Guide · Agent skill
How to use the First Task Onboarding Guide agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The first-task skill is a fixed onboarding workflow for the Paperclip onboarding task that invokes /first-task. Instead of starting work immediately, the agent asks about your goal, constraints and what done looks like, then proposes either a saved plan or a single child task. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it, and what to check before approving anything.
First Task Onboarding Guidepaperclipai/paperclip · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the first-task ZIP from this page. It contains SKILL.md.
- 2Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 3Or upload in the Claude apps. Go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the ZIP.
- 4Open your first Paperclip task. Use the onboarding task that invokes /first-task.
- 5Choose a path. Pick the interview option or the task option and answer the card.
- 6Review the proposal. Read the saved plan or child task scope and its permission notes.
- 7Approve or revise. Approve on the card or in chat, or ask for a revision before any hiring or execution.
What an agent skill is and what this one does
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file that gives an agent extra instructions for a specific kind of work. This skill applies only to the onboarding task that invokes /first-task in Paperclip.
Within that task, the agent asks a few questions, then proposes either a saved plan or one child task. It does not hire agents or do the work until you explicitly approve the proposal on a confirmation card or in chat.
- Asks 3-4 questions in one card when you choose the interview path
- Asks 2-3 clarifying questions when your task description is unclear
- Saves a plan document or proposes exactly one child task
- Records your accept or reject decision before acting on it
Install the first-task skill
Download the ZIP file from this page. It contains SKILL.md. Install it in one of two ways.
For Claude Code, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all your projects, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project. In the Claude apps, upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP
Requirements before you start
The skill needs the Paperclip platform with its onboarding task, interaction cards and API. The source gives example paths such as /api/issues/{issueId}/interactions for resolving cards.
The skill does not run scripts. It does use the network, because it works through Paperclip's API to read interactions and record decisions.
- Paperclip platform with the onboarding task enabled
- Interaction cards and API access
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: yes
Trigger the skill with natural requests
The skill runs when the onboarding task's description invokes /first-task. You do not call it in a chat message. Open your first Paperclip task and answer the opening card, or write a message instead of answering it.
You can choose one of two paths. Interview me gets a question card and then a plan and agent team proposal. I have a task in mind takes a task description you type and proposes a single child task if it is clear enough.
- Choose "Interview me and propose a plan and an agent team to execute it"
- Choose "I have a task in mind" and describe the task in the text field
- Reply in chat with a clear goal, constraints, and what done looks like
Approve, revise or reject a proposal
Every proposal waits for your decision. Approve on the confirmation card, or reply in chat agreeing to the proposal. The agent records the decision before it hires, creates a child task, or executes.
If you ask for a revision, the agent updates the proposal and asks again. If you reject it, the agent acknowledges and stops without executing. An approved plan alone does not authorize hiring; a team proposal needs its own approval.
- Approve: the agent may create the approved child task or work
- Revise: the agent updates scope and asks for acceptance again
- Reject: the agent acknowledges and does not execute
- Ambiguous replies with several open proposals are not treated as approval for all of them
Tips for getting a useful first proposal
Give concrete answers. The agent asks for a goal, constraints and a definition of done because those shape the proposal. Vague answers lead to more questions.
Read the proposal scope before approving. The skill tells the agent to disclose permissions, security implications and execution actions, so check them.
- State a specific outcome, not a broad area
- Name real limits such as time, budget or tools
- Say what finished looks like in one sentence
- Revise instead of approving if the scope is wrong
What people use it for
- Turning a vague goal into one concrete first task for a new Paperclip team
- Creating a saved plan with a proposed agent team that you approve before any hiring
- Getting a single child task scoped with a clear outcome before work starts
- Requiring an approval step before an agent hires helpers or starts execution
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the first-task agent skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Is the first-task skill free?
The source material for this page does not state pricing or licence terms beyond the listed licence, MIT. Check the repository for any details about cost.
What does the first-task skill require?
It requires the Paperclip platform with its onboarding task, interaction cards and API. It does not run scripts, but it does use the network to work through Paperclip's API.
Will the agent start work without my approval?
No. The skill says the agent does not hire agents or do the work until you explicitly approve the proposal on a confirmation card or in chat.
Can I use the skill on tasks other than onboarding?
No. The skill says it must only apply to the onboarding task that invokes /first-task, not to the agent's other tasks.
What should I do if the agent asks too many questions?
Answer concretely about your goal, constraints and what done looks like. The skill asks questions so it can propose a path, and clearer answers reduce follow-ups.
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Our verdict
Use first-task if you are new to Paperclip and want guided help choosing a first task, or if your team wants an approval step before agents hire helpers or start work. Skip it if you want immediate, unreviewed execution or need the agent to handle tasks outside the onboarding flow.
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