Operationalizes Shihipar's "Claude Code HTML output" essay (Medium, 2026): markdown collapses past ~100 lines for agent-generated artifacts; HTML restores density, clarity, shareability, and lightweight interaction. This foundation PR ships 2 of 5 planned skills: - markdown-html-orchestrator (context: fork): deterministic doctype classifier scoring filename hints + content signals across DOCUMENT / REVIEW / SLIDES; silent-routes above two-signal threshold; refuses inputs < 100 lines per Shihipar; refuses without design-system onboarding. 3 stdlib tools: doctype_classifier.py, route_explainer.py (the never-silently-chain enforcer + onboarding gate), and output_path_resolver.py (kebab slug + collision suffix). - design-system: one-time onboarding wizard (10 questions for brand primary/accent HEX + heading + body Google Fonts + editorial/technical/ minimal/playful style + default output dir + syntax theme + TOC behavior + optional logo/company). WCAG-AA-validated 12 CSS custom properties derived in HSL space; refuses to save if body-text or link contrast fails 4.5:1, or if the output dir is unwritable. Pattern lifted from research-ops/skills/clinical-research/scripts/ (onboard.py + config_loader.py shape) and marketing/landing/scripts/ (brand_palette_validator.py WCAG + HSL math). Precedence: project > global > defaults; MARKDOWN_HTML_NO_CONFIG=1 bypasses. Plus cs-markdown-html-orchestrator agent, 3 slash commands (/cs:markdown-html router, /cs:grill-markdown-html 5-question grill, /cs:design-system onboarding surface), 6 reference docs each citing 5-7 authoritative sources (Tufte, Shihipar, Bret Victor, Maggie Appleton, Bartosz Ciechanowski, Amelia Wattenberger; WCAG 2.2, Ellen Lupton, Adobe Spectrum, Sara Soueidan, Material Design 3), 1 JSON schema asset, domain README + CLAUDE.md. Converter sub-skills (md-document, md-review, md-slides) land in v2.10.1 follow-up PRs. All three will import design-system/scripts/config_loader.py for shared brand tokens. Repo-level updates: scripts/sync-codex-skills.py SKILL_DOMAINS adds markdown-html → documentation category; .claude-plugin/marketplace.json adds markdown-html-skills plugin entry (63 → 64 plugins, 16 → 17 domains); root CLAUDE.md gets nav-map row, structure-tree entry, and v2.10.0 release-notes block. Validation: - check_plugin_json.py → OK - sync-codex-skills.py --dry-run → 2 new symlinks, total 338 → 340 - skill_description_validator.py → PASS on both SKILL.md files - skill_review_checklist_runner.py → 5/6 PASS (under-100-lines advisory fires; same as research-ops orchestrator) - All 6 Python tools smoke-tested with --help and --sample - End-to-end onboarding round-trip works (--defaults, --set, --reset) - WCAG-fail hard refusal fires correctly on impossible color combos - Classifier on the repo's own CLAUDE.md correctly returns needs-clarification (15 vs 13 — document signals tie with slides signals because of multiple --- HRs); orchestrator asks rather than silently chains. Distinct from Anthropic's official Playground plugin (interactive prompt-tuning controls with sliders/knobs/prompt-copy-back) and from marketing/landing/ (landing-page generator from scratch). https://claude.ai/code/session_01BK2KoQot1U7J5oSosrCQdc
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| description | argument-hint |
|---|---|
| Matt-Pocock-style forcing-question grill for markdown-html conversions. Walks 5 cited-canon questions (purpose, line-count threshold, design-system onboarding, output path, doctype confidence) one at a time with a recommended answer. Run before /cs:markdown-html when you want clarity about what the HTML is for, not just a route to the closest sub-skill. | <path to markdown file> |
/cs:grill-markdown-html — Pre-conversion grill
Walk the user through 5 forcing questions before routing to the converter. One question per turn, with a recommended answer and a canon citation. The user must answer Q1 before Q2 is asked. Never bundle.
$ARGUMENTS
The 5 questions (Matt Pocock grill-with-docs pattern)
Q1/5 — Purpose
What decision does this HTML drive — is the reader skimming, deciding, or presenting?
Recommended: name it first; density follows from purpose.
Canon: Shihipar (Claude Code HTML output essay) — "match output format to consumption context"; Tufte, Visual Display of Quantitative Information, ch. 1.
If the user shrugs, ask once: "Skimming → minimal layout. Deciding → sticky TOC + search. Presenting → slide deck."
Q2/5 — Line count threshold
Is the input markdown ≥ 100 lines?
Recommended: yes — below that, keep it as markdown. Run
wc -l <file>.mdto confirm.Canon: Shihipar — markdown still wins under 100 lines.
If under 100 lines, refuse the conversion. Do NOT proceed.
Q3/5 — Design-system onboarded?
Has the design-system been onboarded?
Recommended: yes, globally. Run
python3 markdown-html/skills/design-system/scripts/onboard.py(or--defaultsfor zero-touch) if not.Canon: research-ops onboarding pattern (
research-ops/CLAUDE.md§8); WCAG 2.2 §1.4.3.
Check via:
python3 markdown-html/skills/design-system/scripts/config_loader.py --status
If setup_completed: false, surface onboarding. Do NOT proceed without it.
Q4/5 — Output path
Where does the output save, and will it overwrite anything?
Recommended: the configured
default_output_dirwith--on-collision suffix(the default, which generates-2,-3, … instead of overwriting).Canon: Matt Pocock
handoffskill — never silently overwrite a working artifact.
Resolve via:
python3 markdown-html/skills/markdown-html-orchestrator/scripts/output_path_resolver.py \
--input "$ARGUMENTS" --doctype <verdict>
Q5/5 — Doctype confidence
Document type confidence — silent-route, or one clarifying question?
Recommended: silent-route only when
silent_route_allowed: truein the classifier output. Otherwise, ask one clarifying question and recommend the winner.Canon: research-ops two-signal threshold (
research-ops/skills/research-ops-skills/SKILL.md§"Routing logic").
Classify via:
python3 markdown-html/skills/markdown-html-orchestrator/scripts/doctype_classifier.py \
--input "$ARGUMENTS" --output human
Discipline
- One question per turn. Don't bundle Q1+Q2 in the same message. Wait for the answer.
- Always recommend an answer. Never ask an open question.
- Always cite the canon. The recommendation must reference the source.
- Refuse, don't override. If Q2 or Q3 fails, the conversion does not proceed. The grill protects against silent-failure.
- Walk depth-first. Finish all 5 questions for THIS conversion before starting a different one.
After Q5, hand off to /cs:markdown-html <path> to actually run the conversion with the confirmed answers in hand.