@agent-compose/cli 0.2.0 → 0.2.2

package/dist/index.js

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { createRequire } from "node:module";
 var __require = /* @__PURE__ */ createRequire(import.meta.url);
 
 // src/index.ts
-import { readFileSync as readFileSync4 } from "node:fs";
+import { readFileSync as readFileSync5 } from "node:fs";
 import { fileURLToPath as fileURLToPath2 } from "node:url";
 import { program } from "commander";
 
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ var registerCommand = new Command("register").description("Register a workflow w
   while (Date.now() < deadline) {
     const { status } = await client.getStatus(runId);
     if (status === "success") {
-      console.log(`✓ Snapshot ready — other workflows can now reference \`snapshots: { bootFrom: { workflow: "${name}" } }\``);
+      console.log(`✓ Snapshot ready. Run \`agentc snapshot list --factory ${opts.factory ?? "default"} --workflow ${name}\` to find the snapshot id, then reference it as \`snapshots: { bootFrom: { snapshotId: "<id>" } }\` on another workflow.`);
       return;
     }
     if (status === "failed" || status === "abandoned") {
@@ -240,11 +240,7 @@ var registerCommand = new Command("register").description("Register a workflow w
   process.exit(1);
 });
 function formatBootFrom(b) {
-  if (b.snapshotId)
-    return `snapshot ${b.snapshotId}`;
-  if (b.workflow)
-    return b.version ? `${b.workflow}@${b.version}` : `${b.workflow} (latest)`;
-  return "(unknown)";
+  return `snapshot ${b.snapshotId}`;
 }
 
 // src/commands/invoke.ts
@@ -1163,9 +1159,144 @@ var listCommand2 = new Command13("list").description("List events for a run, or
 });
 var eventsCommand = new Command13("events").description("Send or list run events (Events API)").addCommand(sendCommand).addCommand(listCommand2);
 
