---
name: runtype
description: >-
  Runtype umbrella skill for onboarding and routing. Use when the user mentions Runtype,
  asks what Runtype can build, needs MCP/CLI/dashboard setup, or wants to scope an AI
  product on Runtype. Route hands-on product builds to runtype-build-product, live account
  ops to runtype-admin, Persona widgets to runtype-persona, FPO packaging to
  runtype-templates, and SDK/CLI/Marathon work to runtype-sdk-marathon. Do not use for
  generic LLM chat, unrelated AI frameworks, or non-AI infrastructure unless Runtype is
  explicitly part of the request.
user-invocable: true
argument-hint: "[Runtype goal or setup question]"
---

# Runtype

Runtype is a platform for shipping AI products: agents, flows, tools, surfaces, records,
schedules, evals, and product templates. Use this skill as the entry point when the user
is asking about Runtype broadly or needs help connecting an agent to the platform.

This skill is intentionally a router. For implementation work, switch to the narrower
skill that matches the job.

## First Move

If the Runtype MCP server is available, use it as the live source of truth before giving
schema, catalog, or creation guidance:

- `get_build_instructions(task="explain-capabilities")` for scoping.
- `get_build_instructions(task="build-product")` before product construction.
- `get_build_instructions(task="generate-flow")` before flow construction.
- `get_platform_documentation(topic=...)` for schemas, surface traits, tool catalogs,
  SDK docs, Persona embed docs, dashboard links, and type definitions.

If MCP is not connected, help the user connect:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "runtype": {
      "type": "url",
      "url": "https://api.runtype.com/v1/mcp/protocol"
    }
  }
}
```

OAuth happens on first use. The public agent onboarding page at `https://runtype.ai` is
also a good setup path for agent clients.

## Route To Focused Skills

Use this routing table instead of loading every Runtype detail into context:

| User intent | Use |
|---|---|
| Build, deploy, or validate a product with agents, flows, tools, surfaces, records, secrets, schedules, or evals | `runtype-build-product` |
| Inspect or modify a live account, debug failures, read logs/traces, compare evals, manage resources | `runtype-admin` |
| Embed or theme a Persona chat widget, build fullscreen assistant layouts, use client tokens or browser-side local tools | `runtype-persona` |
| Package a product as a distributable FPO template, handle pending secrets, validate import readiness | `runtype-templates` |
| Use the TypeScript/Python SDK, CLI, Marathon, playbooks, sandboxes, or code-first stored/upsert/virtual workflows | `runtype-sdk-marathon` |

## Mental Model

- Product: the container the user ships.
- Agent: an LLM with a system prompt and tools. Start here for most interactive products.
- Flow: a deterministic pipeline. Use for fixed sequences, indexing, batch work, and hot
  paths that should be fast and cheap.
- Tool: a typed callable, from built-ins, Orthogonal APIs, MCP servers, external HTTP,
  custom code, local SDK tools, flows, or subagents.
- Surface: where users or machines reach the product, including `chat`, `api`, `mcp`,
  `mcp_code`, `webhook`, `email`, `slack`, `schedule`, `sms`, `imessage`, `discord`,
  `whatsapp`, `telegram`, `messaging`, and `a2a`.
- Record: Runtype state and memory. It is not a replacement for the user's business
  database.
- Eval: surface-level or capability-level comparison. Prefer surface/product evals when
  measuring user experience.
- FPO template: the portable distribution format for a product.

When a product has multiple capabilities on one conversational surface, Runtype can
provision an orchestrator that routes each incoming message to the right capability.
Treat surfaces and capabilities as many-to-many.

## Durable References

These local references are fallback context only. Prefer live MCP docs when available.

- `references/primitives.md` for the deeper platform model.
- `references/mcp-tools.md` for MCP tool groups and selection.
- `references/surfaces.md` for surface traits and prompt implications.
- `references/flow-steps.md` for flow step categories and common mistakes.
- `references/persona-widget.md` for Persona embed details.
- `references/fpo-templates.md` for template packaging.
- `references/working-modes.md` for dashboard, MCP, REST, SDK, and on-prem tradeoffs.
- `references/recipes.md` for worked product shapes.

## Do Not Do

- Do not invent payload shapes. Fetch live docs or validate first.
- Do not inline secret values. Use `{{secret:KEY}}` and pending-secret intake.
- Do not store all customer data in records; keep the source of truth where it belongs.
- Do not use Runtype for generic one-off LLM chat unless the user wants to ship a
  repeatable product or operational workflow.