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hmdb-database

Access Human Metabolome Database (220K+ metabolites). Search by name/ID/structure, retrieve chemical properties, biomarker data, NMR/MS spectra, pathways, for metabolomics and identification.

54

Quality

68%

Does it follow best practices?

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SecuritybySnyk

Low

Low-risk findings worth noting

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tessl review fix ./backend/cli/skills/databases/hmdb-database/SKILL.md
SKILL.md
Quality
Evals
Security

Quality

Content

53%Weight 40%Scale 1-5

Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.

A well-organized reference-style skill that shines at database facts and honest capability boundaries (no public API, licensing requirements), with clear numbered workflows. It is weakened by descriptive rather than executable guidance — only one install command and no worked code examples — plus generic best-practice padding.

Suggestions

Add a short executable example using the hmdbQuery R package (or XML parsing of a downloaded dataset) so at least one programmatic path is copy-paste ready.

Trim the generic "Best Practices" section (citation, version-tracking, caching advice) to the few points that are HMDB-specific.

Move the detailed field lists from the body into `references/hmdb_data_fields.md` and reference it earlier with a clearer callout.

DimensionReasoningScore

Conciseness

Most content is HMDB-specific facts Claude cannot know (entry counts, formats, contacts), which earns its place. However, generic best-practice filler ("Check experimental vs. predicted data quality indicators", "Consider local caching", "Always cite HMDB in publications") and a long recitation of database contents could be trimmed. Anti-drift check: anchor 2's "several unnecessary explanations or padded sections" is too harsh; anchor 4's "minor instances" understates the padding present.

3 / 5

Actionability

There is some concrete guidance — the download URL, the `BiocManager::install("hmdbQuery")` command, contact emails, file format recommendations — but most of the body describes capabilities rather than instructs, and workflows lack executable specifics (e.g., a worked hmdbQuery example or URL query patterns). This matches the anchor for "some concrete guidance but incomplete; missing key details".

3 / 5

Workflow Clarity

Four workflows (identification, biomarker discovery, pathway analysis, database integration) are clearly numbered and logically ordered, and workflow 1 includes a verification step ("Verify candidates by checking molecular weight, retention time, and MS-MS fragmentation"). But the other three lack validation checkpoints, and steps remain implicit rather than executable — fitting the anchor "sequence present but checkpoints missing or implicit". The destructive/batch cap does not apply since these are read-only research workflows.

3 / 5

Progressive Disclosure

The body is a well-sectioned overview (capabilities, downloads, API access, workflows) and the one bundle file, `references/hmdb_data_fields.md`, exists and is referenced one level deep ("See references/hmdb_data_fields.md for detailed information about available data fields"). Scored against the actual bundle per the rubric guideline; not a 5 because the single reference is only mentioned once at the very end and detailed data-field material from the body could be consolidated there.

4 / 5

Total

13

/

20

Passed

Description

70%Weight 40%Scale 1-5

Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.

A strong, information-dense description that names concrete capabilities in third person with good domain keywords. Its main weakness is the absence of an explicit "Use when..." trigger clause, which caps completeness and slightly weakens when-to-use guidance.

Suggestions

Append an explicit trigger clause, e.g., "Use when working with metabolomics data, metabolite identification, biomarker lookup, or when the user mentions HMDB, metabolites, or small-molecule spectra."

Add one or two more natural user synonyms such as "metabolite" and "small molecule" to broaden keyword coverage.

DimensionReasoningScore

Specificity

"Search by name/ID/structure, retrieve chemical properties, biomarker data, NMR/MS spectra, pathways" lists several concrete, distinct actions against a named database. Not a 5 because capabilities like bulk downloads, format options, and the lack of a public API are absent, leaving minor coverage gaps.

4 / 5

Completeness

The "what" is clear (search and retrieve specified data types), but there is no explicit "Use when..." clause; the trailing "for metabolomics and identification" only weakly implies when. Per the rubric guideline, a missing explicit trigger clause caps completeness at 3.

3 / 5

Trigger Term Quality

Natural domain terms are present — "metabolomics", "identification", "biomarker", "NMR/MS spectra", "pathways", "Human Metabolome Database" — which users in this space would actually say. A few natural variations are missing (e.g., "metabolite", "spectral matching", "small molecule"), keeping it just below comprehensive.

4 / 5

Distinctiveness Conflict Risk

The description targets a clearly named niche resource (Human Metabolome Database, 220K+ metabolites) with domain-specific terms (NMR/MS spectra, biomarker data, metabolomics), making conflicts with other skills very unlikely. Anti-drift check: anchor 4 (minor overlap with closely related skills) does not fit better since no other common skill covers HMDB.

5 / 5

Total

16

/

20

Passed

Validation

87%

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

CriteriaDescriptionResult

metadata_version

'metadata.version' is missing

Warning

frontmatter_unknown_keys

Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata

Warning

Total

14

/

16

Passed

Repository

synthetic-sciences/openscience

Path

backend/cli/skills/databases/hmdb-database/SKILL.md

Reviewed

Table of Contents

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