SF-AI-AgentScript Skill

Agent Script is the code-first path for deterministic Agentforce agents. Use this skill when the user is authoring .agent files, building finite-state topic flows, or needs repeatable control over routing, variables, actions, and publish behavior.

Start with the shortest guide first: references/activation-checklist.md

Migrating from the Builder UI? Use references/migration-guide.md

When This Skill Owns the Task

Use sf-ai-agentscript when the work involves:

creating or editing .agent files
deterministic topic routing, guards, and transitions
Agent Script CLI workflows (sf agent generate authoring-bundle, sf agent validate authoring-bundle, sf agent preview, sf agent publish authoring-bundle, sf agent activate)
slot filling, instruction resolution, post-action loops, or FSM design

Delegate elsewhere when the user is:

maintaining Builder metadata agents (GenAiFunction, GenAiPlugin, GenAiPromptTemplate, Models API, custom Lightning types) → sf-ai-agentforce
designing persona / tone / voice → sf-ai-agentforce-persona
building formal test plans or coverage loops → sf-ai-agentforce-testing

If the user is in Builder Script / Canvas view but the outcome is a .agent authoring bundle, keep the work in sf-ai-agentscript.

Right-Size Determinism

Determinism is a dial, not a destination.
Use Agent Script when “mostly right” is not acceptable: gates, mandatory sequencing, explicit state transitions, compliance, or drift control.
If a workflow is fully static and linear, use Flow or Apex instead of scripting the conversation.
Prefer a deterministic envelope: deterministic entry/gate → flexible middle → deterministic closeout.
More determinism is not automatically better. Start minimal, then harden only the parts that show routing drift, sequencing failures, or compliance risk.

Required Context to Gather First

Ask for or infer:

agent purpose and whether Agent Script is truly the right fit
Service Agent vs Employee Agent
target org and publish intent
expected actions / targets (Flow, Apex, PromptTemplate, etc.)
whether the request is authoring, validation, preview, or publish troubleshooting

Activation Checklist

Before you author or fix any .agent file, verify these first:

Exactly one start_agent block
No mixed tabs and spaces
Booleans are True / False
No else if and no nested if
No top-level actions: block
No @inputs in set expressions
linked variables have no defaults
linked variables do not use object / list types
Use explicit agent_type
Use @actions. prefixes consistently
Use run @actions.X only when X is a topic-level action definition with target:
Do not branch directly on raw @system_variables.user_input contains/startswith/endswith for intent routing
On prompt-template outputs, prefer is_displayable: False + is_used_by_planner: True
Do not assume @outputs.X is scalar — inspect the output schema before branching or assignment

For the expanded version, use references/activation-checklist.md.

Non-Negotiable Rules

1) Service Agent vs Employee Agent

Agent type	Required	Forbidden / caution
`AgentforceServiceAgent`	Valid `default_agent_user`, correct permissions, target-org checks, prefer `sf org create agent-user`	Publishing without a real Einstein Agent User
`AgentforceEmployeeAgent`	Explicit `agent_type`	Supplying `default_agent_user`

Full details: references/agent-user-setup.md

2) Recommended top-level block convention

Use this order for consistency in this skill's examples and reviews:

config:
variables:
system:
connection:
knowledge:
language:
start_agent:
topic:

Official Salesforce materials present top-level blocks in differing sequences, and local validation evidence indicates multiple orderings compile. Treat this as a style convention, not a standalone correctness or publish blocker.

3) Critical config fields

Field	Rule
`developer_name`	Must match folder / bundle name
`description`	Public docs/examples should use this config field
`agent_type`	Set explicitly every time
`default_agent_user`	Service Agents only

Local tooling also accepts agent_description: for compatibility, but this skill's public docs and examples should prefer description:.

4) Syntax blockers you should treat as immediate failures

else if
nested if
comment-only if bodies
top-level actions:
invocation-level inputs: / outputs: blocks
reserved variable / field names like description and label

Canonical rule set: references/syntax-reference.md and references/validator-rule-catalog.md

Recommended Workflow

Recommended Authoring Workflow

Phase 1 — design the agent

decide whether the problem is actually deterministic enough for Agent Script
model topics as states and transitions as edges
define only the variables you truly need

Phase 2 — author the `.agent`

create config, system, start_agent, and topics first
add target-backed actions with full inputs: and outputs:
use available when for deterministic tool visibility
normalize raw intent/validation signals into booleans or enums before branching; avoid direct substring checks on raw user utterances for critical control flow
keep post-action checks at the top of instructions: ->

Default authoring stance

Default to direct .agent authoring and edits in source control.
Use sf agent generate authoring-bundle --no-spec only when the user wants local bundle scaffolding.
Treat sf agent generate agent-spec as optional ideation / topic bootstrap, not the default workflow.
Do not route Agent Script users toward sf agent create or sf agent generate template.

