This is a template. Replace all
[placeholder]content with your specifics.
When to use
- [Describe the exact situation where this command applies]
- [Describe when NOT to use it, with a common misuse case]
Context validation checkpoints
Before executing any step, verify all of these are true. If any checkpoint fails, stop and explain why to the user.
- [Precondition 1: e.g., "The target branch exists and is up to date with main"]
- [Precondition 2: e.g., "No uncommitted changes in the affected files"]
- [Precondition 3: e.g., "Required config file exists at path X"]
- [Precondition 4: e.g., "Necessary permissions or credentials are available"]
Recipe steps
Step 1: [Action name]
[Clear instructions for this step. Be specific about what to read, what to check, what to write.]
Validation: [How Claude verifies this step completed correctly before moving to Step 2]
Step 2: [Action name]
[Instructions]
Validation: [How to verify]
Step 3: [Action name]
[Instructions]
Validation: [How to verify]
Step 4: Confirm completion
Summarize what was done:
- [Item 1 completed]
- [Item 2 completed]
- Files modified: [list]
- Next action for the user (if any): [instruction]
Error handling
| Situation | Response |
|---|---|
| [Error condition 1] | [What to do: retry / stop / ask user] |
| [Error condition 2] | [What to do] |
| Precondition checkpoint fails | Stop. Explain which checkpoint failed and what the user needs to fix before re-running |
Arguments
If $ARGUMENTS[0] was provided: [how to use it]
If no argument was provided: [default behavior]
The "Context Validation Checkpoints" section is the key pattern from this template. It forces Claude to verify preconditions explicitly rather than discovering failures mid-execution. Inspired by recurring patterns in Packmind commands (Apache 2.0).