dependency-updater
Smart dependency management for any language. Auto-detects project type, applies safe updates automatically, prompts for major versions, diagnoses and fixes dependency issues.
Install with Tessl CLI
npx tessl i github:softaworks/agent-toolkit --skill dependency-updaterOverall
score
79%
Does it follow best practices?
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npx tessl skill review --optimize ./path/to/skillValidation for skill structure
Discovery
60%Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.
The description effectively communicates specific capabilities with concrete actions like auto-detection, safe updates, and issue diagnosis. However, it lacks an explicit 'Use when...' clause and misses natural trigger terms users would say (like specific package managers or file names). The 'any language' scope, while accurate, reduces distinctiveness.
Suggestions
Add a 'Use when...' clause with explicit triggers like 'Use when updating packages, resolving version conflicts, or working with package.json, requirements.txt, Cargo.toml, or similar dependency files.'
Include natural user terms like 'npm', 'pip', 'yarn', 'outdated packages', 'version conflicts', 'package updates' to improve trigger term coverage.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Lists multiple specific concrete actions: 'Auto-detects project type', 'applies safe updates automatically', 'prompts for major versions', 'diagnoses and fixes dependency issues'. These are clear, actionable capabilities. | 3 / 3 |
Completeness | Clearly answers 'what does this do' with specific actions, but lacks an explicit 'Use when...' clause. The 'when' is only implied through the capabilities listed, not explicitly stated. | 2 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Contains 'dependency management', 'updates', and 'dependency issues' which are relevant, but misses common user terms like 'npm', 'pip', 'package.json', 'requirements.txt', 'outdated packages', 'version conflicts', or specific package manager names. | 2 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | 'Dependency management' is fairly specific but 'any language' is broad. Could potentially overlap with language-specific build tools or package manager skills. The phrase 'diagnoses and fixes' could conflict with general debugging skills. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 9 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
85%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This is a well-structured, highly actionable skill with excellent progressive disclosure through collapsible sections. The workflow is clear with proper validation steps. Main weakness is some verbosity in explaining concepts Claude already knows (semver basics, range specifiers) that could be trimmed to improve token efficiency.
Suggestions
Remove or significantly condense the 'Version Strategies' deep dive section - Claude understands semantic versioning and range specifiers
Consider moving the 'Related Tools' and 'Script Reference' sections to a separate REFERENCE.md file to reduce main skill length
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | The skill is comprehensive but includes some redundant information Claude already knows (semantic versioning explanation, range specifiers). The deep dive sections add bulk that could be trimmed or better externalized. | 2 / 3 |
Actionability | Provides fully executable commands for each language with specific tools, flags, and copy-paste ready examples. The commands by language section is particularly actionable with real bash commands. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | Clear 7-step workflow with explicit validation checkpoints (security audit at end, verification checklist). The flowchart visualization and step-by-step breakdown make the process unambiguous with proper feedback loops. | 3 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | Excellent use of collapsible details sections for deep dives, keeping the main content scannable. Quick reference tables at top, detailed information hidden but accessible. One-level-deep organization throughout. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 11 / 12 Passed |
Validation
88%Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.
Validation — 14 / 16 Passed
Validation for skill structure
| Criteria | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
description_trigger_hint | Description may be missing an explicit 'when to use' trigger hint (e.g., 'Use when...') | Warning |
body_output_format | No obvious output/return/format terms detected; consider specifying expected outputs | Warning |
Total | 14 / 16 Passed | |
- Reviewed
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