Herdr Observer Skill

This skill is an action router — pick the step that matches the user's intent and execute only that step. Do not run other steps; do not parallelize.

Resolve references from the verified plugin root; commands use HS. Before executing command blocks, read Installed Skill Lookup:

skills/herdr-foreman/references/bootstrap.md

observer.sh exits 0 with JSON on success. Exit 2 reports refused or invalid input or unavailable state; launcher failures also exit nonzero. Errors include an actionable stderr diagnostic. On nonzero, finish the selected action after reporting the diagnostic. Restore the named input, installation, native context or private store, and inspect status before retrying that action.

Step 1 — Start Observation

Use a dedicated named native Herdr agent. Keep its model appropriate to periodic analysis; the observer's own effort belongs in the assessment. This role neither occupies a delivery assignment nor runs the foreman's workflow. If provisioning is needed, read herdr --skill for the installed runtime's launch contract; start collection from that new agent. Continue delivery independently of observer availability.

HS=.tessl/plugins/jbaruch/herdr-policy/skills/herdr-observer/; [ -d "$HS" ] || HS="$HOME/$HS"; [ -d "$HS" ] || case "$(git config --get remote.origin.url)" in git@github.com:jbaruch/herdr-policy|git@github.com:jbaruch/herdr-policy.git|https://github.com/jbaruch/herdr-policy|https://github.com/jbaruch/herdr-policy.git|ssh://git@github.com/jbaruch/herdr-policy|ssh://git@github.com/jbaruch/herdr-policy.git) HS=skills/herdr-observer/ ;; *) echo "herdr-policy skill not found: install jbaruch/herdr-policy" >&2; exit 1 ;; esac
bash "$HS/observer.sh" start

The command verifies this native session, registers the observer and starts an idempotent detached collector. Supply --state /absolute/owner/state.json for additional owner paths absent from native discovery; repeat for distinct owners. No worker is prompted. Read the returned status and immediately use Inspect Observer Health from the lifecycle contract as this launch's validation:

skills/herdr-observer/references/storage.md

Then finish the turn so this agent can sleep between wakes. Do not add a model polling loop or keep the foreman supervising the observer.

Step 2 — Analyze Pending Evidence

HS=.tessl/plugins/jbaruch/herdr-policy/skills/herdr-observer/; [ -d "$HS" ] || HS="$HOME/$HS"; [ -d "$HS" ] || case "$(git config --get remote.origin.url)" in git@github.com:jbaruch/herdr-policy|git@github.com:jbaruch/herdr-policy.git|https://github.com/jbaruch/herdr-policy|https://github.com/jbaruch/herdr-policy.git|ssh://git@github.com/jbaruch/herdr-policy|ssh://git@github.com/jbaruch/herdr-policy.git) HS=skills/herdr-observer/ ;; *) echo "herdr-policy skill not found: install jbaruch/herdr-policy" >&2; exit 1 ;; esac
bash "$HS/observer.sh" next

Success returns the saved data.job that caused this wake, plus a private draft_path and latest_sample_at. Use data.job.id as ID and draft_path as DRAFT in the commands below. Check freshness before time-sensitive conclusions and retrieve focused newer evidence as needed. If no job exists, finish silently. Do not reconstruct the entire factory or replay history. For analysis and reporting follow:

skills/herdr-observer/references/analysis.md

Use the contract's complete command blocks to retrieve focused evidence, save a justified private report or acknowledge an uneventful nonweekly job. Finish here after the report or acknowledgement receipt.

Step 3 — Inspect Observer Health

Use Inspect Observer Health in the lifecycle/storage contract. Check the returned running state, sample age, coverage and pending job. For an unexpected exit, inspect its private diagnostic and follow the named repair. Finish here:

skills/herdr-observer/references/storage.md

Step 4 — Stop Observation

Use Stop Observation in the same contract. Confirm its disabled acknowledgement, then finish here:

skills/herdr-observer/references/storage.md