Maintaining the Copilot Provider Workflow

For maintainers of the contributor workflow in SETUP_GUIDE.md: the Copilot agent, the skills it reads, and the MCP server it calls. The rule is simple — these files describe the SDK, so when the SDK changes, they change in the same pull request.

The Pieces

File	Role
.github/agents/matimo-tool-creator-refactored.agent.md	The Copilot agent: workflow, tool list, delivery checklist
.github/skills/matimo-provider-creation/SKILL.md	Package layout, YAML formats, auth patterns, tests, README template
.github/skills/tool-creation/SKILL.md	Repository copy of the core tool-creation skill
typescript/packages/core/skills/tool-creation/SKILL.md	The core skill shipped to every agent; the copy above mirrors it
python/examples/mcp/src/server_http.py	The MCP server the agent connects to (port 3101)
docs/mcp/*.md	These guides

When to Update What

Change in the SDK	Update
A meta-tool’s name, inputs or requires_approval	The agent’s quick-reference table and frontmatter tools: list; QUICK_REFERENCE.md
The YAML schema (typescript/packages/core/src/core/schema.ts)	Provider skill Part 2; both tool-creation skills
Credential injection or auth handling	Provider skill Part 3; tool-creation § Credentials
Governance rules in validate-tools	Provider skill Part 2 “Governance”; the agent’s Step 2
Package layout (new file, new build step)	Provider skill Part 1; QUICK_REFERENCE “Where Files Go”
Test conventions	Provider skill Parts 4–5; TESTING.md
The example server’s port, path or env vars	SETUP_GUIDE Steps 1–2; QUICK_REFERENCE “Start”

Keep the two tool-creation skills identical below the frontmatter:

diff <(sed '1,/^---$/d' typescript/packages/core/skills/tool-creation/SKILL.md) \
     <(sed '1,/^---$/d' .github/skills/tool-creation/SKILL.md)

The only difference should be the note in the repository copy saying it is a copy.

Checking a Change

1. Facts against code. Every tool input, field name, path and command in the agent and skills must exist. Check meta-tool inputs in typescript/packages/core/tools/<tool>/definition.yaml.
2. Validate the skills. With the server running, call matimo_validate_skill on each changed skill, or run the core skill tests: cd typescript && pnpm test -- -t skill.
3. Try the agent. Ask it to build a two-tool package against a public API with no auth, then run:

   cd typescript && pnpm validate-tools && pnpm test -- packages/<provider>
   cd python && uv run pytest packages/<provider>
   

   Discard the package afterwards.

4. Check the approvals. Each execute, edit, read or search call should prompt you in VS Code.

Known Limits

• matimo_validate_tool applies the rules for agent-created tools, so it reports blocked-http-method for legitimate DELETE provider tools. pnpm validate-tools is the authority for provider packages.
• Python packages ship the same SKILL.md as the TypeScript package, copied into src/matimo_<name>/skills/; edit both together (a test fails when they drift).
• The example server sets no bearer token and binds to all interfaces; keep it on a trusted machine.
• The agent’s tools: list names the server matimo-python-mcp-server; a different name in .vscode/mcp.json hides every Matimo tool from it.

See Also

• SETUP_GUIDE.md · QUICK_REFERENCE.md · NAVIGATION_MAP.md
• ADDING_TOOLS.md — the manual workflow
• META_TOOLS.md — meta-tool reference