+// src/update-check.ts
+import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { mkdirSync as mkdirSync2, readFileSync as readFileSync4, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { homedir as homedir3 } from "node:os";
+import { join as join3 } from "node:path";
+import { createInterface } from "node:readline/promises";
+import pc4 from "picocolors";
+var PACKAGE_NAME = "@agent-compose/cli";
+var CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+var FETCH_TIMEOUT_MS = 2000;
+function cachePath() {
+  const xdg = process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME?.trim();
+  return join3(xdg && xdg.length > 0 ? xdg : join3(homedir3(), ".config"), "agentc", "update-check.json");
+}
+function shouldSkip() {
+  if (process.env.AGENTC_NO_UPDATE_CHECK === "1")
+    return true;
+  if (process.env.CI === "true" || process.env.GITHUB_ACTIONS === "true" || process.env.BUILDKITE === "true" || process.env.CIRCLECI === "true" || process.env.GITLAB_CI === "true" || process.env.JENKINS_URL !== undefined)
+    return true;
+  return false;
+}
+function isNewer(latest, current) {
+  const parse = (v) => {
+    const m = v.match(/^(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+)$/);
+    if (!m)
+      return null;
+    return [Number(m[1]), Number(m[2]), Number(m[3])];
+  };
+  const a = parse(latest);
+  const b = parse(current);
+  if (!a || !b)
+    return false;
+  for (let i = 0;i < 3; i++) {
+    if (a[i] > b[i])
+      return true;
+    if (a[i] < b[i])
+      return false;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+function readCache() {
+  try {
+    const raw = readFileSync4(cachePath(), "utf8");
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
+    if (typeof parsed.checkedAt !== "number")
+      return null;
+    return {
+      checkedAt: parsed.checkedAt,
+      latestVersion: typeof parsed.latestVersion === "string" ? parsed.latestVersion : null
+    };
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+function writeCache(entry) {
+  try {
+    const path = cachePath();
+    mkdirSync2(join3(path, ".."), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(path, JSON.stringify(entry, null, 2) + `
+`, "utf8");
+  } catch {}
+}
+async function fetchLatest() {
+  const controller = new AbortController;
+  const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), FETCH_TIMEOUT_MS);
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch(`https://registry.npmjs.org/${PACKAGE_NAME}/latest`, {
+      signal: controller.signal,
+      headers: { Accept: "application/json" }
+    });
+    if (!res.ok)
+      return null;
+    const body = await res.json();
+    return typeof body.version === "string" ? body.version : null;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(timeout);
+  }
+}
+async function promptYesNo(question) {
+  const rl = createInterface({ input: process.stdin, output: process.stderr });
+  try {
+    const answer = (await rl.question(question)).trim().toLowerCase();
+    return answer === "y" || answer === "yes";
+  } finally {
+    rl.close();
+  }
+}
+async function resolveLatest() {
+  const cached = readCache();
+  if (cached && Date.now() - cached.checkedAt < CHECK_INTERVAL_MS) {
+    return cached.latestVersion;
+  }
+  const latest = await fetchLatest();
+  writeCache({ checkedAt: Date.now(), latestVersion: latest });
+  return latest;
+}
+async function checkForUpdate(currentVersion) {
+  if (shouldSkip())
+    return;
+  const latest = await resolveLatest();
+  if (!latest || !isNewer(latest, currentVersion))
+    return;
+  const headline = `${pc4.yellow("●")} agentc ${pc4.bold(latest)} is available (you have ${currentVersion}).`;
+  process.stderr.write(`${headline}
+`);
+  if (!process.stdin.isTTY) {
+    process.stderr.write(`  Run ${pc4.cyan("npm install -g " + PACKAGE_NAME + "@latest")} to update.
+`);
+    return;
+  }
+  const confirm = await promptYesNo(`  Install now? [y/${pc4.bold("N")}] `);
+  if (!confirm)
+    return;
+  process.stderr.write(`  Running ${pc4.cyan("npm install -g " + PACKAGE_NAME + "@latest")} …
+`);
+  const result = spawnSync("npm", ["install", "-g", `${PACKAGE_NAME}@latest`], {
+    stdio: "inherit"
+  });
+  if (result.status !== 0) {
+    process.stderr.write(`${pc4.red("✗")} Install failed. Run the command above manually.
+`);
+    return;
+  }
+  process.stderr.write(`${pc4.green("✓")} Installed ${pc4.bold(`agentc ${latest}`)}. ` + `Re-run your command to use the new version.
+`);
+  process.exit(0);
+}
+
 // src/index.ts
-var pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync4(fileURLToPath2(new URL("../package.json", import.meta.url)), "utf8"));
+var pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync5(fileURLToPath2(new URL("../package.json", import.meta.url)), "utf8"));
 program.name("agentc").description("CLI for agent-compose — register, invoke, and monitor workflows").version(pkg.version);
+program.hook("preAction", async () => {
+  try {
+    await checkForUpdate(pkg.version);
+  } catch {}
+});
 program.addCommand(registerCommand);
 program.addCommand(invokeCommand);
 program.addCommand(listCommand);

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@agent-compose/cli",
-  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "version": "0.2.2",
   "description": "Command-line interface for agent-compose — register, invoke, and monitor workflows from your terminal.",
   "license": "MIT",
   "repository": {

package/skills/ac:demo.md

@@ -30,9 +30,13 @@ Make sure the user understands the three primitives before you start
 typing. Keep it brief — they can read [`docs/how-it-works.md`](../../docs/how-it-works.md)
 for the full version.
 
-> **Workflow** — `async (ctx, sandbox) => T`. The function you author.
-> Owns the run end-to-end: orchestrates phases, kicks off agent loops,
-> writes metadata, returns a structured result.
+> **Workflow** — the unit of work you author. Two shapes are valid:
+> a single `async (ctx, sandbox) => T` body (run-form, agent-driven)
+> or a typed pipeline of `defineStep(...)` objects composed with
+> `defineWorkflow({...}).step(s1).step(s2).build()` (step-form). The
+> demo below uses run-form because the body is a single agent loop;
+> step-form is the right shape when the work decomposes into phases
+> with typed handoffs.
 
