Printing Press Retro

CommunityPopular

mvanhorn

printing-press-retro

Use when the user asks to retro, run a retrospective, file findings, or improve the Printing Press after a printed-CLI run. Trigger phrases: "retro", "retrospective", "what went wrong", "improve the press", "post-mortem", "lessons learned", "what can we improve", "file a retro", "submit findings". Do not use for printed-CLI polish or a single-CLI fix.

Overview

Publisher	mvanhorn
Repository	`cli-printing-press`
Skill name	`printing-press-retro`
Stars	4.8K
Forks	515
Bundled files	13
License	MIT
Links	Skill source Repository

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
13 bundled files
Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.
Open source
Published by mvanhorn on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Printing Press Retro AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
https://github.com/mvanhorn/cli-printing-press/tree/main/skills/printing-press-retro
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/mvanhorn/cli-printing-press.git /tmp/cli-printing-press
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/cli-printing-press/skills/printing-press-retro .claude/skills/printing-press-retro

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Printing Press Retro in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Printing Press Retro on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Printing Press Retro is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

/printing-press-retro

Result: A scrubbed retro document and, when the issue gate passes, GitHub issues for Printing Press defects only.

Next consumer: A maintainer or agent who will change the Printing Press (generator, scorer, skills, or binary) — not the printed CLI that just shipped.

Done: The manuscript proof exists and is scrubbed; every work unit is file-new, comment-on-existing, or local-only; no unredacted secret or PII remains; the user has the outcome list.

Intent: "Raised the floor" is analysis language, not a filing bar. File only when the Printing Press must change to stop a current, reproducible, generalizing P1 or P2 defect. Manual iteration on one CLI is expected work, not a finding. In user-facing output say "the Printing Press"; name the subsystem when pointing at a fix.

Boundaries

Redact every real secret and PII before quoting. Issue bodies and retro docs are public. Use references/secret-scrubbing.md Layer 0. Never quote a leaked value as evidence of the leak.
Don't change the machine by default. The burden of proof is on the finding.
No P3. File only P1/P2. Anything else is Skip or Drop, not a low-priority issue. The issue gate files P1/P2 Do work units only.
Never upload unscrubbed artifacts. Never modify manuscript or library source trees; scrub copies only.

Authority

Invocation authorizes reading manuscripts/library and writing the retro proof plus scratch copies. It does not authorize GitHub filing or public upload until the user confirms Submit. It does not authorize edits to the printed CLI or to Printing Press source.

Steps

Read references/run-resolution.md first. It resolves $API_NAME, $RUN_ID, $RUN_DIR, $CLI_DIR, and $IN_REPO.

Never execute a phase from memory. When you enter a phase, Read its file from phases/ first.

Step	File
1	phases/01-gather-evidence.md
2	phases/02-mine-the-session.md
3	phases/03-triage-candidates.md
4	phases/04-classify-findings.md
5	phases/05-prioritize.md
6	phases/06-write-the-retro.md
7	phases/07-plannable-work-units.md
8	phases/08-issue-gate.md
9	phases/09-package-upload-present.md

Follow each file's final Next: pointer. Late procedure lives in the phase file or a role-named reference it loads (references/artifact-packaging.md, references/issue-template.md, references/secret-scrubbing.md). Do not restate those files here.

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Printing Press Retro AI skill do?

Why use Printing Press Retro on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Printing Press Retro is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Printing Press Retro in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/mvanhorn/cli-printing-press/tree/main/skills/printing-press-retro. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Printing Press Retro?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Printing Press Retro?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Printing Press Retro with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Printing Press Retro AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by mvanhorn under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

/printing-press-retro

Boundaries

Authority

Steps

Bundled files

Frequently asked questions

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