First-Use Update Check

Authorization Gate

Authorization is a required entry step for this skill when it will call Abel APIs on the user's behalf.

• Before any live Abel CAP or business API call, check whether an Abel user API key is already available in session state, --api-key, or .env.skills.
• If no key is available, stop and follow references/setup-guide.md immediately. Do not start CAP probing, capability inspection, or any other live API call first.
• The agent entrypoint is GET https://api.abel.ai/echo/web/credentials/oauth/google/authorize/agent.
• Return only the resulting data.authUrl to the user, store data.resultUrl or data.pollToken, and poll until the result is authorized, failed, or expired.
• Never ask the user to paste an email address, OAuth code, or raw API key when the handoff flow can obtain the key directly.

When To Use

Use causal-abel when the user needs causal structure, reachability, intervention meaning, or capability inspection on the Abel CAP surface.

Typical triggers:

• what is driving a node
• why a node moved
• which nodes matter around a node
• whether one node can reach another
• what changes under intervention
• what a counterfactual preview implies
• what the server supports at CAP core versus extensions.abel.*
• off-graph human questions that should be routed through market proxies

Do not use this skill for:

• pure quote lookups
• generic news summaries
• raw node dumps with no causal question
• unrelated coding or repo tasks

How To Use

1. Check authorization state before any live API call.

   • On the first use of this skill in the session, attempt the soft update check from references/update-flow.md before live Abel API usage.
   • If the check reports an available update, summarize the changelog briefly and ask whether to run the single-skill refresh command returned by the script.
   • Phrase that prompt in a friendly way and end with a short Y/N.
   • If the user declines, or the check cannot complete, continue normally.
   • If ABEL_API_KEY is missing from session state, --api-key, and .env.skills, start the OAuth handoff from references/setup-guide.md first.
   • Treat missing credentials as a hard stop for live Abel API usage, not as a minor warning.

2. Start from the user's causal question and the live CAP surface.

   • Default CAP target: https://cap.abel.ai unless the user provides another base_url.
   • https://cap-sit.abel.ai is the SIT variant when you need the staging environment.
   • Treat https://api.abel.ai/echo/ as the OAuth and business API host from references/setup-guide.md, not as the default public CAP probe target.
   • Use the bundled probe path first for deterministic execution.

3. Classify the task.

   • First do user-intent inversion: infer the result the user actually wants, then map that intent to direct graph or proxy-routed analysis.
   • capability_discovery: what the server exposes
   • direct_graph: direct node, path, blanket, or intervention question
   • proxy_routed: real-world question that must be represented through market proxies

4. Read structure before telling a story.

   • Start with local or path structure first.
   • Move to observational, intervention, or preview surfaces only after the structural question is clear.
   • Pick one intent-first workflow and stay on it: driver_explanation, reachability_check, intervention_effect, counterfactual_read, or capability_audit.
   • Do not stack overlapping local-structure verbs by default. Start with one core structural read, then escalate only if a specific open question remains.

5. Normalize node inputs before any live probe.

   • If the user already gives a legal Abel node id, keep it as is.

Install And Authorization

If the user installs this skill, asks to connect Abel, or the workflow is missing an Abel API key, follow references/setup-guide.md exactly.

• If this is the first session use and update check has not yet been attempted, run the soft update check first from references/update-flow.md.
• Start the Abel agent OAuth handoff immediately instead of asking for manual credentials.
• Return data.authUrl to the user, not the /authorize/agent API URL.
• Store data.resultUrl or data.pollToken and poll until the result is authorized, failed, or expired.
• Persist the resulting data.apiKey in session state and .env.skills when local storage is available.
• Do not continue to live CAP probing until that key is present.
• Never ask the user to paste an email address or Google OAuth code.

Detailed References

• Detailed routing logic, proxy dimensions, narration rules, and semantic guardrails: references/question-routing.md
• User-intent inversion from desired answer to graph mapping and capability choice: references/inversion-flow.md
• Report organization for results and meaning: assets/report-template.md
• OAuth install flow, polling behavior, and API key reuse: references/setup-guide.md
• First-use soft update detection and changelog summary flow: references/update-flow.md
• Probe script commands and reusable examples: references/probe-usage.md
• Capability layering and progressive disclosure: references/capability-layers.md