 > **Agent loop** — `agent({ runtime, prompt, ... })`. Embedded inside
 > the workflow body. Drives one iteration cycle of an LLM agent against

package/skills/ac:generate-workflow.md

@@ -7,131 +7,352 @@ effort: high
 
 # Generate Workflow
 
-Interactively scaffold a new workflow from a plain-English description.
-
-> **Mental model.** A workflow is `async (ctx, sandbox) => T`. The `ctx`
-> exposes `run`, `input?`, `setMetadata`, and `step` (for named timeline
-> phases). The `sandbox` is the runner's own VM — pass it to
-> `agent({ sandbox, ... })` and to any helper that takes a
-> `SandboxProvider`. Agent loops live *inside* the workflow body via
-> `agent`. There's no `defineAgent` / `spawnAgent` model anymore.
-
-## Steps
-
-1. Ask the user:
-   - What should this workflow do? (plain English — describe the phases,
-     their inputs/outputs, and any external calls.)
-   - Workflow name? (kebab-case, e.g. `code-review`)
-   - Where to create it? (project-relative path, e.g. `src/workflows/`)
-   - Runtime for agent loops? (default `claudeRuntime`)
-   - Network policy needed? (which domains + which brokered secrets to inject?)
-   - Capture a snapshot on success? (default off; on for setup/environment
-     workflows whose end-state other workflows boot from)
-   - Boot this run from another workflow's snapshot? (default no — fresh
-     `node24` base sandbox)
-   - Enable the built-in memory extractor? (default off — opt in only when
-     this workflow's events are worth memorising AND the `workflow-memory`
-     template is registered in the same factory)
-   - Additional post-hooks? (ordered list of workflow names that fan out
-     after this run completes)
-
-2. If the user has a reference workflow in their project, read it to match
-   their conventions (prompt structure, error handling). Otherwise follow
-   the patterns in [`sdk/README.md`](../../sdk/README.md) and the example
-   in [`docs/how-it-works.md`](../../docs/how-it-works.md).
-
-3. Generate a complete, real implementation:
-
-   ```ts
-   import { defineWorkflow, agent, claudeRuntime } from "@agent-compose/sdk";
-   import PROMPT from "./prompt.md" with { type: "text" };
-
-   export default defineWorkflow({
-     async run(ctx, sandbox) {
-       // Phase 1 — wrap any non-agent setup in ctx.step() so it shows
-       // up on the timeline with its own duration:
-       const data = await ctx.step("fetch-input", async () => {
-         // pure-server work, fetches, etc.
-       });
-
-       // Phase 2 — agent loop. Each `agent` is one iteration cycle
-       // with its own prompt + tool allowlist + budget.
-       const result = await agent({
-         sandbox,
-         runtime:    claudeRuntime,
-         prompt:     `${PROMPT}\n\nContext: ${JSON.stringify(data)}`,
-         tools:      ["Read", "Write", "Edit", "Bash", "Grep", "Glob"],
-         budget:     { turnsPerIteration: 40, maxIterations: 6 },
-         // responseSchema: MyZodSchema,   // for typed handoffs
-       });
-
-       await ctx.setMetadata({ summary: result.status?.summary });
-       return { ok: !!result.status?.completed };
-     },
-
-     // ── Optional metadata picked up by the bundler at registration ──
-     //
-     // networkPolicy / placeholders — outbound traffic + brokered secrets:
-     //
-     //   networkPolicy: {
-     //     allow: {
-     //       "api.github.com": [{ transform: [{ headers: {
-     //         Authorization: "basic:$GITHUB_TOKEN",
-     //       } }] }],
-     //       "*.openai.com":   [{ transform: [{ headers: {
-     //         "OpenAI-Beta":  "$OPENAI_BETA_HEADER",
-     //       } }] }],
-     //     },
-     //   },
-     //   // Placeholder values the runner sees in env vars AFTER brokering.
-     //   // The real secret never enters the VM — Vercel's firewall
-     //   // substitutes it on the way out. Only needed when a tool /
-     //   // SDK validates the env-var format on startup.
-     //   placeholders: { GITHUB_TOKEN: "ghp_" + "x".repeat(36) },
-     //
-     // snapshots — all snapshot config in one object:
-     //
-     //   snapshots: {
-     //     // Boot from a specific captured snapshot. Pick the id from
-     //     // `agentc snapshot list` or the factory snapshots page.
-     //     bootFrom:    { snapshotId: "snap_abc…" },
-     //     saveLatest:  true,    // capture sandbox on success
-     //     retainSteps: false,   // keep one snapshot per successful step
-     //   },
