compile-intent— agent skill

<what-to-do>

Invoke the compile-intent MCP prompt from the @pathmode/mcp-server. This starts a Socratic conversation that turns a vague problem into a structured intent spec.

For each question you ask, propose your best-guess answer based on the conversation so far. Don't make the user generate from a blank page.

When the spec is ready, call the intent_save MCP tool to write intent.md to the project root.

</what-to-do>

<supporting-info>

Why Socratic, not template

The compile-intent prompt is interrogative on purpose. It pushes back on vague language, challenges unmeasurable outcomes, and forces concrete constraints before moving on. Specs written in one shot tend to be wishful; specs that survive grilling are agent-ready.

Output shape

intent.md at the project root:

---
id: "intent_..."
version: 1
status: "draft"
---
# [Title]

## Objective
[What needs to change and for whom]

## Outcomes
- [ ] [Observable state change, testable in under 5 minutes]

## Edge Cases
- **[Scenario]**: [Expected behavior]

## Constraints
- [Hard limit — what must never happen]

If PATHMODE_API_KEY is set, the spec also syncs to the user's Pathmode workspace and becomes visible to other team members and other agents.

Downstream skills

After compiling, these skills consume the spec:

• grill-intent — re-enter the Socratic loop to find weaknesses before code gets written
• review-against-intent — check code changes against outcomes and constraints
• handoff-intent — capture decisions and discoveries back to the spec at end of session

</supporting-info>