skill

Brief description of the skill's purpose and target scenarios.

## Prerequisites

- Required tools or environment setup

## Usage

```powershell
powershell -File skills\my-custom-skill\run.ps1 -Target <url>

Output

Description of expected results.

The [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/SKILL.md) path becomes the `skill` value in your routing entry, specified **relative to repository root**.

## Step 2: Register in routing.json

Append a new entry to [`skills/config/routing.json`](https://github.com/zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill/blob/main/skills/config/routing.json) following the established schema.

### Example registration

```json
{
  "R42": {
    "label": "My Custom Skill",
    "skill": "my-custom-skill/SKILL.md",
    "keywords": [
      {
        "must": "mycustom|awesome|demo|example",
        "note": "Triggers when user mentions demo keywords"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Field reference

Field	Description
R42	Unique skill ID; verify unused in existing entries
label	Display name for routing logs and diagnostics
skill	Relative path from repository root to SKILL.md
keywords	Array of condition objects with regex rules

Keyword rule options

The keywords array supports multiple condition types:

• must — Single-line regex; skill triggers if pattern matches
• mustAll — Array of patterns; all must match
• exclude — Pattern that disqualifies the match if present

Multiple keyword objects create OR logic between them.

Step 3: Adjust Priority (Optional)

By default, new skills evaluate after all prioritized IDs. To override existing skills with overlapping keywords, insert your ID into the "priority" array near line 310 of routing.json:

"priority": [
  "R4", "R1", "R38", "R42", "R0"
]

Higher positions in the array receive earlier evaluation. Place R42 where it should rank relative to existing skills.

Step 4: Verify Routing Integrity

Run the verification suite from repository root:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File skills/scripts/verify-routing-coherence.ps1
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File skills/scripts/test-routing.ps1

Expected results:

• Exit code 0 from both scripts
• "Routing matrix coherent" confirmation
• No regressions in the 162-case test suite

Failures indicate JSON syntax errors, missing SKILL.md files, or priority array inconsistencies. Address before committing changes.

Summary

• skills/config/routing.json — Central registry for all skill mappings; edit this to add your module
• Unique Rxx ID — Required identifier; check for collisions with existing entries
• SKILL.md path — Must be relative to repository root and point to an existing file
• Keyword rules — Regex-based triggers with must, mustAll, and exclude options
• Priority array — Controls evaluation order; modify only if keyword overlap demands precedence
• Verification scripts — verify-routing-coherence.ps1 and test-routing.ps1 validate changes

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if two skills have identical keywords?

The priority array in routing.json determines evaluation order. The first matching skill in priority order wins. If neither skill appears in the priority array, their relative order follows JSON key iteration, which is unreliable—always specify priority for skills with potentially overlapping triggers.

Can I use any ID format besides Rxx?

No. The master-route.ps1 routing logic and verification scripts expect skill IDs in R followed by two digits format (R00–R99). Deviating from this pattern causes validation failures in verify-routing-coherence.ps1.

Do I need to restart any services after editing routing.json?

No. All routing machinery—master-route.ps1, test-routing.ps1, and verify-routing-coherence.ps1—reads routing.json at execution time. Changes take effect immediately on the next routing decision or test run.

How do I test my skill's keyword matching without running full reverse operations?

Use skills/scripts/test-routing.ps1 with targeted test cases, or create temporary test entries in the routing JSON and invoke master-route.ps1 with sample input strings. The verification scripts provide coverage for 162 standard use cases to catch regressions.

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