-     //
-     // memory — opt-in (default false). Requires `workflow-memory` to
-     //          be registered in this factory.
-     //   memory: true,
-     //
-     // postRunHooks — ordered list of workflow names that run after this:
-     //   postRunHooks: ["audit-trail", "notify-slack"],
-   });
-   ```
-
-   - Always declare the return type (or let TS infer + show it on hover).
-   - Use `Promise.all` to fan out independent `agent` calls.
-   - Use `ctx.step("phase-name", () => …)` for any named non-agent phase.
-
-4. Show the complete file plus a separate `prompt.md` (or per-phase
-   prompts) and confirm before writing.
-
-5. Write the files, then suggest the user run `bun run typecheck` (or
-   their project's equivalent) to validate.
-
-6. Tell the user: `agentc register <path>` to register, then
-   `agentc invoke <name> --follow` to test.
+Walk the user through building a new workflow, **in their own words**.
+This skill is used by operators and product folks as well as engineers
+— ask questions in plain language and decide the shape internally.
+
+## What to ask the user
+
+Ask these one at a time. Keep the language non-technical. Don't ask
+about "step-form vs run-form" — that's an internal call.
+
+1. **What should this workflow do?**
+   One paragraph in plain English. This becomes the workflow's
+   `description` (shown on the dashboard tile and run page header).
+   Example: "Pulls open pull requests from a GitHub repo, scores each
+   one by review urgency, and posts the top five to Slack."
+
+2. **What information does it take in?**
+   Walk through each input field: a short name, a type (text, number,
+   yes/no, list, object), and a one-line description of what it's for.
+   Each field's description becomes a `.describe(...)` on the zod
+   schema so it shows up in the dashboard's Input panel.
+
+3. **What does it produce?**
+   Same pattern for the output. Fields + types + per-field
+   descriptions. The dashboard's Output panel renders these straight
+   from the schema.
+
+4. **Where should it live?**
+   Project-relative path, e.g. `src/workflows/`. Also ask for a
+   kebab-case name if one isn't obvious from the description.
+
+5. **Does it need to call external services?**
+   If yes, ask which (GitHub, Slack, OpenAI, an internal API, etc.).
+   You'll generate a network policy + brokered-secret stubs.
+
+6. **Should it run on a schedule?**
+   If yes, ask for the cadence in plain English ("every weekday at 9am
+   ET", "every hour", "the 1st of every month"). Convert to cron
+   yourself.
+
+7. **Anything else worth recording?**
+   Optional. Most workflows are fine without this.
+
+**Do NOT ask** the user about:
+
+- step-form vs run-form
+- sandbox environments / dependency installation
+- snapshots: `saveLatest`, `retainSteps`, `bootFrom`
+- `memory` / `postRunHooks` / `processors`
+
+Decide those internally based on what they described (see the
+"Internal decisions" section below).
+
+## Internal decisions
+
+After answering the questions above, decide the shape WITHOUT asking:
+
+### Pick the workflow shape
+
+- **Step-form** (`defineWorkflow({...}).step(s1).step(s2).build()` with
+  `defineStep(...)` objects) — pick this when the body decomposes
+  cleanly into named phases with typed handoffs. Each step's output
+  threads into the next step's input. The dashboard renders each step
+  as a typed phase with its own duration. Examples: ETL pipelines,
+  classification → enrichment → publish, fetch → score → rank.
+
+- **Run-form** (one `async (ctx, sandbox)` body with `agent({...})`
+  calls inside) — pick this when the body is dominated by one or more
+  agent loops. Decomposing an LLM iteration into typed engine steps is
+  the wrong shape. Use `ctx.step("phase-name", () => …)` inside the
+  body for observability sub-events when there's pre-agent setup
+  worth tracing on the run timeline.
+
+When the user's description says "agent", "LLM", "the model decides",
+"reasons through", "writes a summary based on", "navigates the
+website" — that's run-form. When they describe deterministic phases
+that each transform structured data — that's step-form. If genuinely
+mixed, default to run-form and use `ctx.step` for the deterministic
+phases.
+
+### Should it have a sandbox environment?
+
+If the workflow needs specific tools, CLIs, or installed packages in
+its runner VM (Playwright + Chromium, a specific Node version, an SDK
