Hi Arun, Ashish, and everyone, Thanks for the continued discussion — I think we’re converging on an important distinction between what has become *universal* and what is still *agent-specific*. *Skill files: now a broadly adopted concept*
At this point, it’s fair to say that agent skills defined via skill files (typically SKILL.md) are now supported by most major coding agents. Here are the official docs from the major CLIs that support skills today: - *Cursor*: https://cursor.com/docs/context/skills - *OpenAI Codex CLI / ChatGPT*: https://developers.openai.com/codex/skills/ - *Claude Code / Claude CLI (Anthropic)*: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills - *Antigravity / Gemini CLI*: https://antigravity.google/docs/skills All of these agents support the same core concept: - A *skill* is a reusable, structured instruction bundle - Typically represented by a folder containing a SKILL.md - The content itself is LLM-agnostic and portable *Where agents still differ: skill discovery directories* Where these tools *do not converge* is *how and where* skills are discovered on disk. Each agent defines its own root directory convention: - *Cursor* → .agents/skills/... - *OpenAI Codex CLI* → .agents/skills/... - *Claude CLI* → .claude/skills/... - *Antigravity / Gemini CLI* → .agent/skills/... So while the *skill file format is converging*, the *directory structure is explicitly agent-specific* and part of each tool’s contract. *Why committing .agent / .agents into OFBiz root is limiting?* If we commit a specific agent root (for example .agent/skills) directly into the OFBiz repository: - We implicitly optimize for *one agent’s convention* - That structure will *not* work out of the box for other agents (Cursor, Claude, Codex) - We bake agent-specific assumptions into OFBiz core This actually reduces flexibility at the moment when skills themselves are becoming more portable. *Preferred approach: plugin-owned skills + agent-specific binding* Given the above, I still prefer the earlier approach: - *OFBiz owns the skill content* → keep skills in a dedicated OFBiz plugin - *Agents own their discovery conventions* → .agent, .agents, .claude, etc. - *Developers perform a one-time binding step* (symlink or copy) based on the agent they use This keeps OFBiz: - agent-agnostic - future-proof - clean at the root level And it allows the *same* skill content to be reused across *all* supported agents without duplication. Summary - Skill files (SKILL.md) are now a *shared, cross-agent concept* - Skill discovery paths are *not standardized* - Therefore, Apache OFBiz should avoid committing any single agent’s root folder - A plugin + manual/symlink model cleanly supports all current and future agents Happy to refine further if needed. Thanks, Divesh Dutta https://www.hotwaxsystems.com On Mon, Mar 2, 2026 at 8:24 PM Arun Patidar <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks, Ashish, for the suggestions. Using the AI agent skills set as an > OFBiz plugin is a great idea. > > Alternatively, I was thinking we could include these skills sets directly > in the OFBiz root directory. For instance, for the Antigravity/Gemini > agent, we could place them in a .agents/skills/ folder at the root level. > > This approach avoids the need for symlinking files from a plugin folder and > ensures that the skills are ready for immediate use upon checkout. > > > Regards > --- > Arun Patidar > > > > On Mon, Mar 2, 2026 at 1:17 PM Ashish Vijaywargiya < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > A very good initiative and a timely contribution, Arun. > > > > I spent some time studying the associated license for agentskills.io, > and > > it encourages usage in open-source projects or in any project that aims > to > > build skill files. > > > > Here is my recommendation: > > > > Please contribute your work as a plugin named "ofbiz-skills" in the > > following repository: > > https://github.com/apache/ofbiz-plugins/ > > > > If anyone wants to use this work, they can create a symbolic link based > on > > their AI agent requirements. > > > > (Recommended setup: Symlinking - Heading to refer in the README.md file) > > https://github.com/arunpati/ofbiz-app-dev-agent/blob/main/README.md > > > > Once end users in the OFBiz community begin using this plugin, we may see > > further improvements in the skill files. > > > > The only thing you need to do is add the "ASL-2.0" license header at the > > top of each file. Please ensure this is done before committing your work > to > > the OFBiz trunk. > > > > Thank you, Arun! > > > > -- > > Kind Regards, > > Ashish Vijaywargiya > > Vice President of Operations > > *HotWax Systems* > > *Enterprise open source experts* > > http://www.hotwaxsystems.com > > > > > > > > On Sat, Feb 28, 2026 at 12:23 PM Arun Patidar <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > >> Hello Devs, > >> > >> I have prepared a set of skills files tailored for *Apache OFBiz* > >> development. I want to share these with the community to help speed up > >> development cycles and ensure that AI-generated code follows our > >> established best practices. > >> > >> I have created a Jira ticket for the same - > >> https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-13367 > >> > >> I’m looking forward to your feedback on how we can best integrate these. > >> > >> > >> Regards, > >> --- > >> Arun Patidar > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> On Thu, Feb 26, 2026 at 5:34 PM Arun Patidar <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > >> > >> > Hi Divesh, > >> > > >> > Thank you for your contribution. Your additions to the skill set make > a > >> > lot of sense and look