Start with a contextual procedure

A package can contain a checklist, references, examples or document templates without an agent or executable code. It uses the same touba.package.json as a code package.

The useful distinction is in the contents:

• a contextual procedure guides the model;
• a Touba skill is a typed executable capability;
• a tool represents a host operation;
• an agent acts under its declared responsibility and authority.

Create the context

Terminal

touba package new acme.review --context --yes
touba package check review

The author directory review/ contains touba.package.json, SKILL.md, README.md, .gitignore and packages/ for its dependencies. No hashes need manual maintenance. The manifest's contexts entry describes the procedure, resources and activation rules.

To install it in a Touba project, use touba package add ./review. Finish editing first: installed contents are locked.

Without declared tests, touba package test review returns no_tests, not success. Add Node tests for your business criteria before claiming validation.

Discover, then activate

Add these options to your program's run command:

Run options

--skill-pack packages/acme.review#review
--activate-skill-pack skill_pack:acme.review/review
--skill-pack-discovery-max-bytes 4096
--skill-pack-activation-max-bytes 16384
--agent-model-input-max-bytes 65536

The first option makes the context available. Without activation, the provider receives short hints only. Activation loads the procedure and permitted resources with provenance. Options can be repeated. When a package contains several contexts, #<id> selects one.

Budgets are explicit. Exceeding one refuses the call rather than silently truncating the procedure. user_invocable: false forbids user-requested activation.

Resources and scripts

A script file is inventoried but its content is not injected into model input. Activation never executes it. A handler must explicitly load it behind a governed tool.

execution_links refer to tools or skills already in AIR. Loading checks that they exist; the runtime also checks the agent's uses. Context does not grant a permission, secret or caller.

Traces distinguish discovery, activation, loading and refusal. Their internal protocol retains skill_pack_* event names; these are not additional distribution formats.

See the context, script and tool tutorial and the package guide.

Activation and provenance

activation.model_invocable controls activation requested by the provider; user_invocable controls explicit host activation. Neither executes a resource nor changes the agent's uses.

A project selects installed, locked contexts through configuration.contexts in touba.project.json. Each entry has package, context and optional active: true. CLI and touba serve use the same selection. A different external directory cannot replace a locked identity. Explicit standalone author loading is marked author, not project.

Ordinary script exclusion emits skill_pack_resource_refused with reason: script_content_not_loaded, without a runtime error code. Sensitive-content checking recognizes secret values resolved for the run, not every possible API-key pattern. Never distribute secrets in procedures.