fix(skills): quote argument-hint YAML values so Copilot CLI 1.0.65 loads all skills (fixes #526)#540
Merged
Lum1104 merged 5 commits intoJul 3, 2026
Conversation
…requires string
The `argument-hint` field was wrapped in bare YAML brackets:
argument-hint: ["[path] [--full|--auto-update|...]"]
YAML parses that as a single-element flow-style array, not a string.
Copilot CLI 1.0.65's tightened skill-loader (see release notes) rejects
the skill with `argument-hint must be a string`, so `/understand` stops
appearing in the CLI's command list.
Drop the outer brackets so YAML treats the value as a plain string. VS
Code Agent Skills applies the same rule — `name` and `description` are
the two required fields; other fields must match their declared types.
Refs: github/copilot-cli release 1.0.65
Refs: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agent-customization/agent-skills
Same root cause as the /understand fix: bare bracket syntax parses as a YAML array, and Copilot CLI 1.0.65 rejects non-string `argument-hint` values. Applies to the two skills that take a single free-form user input token: - understand-chat `[query]` → "[query]" - understand-explain `[file-path]` → "[file-path]" Grouped together because both are simple identifier-style hints; the next commit handles path-style hints. Refs: github/copilot-cli release 1.0.65 Refs: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agent-customization/agent-skills
Same YAML bracket → array parsing bug. Applies to the two skills that take a filesystem directory as their argument: - understand-dashboard `[project-path]` → "[project-path]" - understand-knowledge `[wiki-directory]` → "[wiki-directory]" Grouped separately from the query/file-path pair to keep the intent of each hint (single-token vs. directory input) legible in git history. Refs: github/copilot-cli release 1.0.65 Refs: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agent-customization/agent-skills
Called out separately because this value starts with a dash. Even though
YAML's `[--full]` still parses as a one-element array (same failure
mode), the leading `--` matters when reading the diff in isolation:
it's easy to misread as a bash short-option and skip past the fix.
argument-hint: [--full] → argument-hint: "[--full]"
Refs: github/copilot-cli release 1.0.65
Refs: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agent-customization/agent-skills
Cuts a patch release for the argument-hint YAML string fix so that users upgrading Copilot CLI to 1.0.65+ get a clear "install ≥2.8.2" signal instead of a stale skill directory that silently fails to load. Version updated in all five manifests to keep them in lockstep: - .claude-plugin/plugin.json - .copilot-plugin/plugin.json - .cursor-plugin/plugin.json - understand-anything-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json - understand-anything-plugin/package.json Refs: github/copilot-cli release 1.0.65 Refs: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agent-customization/agent-skills
Contributor
Author
|
CI failure isn't related to this code change |
Contributor
This was referenced Jul 3, 2026
fix(skills): quote argument-hint as string (Copilot CLI 1.0.65+ compatibility)
FavioVazquez/sprang#9
Open
Open
Open
Open
This was referenced Jul 4, 2026
8 tasks
This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
Sign up for free
to join this conversation on GitHub.
Already have an account?
Sign in to comment
3 participants
Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.This suggestion is invalid because no changes were made to the code.Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is closed.Suggestions cannot be applied while viewing a subset of changes.Only one suggestion per line can be applied in a batch.Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.Applying suggestions on deleted lines is not supported.You must change the existing code in this line in order to create a valid suggestion.Outdated suggestions cannot be applied.This suggestion has been applied or marked resolved.Suggestions cannot be applied from pending reviews.Suggestions cannot be applied on multi-line comments.Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is queued to merge.Suggestion cannot be applied right now. Please check back later.
Summary
Fixes #526 (dup of #506): after upgrading GitHub Copilot CLI to 1.0.65,
/understandand its sibling commands vanish from the CLI. The new skill loader validatesargument-hintas a string, and 6 of the plugin's SKILL.md files declared it with bare YAML brackets — which YAML parses as an array. The loader silently rejects them.What changed
6 SKILL.md frontmatters + 5 manifest version bumps.
skills/understand/SKILL.md["[path] [--full|...]"]"[path] [--full|...]"skills/understand-chat/SKILL.md[query]"[query]"skills/understand-dashboard/SKILL.md[project-path]"[project-path]"skills/understand-domain/SKILL.md[--full]"[--full]"skills/understand-explain/SKILL.md[file-path]"[file-path]"skills/understand-knowledge/SKILL.md[wiki-directory]"[wiki-directory]"understand-diffandunderstand-onboarddon't declareargument-hintand don't need touching — confirming the loader itself is fine, only the bracket syntax was wrong.Also bumps 2.8.1 → 2.8.2 across the 5 manifests so users upgrading Copilot CLI can pin
≥2.8.2.Why this shape
Both VS Code Agent Skills and GitHub Copilot CLI document
argument-hintas a string — the loader change in Copilot CLI 1.0.65 just enforces the pre-existing contract. The double-quoted-string form is exactly what the reference docs show. See sources below.Commits (split for reviewability)
fix(skills): quote argument-hint in /understand — Copilot CLI 1.0.65 requires string— the primary command, most complex valuefix(skills): quote argument-hint in query/file-path skills—understand-chat+understand-explainfix(skills): quote argument-hint in directory-path skills—understand-dashboard+understand-knowledgefix(skills): quote argument-hint in /understand-domain — flag-style hint— leading--called out separatelychore: bump 2.8.1 → 2.8.2 for Copilot CLI 1.0.65 skill-loader fix— version bump across 5 manifestsVerification
Independently reviewed by four review passes before opening this PR:
|and<lang>are safe inside a double-quoted flow scalar (|only triggers block-scalar mode when it's the value indicator, e.g.key: |).argument-hintis documented as a string — string form is exactly what the docs show).argument-hint;parse-knowledge-base.pyonly parses user-supplied wiki files, not SKILL.md; version bump consistent across all 5 manifests, no stale2.8.1references.argument-hintas a string (rendered in UI)argument-hintis not in the Agent Skills base spec; spec-conformant loaders ignore unknown fields, so the type change is inert to themSources
argument-hintdocumented as a stringargument-hintexample values[issue-number],[filename] [format](rendered as strings)argument-hint; unknown fields ignoredTest plan
pnpm --filter @understand-anything/core buildpasses (verified locally — no core changes, tsc clean)copilot skill listshows all 8 skills after install/understand,/understand-chat,/understand-dashboard,/understand-domain,/understand-explain,/understand-knowledgeappear in the command menu.cursor-plugin/plugin.jsonstill worksCloses #526.
Duplicates / supersedes #506 (same root cause, same fix scope).