Backup Skill

When the user asks you to back something up, figure out which of the four categories below applies based on context. If you're unsure, ask. After completing the backup, state exactly what you did and where you put it so the user can verify.

All backups go into global_workflows/old_stuff. That directory also has its own _FOLDER_INSTRUCTIONS.md with full naming conventions — read it if you need the details.

1. Prior Versions (prior_versions/)

What it's for: Saving a timestamped copy of a live file (active workflow or active skill configuration) before you modify or delete it. Never back up files located in old_stuff/history/ or prior_versions/ themselves.

How to recognize it: The user says things like "back this up before I edit it," "save a copy first," "back up this workflow and then change it," or you're about to make a risky modification and want a safety net.

Naming convention: Append the date and 24-hour time to the filename. Use .old extension. For skill files (which are all generically named SKILL.md), prepend the skill's parent folder name.

• Example: credibility-check_041526_1958.old
• Example: external_tools_SKILL_042526_1147.old

2. Archive (archive/)

What it's for: Storing bulk research files (deep think reports, deep research reports, downloaded references, large datasets) associated with any project — regardless of whether the project worked or failed.

How to recognize it: The user says things like "store these research files," "we're done with this research," "save all these deep think results," or there's a pile of big reference files that need to be put away. Each project gets its own subfolder inside archive/.

Naming convention: Create a descriptive subfolder (e.g., archive/agent_comparison/, archive/gemini_md_reports/). Files inside retain their original names.

3. Tried Stuff (tried_stuff/)

What it's for: Logging projects or experiments that were abandoned. Documents what was tried and why it was given up on.

How to recognize it: The user says things like "this isn't going to work, let's give up," "we're abandoning this," "back up what we tried," or a project has clearly failed and the user wants to preserve the record before moving on.

Naming convention: Prefix filenames with history_. Use .old extension for text/markdown. Folders keep their original extension.

• Example: history_chrome_devtools_mcp.old
• Example: history_attempt_to_create_html_auto_clicker/

4. History (history/)

What it's for: Development history of workflows, skills, or extensions that are still active and working. Documents how they were built, what bugs were found, what design decisions were made. This is reference material that you don't need to read to execute the workflow — it's purely historical.

How to recognize it: The user says things like "save the development notes for this workflow," "back up the design history," or you've accumulated troubleshooting logs for an active project that should be preserved but don't need to be consulted during normal execution.

Naming convention: Use descriptive names with _workflow, _skill, or _extension suffixes to indicate what the history relates to. Plain .md extension (the subdirectory name already tells you it's history).

• Example: legal-analysis_workflow.md
• Example: external-tools_skill.md