1. Habit
  2. Skills
  3. Writing Runbooks skill
riekelt · 17K installs

Writing Runbooks skill
Runs by itself, runbook pull request.

Runbooks stay runnable and honest.

Install the Writing Runbooks skill and make it a habit: follow https://gethabit.dev/skills/riekelt/writing-runbooks.md

  1. 1Copy
  2. 2Paste into Claude Code, Codex or Cursor
  3. 3It runs by itself

17K installs31 starsMIT licenceSource on GitHub ↗

Writing Runbooks

by riekelt · 17K installs

The skill

The writing runbooks skill gives a runbook skeleton, a risk legend, symptom-first troubleshooting and migration-guide rules, for engineers writing procedures that someone will run under time pressure.

Only when you ask.

The habit

Runbooks stay runnable and honest.

↻ Runs by itselfrunbook pull request

How the habit works.
You don't have to.

Three questionsWhen does it start? How does it check its work? What does it remember?

01

It starts by itself

runbook pull request. Runs in GitHub Actions.

  • ↻ runbook pull request
  • pull_request changes a runbook or guide

02

It checks its work

runbook structure check. If a check fails, it tells you.

  • ✓every state-changing step names a rollback or says none exists
  • ✓a verify-it-worked section with a proving command exists
  • ✓unknown values stay as visible bracketed placeholders
  • ✓steps are numbered with one action each

03

It remembers

untested branches board. The next run reads it first: branches still marked draft and waiting for a real run.

loops/runbook-check-loop/board.md

One run, step by step.
Then it stops.

Stop ruleStops after one pull request and at most 3 runbooks per run.

  1. 01

    Load background

    The agent reads the technical-writing skill first.

  2. 02

    Check structure

    Scope in the title, a risk legend, a TL;DR happy path, then numbered steps.

  3. 03

    Check commands

    Each command must paste as-is with concrete example values.

  4. 04

    Check rollback

    Each state change names its undo, or says plainly it cannot be undone.

  5. 05

    Check the end

    The last section shows the end state and the command that proves it.

  6. 06

    Mark drafts

    Branches with no real run behind them are marked draft and added to the board.

What it may do.
Nothing more.

Safe by defaultIt writes only in its own folder and asks you before anything goes out.

Is it for you?
Use it when it fits.

Quick checkRead both lists. If the left one sounds like you, the Writing Runbooks skill helps.

Use it when

  • ✓ Writing a runbook or setup guide
  • ✓ Writing a migration or deprecation guide
  • ✓ Adding troubleshooting entries

Skip it when

  • – Design rationale
  • – Reference material nobody executes

Questions

Writing Runbooks skill, answered.

Does it cover migration guides?

Yes, with five extra rules: a mapping table, rollback per step, dated deprecations and a stated completion condition, with history allowed as content.

What about a procedure nobody has run?

It stays a draft until someone runs it for real.

How are troubleshooting entries checked?

Symptom first, with the exact error strings, the cause and the fix commands.

How do I install the Writing Runbooks skill?

Copy the prompt at the top into your agent. It installs the skill from riekelt/technical-writer and sets up the habit. Or run npx skills add riekelt/technical-writer --skill writing-runbooks.

Is the Writing Runbooks skill free?

Yes. It is published under MIT. Habit is free too.

Writing Runbooks. Now as a habit.

Install the Writing Runbooks skill and make it a habit: follow https://gethabit.dev/skills/riekelt/writing-runbooks.md

  • Free
  • No account
  • Undo in one line

All riekelt skills →More ops skills →

Works in

  • Claude Code
  • Codex
  • Cursor
  • ChatGPT
  • Claude app

Made by riekelt, published under MIT. Habit links to the original and never changes it. Is this your skill?

Copying didn't work here. Select the line and copy it by hand.