Phase 3 — validate continuously

Validation already runs automatically on write/edit. Use the CLI before publish:

sf agent validate authoring-bundle --api-name MyAgent -o TARGET_ORG --json

The validator covers structure, runtime gotchas, target readiness, and org-aware Service Agent checks. Rule IDs live in references/validator-rule-catalog.md.

Phase 4 — preview smoke test

Use the preview loop before publish:

derive 3–5 smoke utterances
start preview with the start / send / end subcommands, not bare sf agent preview
if you use --authoring-bundle, always choose a mode explicitly: --simulate-actions or --use-live-actions
inspect topic routing / action invocation / safety / grounding
fix and rerun up to 3 times

Full loop: references/preview-test-loop.md

Phase 5 — publish and activate

sf agent publish authoring-bundle --api-name MyAgent -o TARGET_ORG --json

# Manual activation
sf agent activate --api-name MyAgent -o TARGET_ORG

# CI / deterministic activation of a known BotVersion
sf agent activate --api-name MyAgent --version <n> -o TARGET_ORG --json

Publishing does not activate the agent. For automation, prefer --version <n> --json so activation is deterministic and machine-readable.

Deterministic Building Blocks

These execute as code, not suggestions:

conditionals
available when guards
variable checks
direct set / transition to
run @actions.X only when X is a topic-level action definition with target:
variable injection into LLM-facing text

Important distinction:

Deterministic: set, transition to, and run @actions.X for a target-backed topic action
LLM-directed: reasoning.actions: utilities / delegations such as @utils.setVariables, @utils.transition, and {!@actions.X} instruction references

If you need deterministic behavior for something that is currently modeled as a reasoning-level utility, either:

rewrite it as direct set / transition to, or
promote it to a topic-level target-backed action and run that action

See references/instruction-resolution.md and references/architecture-patterns.md.

Cross-Skill Integration

Cross-Skill Orchestration

Task	Delegate to	Why
Build `flow://` targets	sf-flow	Flow creation / validation
Build Apex action targets	sf-apex	`@InvocableMethod` and business logic
Test topic routing / actions	sf-ai-agentforce-testing	Formal test specs and fix loops
Deploy / publish	sf-deploy	Deployment orchestration

High-Signal Failure Patterns

Symptom	Likely cause	Read next
`Internal Error` during publish	invalid Service Agent user or missing action I/O	references/agent-user-setup.md, references/actions-reference.md
`invalid input/output parameters` on prompt template action	Target template is in Draft status — activate it first	references/action-prompt-templates.md
Parser rejects conditionals	`else if`, nested `if`, empty `if` body	references/syntax-reference.md
Action target issues	missing Flow / Apex target, inactive Flow, bad schemas	references/actions-reference.md
Prompt template runs but user sees blank response	prompt output marked `is_displayable: True`	references/production-gotchas.md, references/action-prompt-templates.md
Prompt action runs but planner behaves like output is missing	output hidden from direct display but not planner-visible	references/production-gotchas.md, references/actions-reference.md
`ACTION_NOT_IN_SCOPE` on `run @actions.X`	`run` points at a utility / delegation / unresolved action instead of a topic-level target-backed definition	references/syntax-reference.md, references/instruction-resolution.md
Deterministic cancel / revise / URL checks behave inconsistently	raw `@system_variables.user_input` matching or string-method guards are being used as control-flow-critical validation	references/syntax-reference.md, references/production-gotchas.md
`@outputs.X` comparisons or assignments behave unexpectedly	the action output is structured/wrapped, not a plain scalar	references/actions-reference.md, references/syntax-reference.md
Preview and runtime disagree	linked vars / context / known platform issues	references/known-issues.md
Validate passes but publish fails	org-specific user / permission / retrieve-back issue	references/production-gotchas.md, references/cli-guide.md

Reference Map

Start here

Publish / runtime safety

Architecture / reasoning

Validation / testing / debugging

Examples / scaffolds

Project documentation

Score Guide

Score	Meaning
90+	Deploy with confidence
75–89	Good, review warnings
60–74	Needs focused revision
< 60	Block publish

Full rubric: references/scoring-rubric.md

Official Resources