Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Orchard Release Review agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The orchard-release skill is a small example of an agent skill, a folder of instructions that an AI agent such as Claude can load when a task matches it. It tells the agent to read a companion reference file and include a timestamp in its release decision. This guide explains how to install it, how to ask for it, and what it does and does not cover, so you can decide whether it is useful for your work.
Orchard Release Reviewrohitg00/ai-engineering-from-scratch · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Get the orchard-release ZIP from the download link on this page.
- 2Unzip the folder. Extract it so the orchard-release folder contains SKILL.md and references/restore.md.
- 3Choose a location. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ for one project.
- 4Or upload in the app. In the Claude apps, open Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the ZIP.
- 5Ask for a review. Describe the release and ask for a check of deployment evidence and recovery conditions.
- 6Read the reference file. Open references/restore.md to confirm which criteria the agent is using.
What is an agent skill and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file. The file starts with a short header giving the skill's name and description, followed by instructions the agent follows when the skill applies. Supporting documents can sit alongside it and be referenced from the instructions.
The orchard-release skill is described as checking deployment evidence and recovery conditions. Its SKILL.md is very brief: it asks the agent to read references/restore.md and to include a timestamp in its decision. The detailed review criteria are in that reference file, which was not included in the files reviewed for this listing.
- Name: orchard-release
- Instruction: read references/restore.md and include the timestamp in the release decision
- Supporting file: references/restore.md (not reviewed in full)
Install the orchard-release skill with a ZIP download
Download the orchard-release ZIP from the download link on this page. Unzip it so the orchard-release folder, containing SKILL.md and references/restore.md, ends up in one of these locations:
For a personal skill that applies across your projects, place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/. For a skill that only applies to one project, place it in the project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/orchard-release/
- Project only: .claude/skills/orchard-release/ inside your project
~/.claude/skills/orchard-release/SKILL.mdUpload the skill in the Claude apps
If you use the Claude apps rather than a local folder, you can upload the skill instead. Open Settings, go to Capabilities, then choose Skills and add the orchard-release skill from the ZIP you downloaded.
Uploading in the app and placing files in a folder are two routes to the same skill. Use whichever matches how you work.
- Open Settings → Capabilities → Skills
- Upload the orchard-release ZIP
How do you trigger the skill with a natural request?
The source does not list exact trigger phrases, so the most reliable approach is to ask for a release review in plain language that matches the skill's description: deployment evidence and recovery conditions. Name the release and say what you want checked.
Expect the agent to read references/restore.md and to put a timestamp in its answer. If the answer has no timestamp, check that the skill is installed in one of the locations above and that the folder name and SKILL.md are intact.
- Review this release for deployment evidence and recovery conditions.
- Check whether the recovery conditions for this deployment are met and give a timestamped decision.
- Before we ship, look at the deployment evidence for this release.
What does the skill need, and is it safe to run?
The listing states that the skill requires nothing in particular, runs no scripts, and uses no network access. It is a set of instructions and a reference file, not a program.
Because the review criteria live in references/restore.md, read that file yourself before relying on the skill's output. The reviewed files do not show what checks the agent performs, so the skill should not be treated as an authority on whether a release is safe.
- Requires: nothing listed
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
Limits and tips for using the skill
Treat this skill as a learning example of how a SKILL.md can point to a supporting document. The reference file excerpt describes a restore rehearsal with two verified records, but that is content in the file, not a judgement by the skill about your release.
For real release decisions, use your own verified checks and recovery procedures. Open references/restore.md to see exactly what it asks for before you rely on any result.
- Read references/restore.md first to learn the criteria
- Keep your own checks and recovery procedures as the source of truth
- Use the skill to learn how SKILL.md files reference supporting documents
What people use it for
- Learning how a SKILL.md file points the agent to a supporting reference document
- Testing how a release-review skill is structured before writing your own
- Seeing how an agent includes a timestamp in a decision because a skill asked it to
- Using as a starting template for a custom skill with your own checklist
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the orchard-release skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the orchard-release folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Is the orchard-release skill free?
The listing states the skill is licensed under MIT. The reviewed files do not mention any price, so check the MIT licence text in the source repository for the terms.
What does the orchard-release skill require?
The listing says it requires nothing in particular. It runs no scripts and uses no network access.
Can I use this skill for real production release decisions?
No, the listing says it is a minimal example and its checks are not described in the reviewed files. Use your own verified release checks and recovery procedures.
Why does my agent not include a timestamp?
Check that the orchard-release folder is in a supported skills location and that SKILL.md and references/restore.md are present and unchanged. Then ask again with a clear release review request.
How does this skill compare to other release review tools?
The reviewed files do not compare it to other tools. It is best understood as a minimal example of skill structure rather than a full release checker, so look at dedicated release tools if you need verified checks.
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Our verdict
Use orchard-release if you want to learn how a SKILL.md file can reference supporting documents, or to test how a release-review skill is laid out. Do not use it to make real production release decisions or to rely on recovery procedures, because its criteria are in a reference file that was not available for review.
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