great. > >> > > >> > I have merged your pull request. > >> > > >> > > >> > Best regards, > >> > > >> > Arun Patidar > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > On Thu, Feb 26, 2026 at 1:04 PM Divesh Dutta < > >> > [email protected]> wrote: > >> > > >> >> Hi Arun, > >> >> > >> >> Great initiative. > >> >> > >> >> I created a pull request : > >> >> https://github.com/arunpati/ofbiz-app-dev-agent/pull/8 > >> >> > >> >> Here are the details: > >> >> > >> >> 1) Created manage-async skill to define strict rules around > JobSandbox > >> >> usage, concurrency vs scaling, and batch processing. > >> >> 2) Refactored manage-eca to align with standard skill formatting > (Goal, > >> >> Triggers, Procedures, Guardrails). > >> >> 3) Added a comprehensive Decision Tree in manage-eca for choosing > >> between > >> >> Explicit Chaining, SECAs, and EECAs. > >> >> 4 )Added explicit Code Examples and Anti-Patterns for ECAs, > including: > >> >> 4.1) Bulk historical import dangers (Async + Persist explosion). > >> >> 4.2) Infinite loop recursion risks. > >> >> 4.3) View Entity EECA failures. > >> >> 4.4) High-performance risks of attaching EECAs to find > operations. > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> Thanks > >> >> -- > >> >> Divesh Dutta > >> >> https://www.hotwaxsystems.com > >> >> > >> >> On Mon, Feb 23, 2026 at 11:20 AM Chandan Khandelwal < > >> >> [email protected]> wrote: > >> >> > >> >>> Hi Arun, > >> >>> > >> >>> Great work on putting this together. > >> >>> > >> >>> I have gone through the README and Skills Summary, and I also used > the > >> >>> skills files for certain implementations and testing scenarios. The > >> >>> structure is clear, and the guidance works smoothly with AI agents. > >> In my > >> >>> testing, the skills were easy to apply and the outputs were > >> consistent and > >> >>> usable without much refinement. > >> >>> [image: Screenshot 2026-02-19 at 6.30.59 PM.png][image: Screenshot > >> >>> 2026-02-19 at 6.38.18 PM.png] > >> >>> > >> >>> This is definitely a good step toward standardizing how we guide > >> >>> AI-assisted OFBiz development. > >> >>> > >> >>> Definitely, there are a few additional areas we could consider > >> >>> enhancing, such as introducing a dedicated skill for reporting. I > >> believe > >> >>> that in the current skill set, reporting-related guidance (for > >> example, > >> >>> BIRT, JasperReports and export patterns) is not explicitly covered. > >> >>> > >> >>> Kind Regards, > >> >>> Chandan Khandelwal > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> On Sat, Feb 21, 2026 at 11:52 AM Arun Patidar < > [email protected] > >> > > >> >>> wrote: > >> >>> > >> >>>> Hi Sathish, > >> >>>> > >> >>>> Thank you for the suggestion. We will certainly prepare a tutorial > >> video > >> >>>> and share the link with you soon. > >> >>>> > >> >>>> In the meantime, please refer to the instructions in the README > file > >> for > >> >>>> details on how to set up and use these skills with agents like > >> >>>> Antigravity. > >> >>>> > >> >>>> > >> >>>> Thanks & Regards, > >> >>>> --- > >> >>>> Arun Patidar > >> >>>> > >> >>>> > >> >>>> > >> >>>> > >> >>>> On Fri, Feb 20, 2026 at 11:38 AM Sathish Kumar Chandran < > >> >>>> [email protected]> wrote: > >> >>>> > >> >>>> > Arun, this is awesome. > >> >>>> > It would be helpful, if you create a video out of it on how to > use, > >> >>>> will > >> >>>> > be wonderful.. upload to YouTube and share link.. a simple one > >> should > >> >>>> be > >> >>>> > fine… Thanks and have a good day! > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> > On Thu, 19 Feb 2026 at 3:23 PM, Arun Patidar < > >> [email protected]> > >> >>>> > wrote: > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> >> Hello Devs, > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> As AI agents become increasingly central to development, using > an > >> >>>> agent > >> >>>> >> skills file is essential for providing the instructions > necessary > >> to > >> >>>> >> execute tasks effectively. > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> You can learn more about the importance and application of these > >> >>>> skills > >> >>>> >> files at https://agentskills.io/home. > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> I have prepared various skills files to assist with OFBiz > >> application > >> >>>> >> development using AI agents. > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> You can access them through my GitHub repository and > >> documentation > >> >>>> below: > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> - ofbiz-app-dev-agent GitHub Repo > >> >>>> >> <https://github.com/arunpati/ofbiz-app-dev-agent.git> > >> >>>> >> - Skills Summary > >> >>>> >> < > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> > >> > https://github.com/arunpati/ofbiz-app-dev-agent/blob/main/SKILLS_SUMMARY.md > >> >>>> >> > > >> >>>> >> - Readme > >> >>>> >> < > >> https://github.com/arunpati/ofbiz-app-dev-agent/blob/main/README.md > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> Please review and let me know if you have any suggestions. > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> Arun Patidar > >> >>>> >> VP of Information Systems > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> *HotWax CommerceReal OmniChannel. Real Results.* > >> >>>> >> m: +91 9827353082 > >> >>>> >> w: www.hotwax.co > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> >> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotwaxcommerce/> > >> >>>> >> <https://www.facebook.com/HotWaxCommerce/> > >> >>>> >> <https://twitter.com/hotwaxcommerce> > >> >>>> >> > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> > >> >>> > >> > > >
