nexus/.agents/skills/company-creator/SKILL.md

name

description

company-creator

Create agent company packages conforming to the Agent Companies specification (agentcompanies/v1). Use when a user wants to create a new agent company from scratch, build a company around an existing git repo or skills collection, or scaffold a team/department of agents. Triggers on: "create a company", "make me a company", "build a company from this repo", "set up an agent company", "create a team of agents", "hire some agents", or when given a repo URL and asked to turn it into a company. Do NOT use for importing an existing company package (use the CLI import command instead) or for modifying a company that is already running in Paperclip.

Company Creator

Create agent company packages that conform to the Agent Companies specification.

Spec references:

• Normative spec: docs/companies/companies-spec.md (read this before generating files)
• Web spec: https://agentcompanies.io/specification
• Protocol site: https://agentcompanies.io/

Two Modes

Mode 1: Company From Scratch

The user describes what they want. Interview them to flesh out the vision, then generate the package.

Mode 2: Company From a Repo

The user provides a git repo URL, local path, or tweet. Analyze the repo, then create a company that wraps it.

See references/from-repo-guide.md for detailed repo analysis steps.

Process

Step 1: Gather Context

Determine which mode applies:

• From scratch: What kind of company or team? What domain? What should the agents do?
• From repo: Clone/read the repo. Scan for existing skills, agent configs, README, source structure.

Step 2: Interview (Use AskUserQuestion)

Do not skip this step. Use AskUserQuestion to align with the user before writing any files.

For from-scratch companies, ask about:

• Company purpose and domain (1-2 sentences is fine)
• What agents they need - propose a hiring plan based on what they described
• Whether this is a full company (needs a CEO) or a team/department (no CEO required)
• Any specific skills the agents should have
• Whether they want projects and starter tasks

For from-repo companies, present your analysis and ask:

• Confirm the agents you plan to create and their roles
• Whether to reference or vendor any discovered skills (default: reference)
• Any additional agents or skills beyond what the repo provides
• Company name and any customization

Key interviewing principles:

• Propose a concrete hiring plan. Don't ask open-ended "what agents do you want?" - suggest specific agents based on context and let the user adjust.
• Keep it lean. Most users are new to agent companies. A few agents (3-5) is typical for a startup. Don't suggest 10+ agents unless the scope demands it.
• From-scratch companies should start with a CEO who manages everyone. Teams/departments don't need one.
• Ask 2-3 focused questions per round, not 10.

Step 3: Read the Spec

Before generating any files, read the normative spec:

docs/companies/companies-spec.md

Also read the quick reference: references/companies-spec.md

And the example: references/example-company.md

Step 4: Generate the Package

Create the directory structure and all files. Follow the spec's conventions exactly.

Directory structure:

<company-slug>/
├── COMPANY.md
├── agents/
│   └── <slug>/AGENTS.md
├── teams/
│   └── <slug>/TEAM.md        (if teams are needed)
├── projects/
│   └── <slug>/PROJECT.md     (if projects are needed)
├── tasks/
│   └── <slug>/TASK.md        (if tasks are needed)
├── skills/
│   └── <slug>/SKILL.md       (if custom skills are needed)
└── .paperclip.yaml            (Paperclip vendor extension)

Rules:

• Slugs must be URL-safe, lowercase, hyphenated
• COMPANY.md gets schema: agentcompanies/v1 - other files inherit it
• Agent instructions go in the AGENTS.md body, not in .paperclip.yaml
• Skills referenced by shortname in AGENTS.md resolve to skills/<shortname>/SKILL.md
• For external skills, use sources with usage: referenced (see spec section 12)
• Do not export secrets, machine-local paths, or database IDs
• Omit empty/default fields

Reporting structure:

• Every agent except the CEO should have reportsTo set to their manager's slug
• The CEO has reportsTo: null
• For teams without a CEO, the top-level agent has reportsTo: null

Step 5: Confirm Output Location

Ask the user where to write the package. Common options:

• A subdirectory in the current repo
• A new directory the user specifies
• The current directory (if it's empty or they confirm)

Step 6: Write Files and Summarize

Write all files, then give a brief summary:

• Company name and what it does
• Agent roster with roles and reporting structure
• Skills (custom + referenced)
• Projects and tasks if any
• The output path

Adapter Defaults for .paperclip.yaml

schema: paperclip/v1
agents:
  <agent-slug>:
    adapter:
      type: claude_local
      config:
        model: claude-sonnet-4-6 # or claude-opus-4-6 for CEO/leadership
    inputs:
      env:
        <SOME_ENV_VARIABLE>:
          kind: secret
          requirement: optional
          default: ""

External Skill References

When referencing skills from a GitHub repo, always use the references pattern:

metadata:
  sources:
    - kind: github-file
      repo: owner/repo
      path: path/to/SKILL.md
      commit: <full SHA from git ls-remote or the repo>
      attribution: Owner or Org Name
      license: <from the repo's LICENSE>
      usage: referenced

Get the commit SHA with:

git ls-remote https://github.com/owner/repo HEAD

Do NOT copy external skill content into the package unless the user explicitly asks.