colored-output_skill

Overview

This skill provides a centralized colored output formatter for all skills, agents, and CLI commands using ANSI escape codes. It creates a single source of truth for terminal colors and icons so every component shares the same visual language. The formatter reduces duplication, enforces consistency, and lets you change colors in one place for immediate effect across the framework.

How this skill works

A small bash script maps semantic message types (skill-header, agent-header, command-header, success, error, warning, info, progress) to ANSI color codes and icons. Skills and agents call the script with a type, optional component name, and message; the script prints the styled output to the terminal. The pattern requires an initial header call before executing a command and minimal calls during processing to avoid flicker.

When to use it

• At the start of an operation to emit a clear, single header (skill-header / agent-header / command-header).
• At the end of an operation to show final status (success or error) and a concise summary.
• For critical alerts and warnings where visual emphasis aids quick debugging.
• When you need a consistent look across multiple skills, agents, or CLI commands.
• During testing to validate all color types render correctly across environments.

Best practices

• Emit exactly 2-3 colored calls per operation: one header, zero or more regular text updates, one final status.
• Avoid colored output for frequent progress updates or verbose logs to prevent screen flicker.
• Call the script before each bash command with the 'Running:' attribution pattern for traceability.
• Keep messages short and focused; use regular text for intermediate details or flow logs.
• Change colors or icons only in the central script so all components inherit updates.

Example use cases

• Start a backup skill with: bash .claude/skills/colored-output/color.sh skill-header "backup" "Starting backup..."
• Report a final status for a deploy agent: bash .claude/skills/colored-output/color.sh success "" "Deploy complete"
• Show a configuration warning during setup: bash .claude/skills/colored-output/color.sh warning "" "Missing API key"
• Test rendering of all types from the skill folder to validate cross-platform colors.
• Mark CLI commands executed by agents using command-header for clear attribution.