+that needs `npm install`-ing first), it needs a **sandbox
+environment** to capture that pre-installed state. The user doesn't
+need to know about this — you decide.
+
+When you decide a sandbox env is needed:
+
+1. Generate a small `defineSandboxEnvironment` workflow alongside the
+   user's workflow. Name it after the deps it captures (e.g.
+   `playwright-env`).
+2. Register that first with `agentc register --build` so the snapshot
+   is captured.
+3. Reference the captured snapshot from the user's workflow via
+   `snapshots: { bootFrom: { snapshotId: "<id from the env's first
+   run>" } }`.
+4. Tell the user about it in user terms: "I'll also create a one-time
+   setup workflow `playwright-env` that installs Playwright. We
+   register that first to capture a baseline image, then your workflow
+   boots from that image so it doesn't reinstall on every run."
+
+Most workflows DO NOT need this. Default to no sandbox env.
+
+### Always include in the generated file
+
+- `description: "..."` on the `defineWorkflow` / `defineSandboxEnvironment`
+  call — straight from the user's question 1 answer.
+- `.describe("...")` on **every** zod schema field — from the user's
+  question 2 + 3 answers. Schema descriptions appear in the dashboard
+  IO panels; without them, fields show only their type.
+- `.describe("...")` on the root schema too where helpful — surfaces
+  at the panel header.
+
+## Templates
+
+Generate the appropriate template based on your internal shape
+decision.
+
+### Template A — step-form (typed pipeline)
+
+```ts
+import { defineWorkflow, defineStep } from "@agent-compose/sdk";
+import { z } from "zod";
+
+const InputSchema = z.object({
+  repo:  z.string().describe("GitHub repository as `owner/name`"),
+  limit: z.number().int().positive().describe("Maximum number of PRs to score"),
+}).describe("Inputs for the PR triage workflow");
+
+const FetchOutput = z.object({
+  prs: z.array(z.object({
+    number: z.number().describe("PR number"),
+    title:  z.string().describe("PR title"),
+    author: z.string().describe("PR author's GitHub login"),
+  })).describe("Open PRs pulled from GitHub"),
+});
+
+const ScoreOutput = z.object({
+  scored: z.array(z.object({
+    number: z.number().describe("PR number"),
+    score:  z.number().describe("Review-urgency score, 0..1"),
+  })).describe("PRs scored by review urgency"),
+});
+
+const OutputSchema = z.object({
+  top: z.array(z.object({
+    number: z.number().describe("PR number"),
+    score:  z.number().describe("Review-urgency score, 0..1"),
+  })).describe("The top-scoring PRs, descending by score"),
+}).describe("Top PRs surfaced by the triage workflow");
+
+const fetchStep = defineStep({
+  name:   "fetch-prs",
+  input:  InputSchema,
+  output: FetchOutput,
+  run: async ({ input }) => {
+    // Pure server-side work: fetch, parse, transform.
+    return { prs: [/* ... */] };
+  },
+});
+
+const scoreStep = defineStep({
+  name:   "score-prs",
+  input:  FetchOutput,
+  output: ScoreOutput,
+  run: ({ input }) => ({
+    scored: input.prs.map(p => ({ number: p.number, score: 0 })),
+  }),
+});
+
+const pickTopStep = defineStep({
+  name:   "pick-top",
+  input:  ScoreOutput,
+  output: OutputSchema,
+  run: ({ input }) => ({ top: input.scored.slice(0, 5) }),
+});
+
+export default defineWorkflow({
+  id:          "pr-triage",
+  description: "Pulls open PRs from a GitHub repo, scores each one by review urgency, surfaces the top five.",
+  input:       InputSchema,
+  output:      OutputSchema,
+})
+  .step(fetchStep)
+  .step(scoreStep)
+  .step(pickTopStep)
+  .build();
+```
+
+Notes:
+- Each step's `output` schema must satisfy the next step's `input`
+  schema (the SDK enforces this at `defineWorkflow().step(...)` time
+  via TS inference). Reshape inside the upstream step's `run` body,
+  not at the boundary.
+- Step bodies don't receive a `sandbox`. If a step needs to run code
+  inside the runner VM, that's the agent-driven shape — use run-form.
+
+### Template B — run-form (agent-driven body)
+
+```ts
+import { defineWorkflow, agent, claudeRuntime } from "@agent-compose/sdk";
+import { z } from "zod";
+import PROMPT from "./prompt.md" with { type: "text" };
+
+const InputSchema = z.object({
+  repo: z.string().describe("GitHub repository as `owner/name`"),
+}).describe("Inputs for the code review agent");
+
+const OutputSchema = z.object({
+  ok:      z.boolean().describe("True when the agent finished its review"),
+  summary: z.string().optional().describe("One-paragraph summary of the agent's findings"),
+}).describe("Result of the code review agent");
+
+export default defineWorkflow({
+  description: "Runs an LLM agent that reviews recent changes in a repo and writes a summary.",
+  input:       InputSchema,
+  output:      OutputSchema,
+
+  async run(ctx, sandbox) {
+    // Pre-agent setup. `ctx.step("phase", () => ...)` is for the run
+    // timeline — emits step_started / step_completed events. It's
+    // observability sugar, not an engine step.
+    const data = await ctx.step("fetch-input", async () => {
+      // pure-server fetch / preparation
+      return { /* ... */ };
+    });
+
+    // Agent loop — the LLM iterates against the sandbox until it
+    // emits `exit_signal: true` or hits the budget.
+    const result = await agent({
+      sandbox,
+      runtime:    claudeRuntime,
+      prompt:     `${PROMPT}\n\nContext: ${JSON.stringify(data)}`,
+      tools:      ["Read", "Write", "Edit", "Bash", "Grep", "Glob"],
+      budget:     { turnsPerIteration: 40, maxIterations: 6 },
+      // responseSchema: MyZodSchema,   // for typed handoffs
+    });
+
+    await ctx.setMetadata({ summary: result.status?.summary });
+    return {
+      ok:      !!result.status?.completed,
+      summary: result.status?.summary,
+    };
+  },
+
+  // ── Optional metadata, attached by the bundler at registration ──
+  //
+  // networkPolicy: outbound traffic + brokered secret substitution.
+  //   networkPolicy: {
+  //     allow: {
+  //       "api.github.com": [{ transform: [{ headers: {
+  //         Authorization: "basic:$GITHUB_TOKEN",
+  //       } }] }],
+  //     },
+  //   },
+  //   // Placeholder values the runner sees in env vars AFTER brokering.
+  //   // Only needed when a tool / SDK validates the env var format on
+  //   // startup. The real secret never enters the VM — Vercel's
+  //   // firewall substitutes it on the way out.
+  //   placeholders: { GITHUB_TOKEN: "ghp_" + "x".repeat(36) },
+  //
+  // snapshots — boot source + capture mode:
+  //   snapshots: {
+  //     bootFrom:    { snapshotId: "snap_abc…" },
+  //     saveLatest:  true,
+  //     retainSteps: false,
+  //   },
+  //
+  // memory — opt-in. Requires `workflow-memory` to be registered in
+  // this factory.
+  //   memory: true,
+  //
+  // postRunHooks — workflows that run after this one completes:
+  //   postRunHooks: ["audit-trail", "notify-slack"],
+});
+```
+
+Notes:
+- Always declare the return type (or let TS infer + show it on hover).
+- `Promise.all` to fan out independent `agent` calls.
+- `ctx.step("phase-name", () => …)` for any named non-agent phase
+  worth showing on the dashboard timeline.
+
+### Sandbox environment companion (only when you decided one is needed)
+
+```ts
+// playwright-env.ts — captures a baseline VM with Playwright pre-installed.
+// Register this first with `agentc register playwright-env.ts --build`
+// so the snapshot exists before user workflows reference it.
+import { defineSandboxEnvironment } from "@agent-compose/sdk";
+
+export default defineSandboxEnvironment({
+  name:        "playwright-env",
+  description: "Sandbox with Playwright + Chromium installed for browser-using agents.",
+  setup: async (sb) => {
+    await sb.commands.run("sudo npm install -g playwright");
+    await sb.commands.run("sudo npx playwright install --with-deps chromium");
+  },
+});
+```
+
+After `agentc register --build` succeeds, the CLI prints a snapshot
+id; reference it on the user workflow:
+
+```ts
+export default defineWorkflow({
+  description: "...",
+  input: InputSchema,
+  output: OutputSchema,
+  snapshots: { bootFrom: { snapshotId: "<id from --build>" } },
+  // ...
+});
+```
+
+## Final steps
+
+1. Show the user the file(s) you plan to write and confirm before
+   writing. In plain language: "I'll create `pr-triage.ts` in
+   `src/workflows/`. It takes `{ repo, limit }` and returns
+   `{ top: [...] }`. Sound right?"
+2. Write the files.
+3. Suggest `bun run typecheck` (or the project's equivalent) to
+   validate.
+4. Tell the user the next commands in plain English:
+   - "To register: `agentc register src/workflows/pr-triage.ts`."
+   - "To test it: `agentc invoke pr-triage --follow`."
+   - (If you added a sandbox env companion: "First register the
+     `playwright-env` workflow with `--build` so the snapshot is
+     captured, then register and invoke `pr-triage`.")
 
 ## When the user asks for memory extraction
 
-The built-in memory extractor (`workflow-memory`) is a separate workflow
-that must be registered in the same factory. Walk them through it:
+The built-in memory extractor (`workflow-memory`) is a separate
+workflow that must be registered in the same factory. Walk them
+through it in user terms:
 
-1. Copy the reference recipe from `templates/workflow-memory.ts` (or
+1. "I'll add the `workflow-memory` recipe to your project."
+   Copy from `templates/workflow-memory.ts` (or
    `.agentc/smoketest/workflows/workflow-memory.ts` for the smoke
-   variant) into their project.
-2. `agentc register ./workflow-memory.ts` to install it.
-3. Set `memory: true` on the source workflow(s) — done.
+   variant).
+2. "Run `agentc register ./workflow-memory.ts` once to install it."
+3. "Now any workflow with `memory: true` will trigger it after each
+   successful run."
 
-If they want to skip the built-in and run custom post-run workflows,
-use `postRunHooks: [...]` instead. Each post-hook is dispatched in order
-with the source run's full context.
+For custom post-run workflows (analytics, audit, notifications)
+without the built-in extractor, use `postRunHooks: [...]` instead.
+Each post-hook runs in declaration order with the source run's full
+context.

package/skills/ac:snapshots.md

@@ -107,8 +107,16 @@ export default defineWorkflow({
 // On every successful run — captures the sandbox VM after the last step:
 defineWorkflow({ snapshots: { saveLatest: true }, run: ... });
 
-// Retain one per step (storage scales with step count):
-defineWorkflow({ snapshots: { saveLatest: true, retainSteps: true }, run: ... });
+// Retain one snapshot per step (storage scales linearly with step count).
+// Most useful with step-form workflows where each `.step(definedStep)`
+// is a distinct engine step; a run-form workflow has only one outer
+// "run" step, so `retainSteps: true` there behaves the same as
+// `saveLatest: true` alone.
+defineWorkflow({ id: "pipeline", input, output, snapshots: { saveLatest: true, retainSteps: true } })
+  .step(fetchStep)
+  .step(scoreStep)
+  .step(pickTopStep)
+  .build();
 ```
 
 Per-invocation override: