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Runbook

AnthropicOfficialPublished by Anthropic

  • Skill
  • Content generator
  • Cloud and DevOps
  • Apache-2.0
  • No issues found
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From the author

Create or update an operational runbook for a recurring task or procedure. Use when documenting a task that on-call or ops needs to run repeatably, turning tribal knowledge into exact step-by-step commands, adding troubleshooting and rollback steps to an existing procedure, or writing escalation paths for when things go wrong.
— the description by Anthropic

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

The runbook skill assists in creating or updating standardized operational documentation. It transforms tribal knowledge into formal, repeatable procedures by providing a structured template that includes prerequisites, step-by-step instructions, verification steps, troubleshooting guides, rollback procedures, and escalation paths.

What it does

  • Generates a structured markdown template for operational tasks
  • Defines clear prerequisites and required access permissions
  • Outlines specific, actionable steps with expected outcomes
  • Includes dedicated sections for troubleshooting and failure recovery
  • Provides a framework for defining rollback procedures
  • Establishes escalation paths for incident management

When to use it

  • When documenting a recurring task for on-call or operations teams
  • When converting informal knowledge into a formal procedure
  • When adding troubleshooting or rollback steps to an existing process
  • When defining clear escalation paths for operational failures

Advantages

  • Ensures consistency in operational procedures
  • Reduces ambiguity by requiring specific commands and actions
  • Improves incident response through pre-defined troubleshooting and escalation steps
  • Facilitates knowledge sharing across teams

Usage examples

“/runbook database backup rotation”
Generates a structured runbook template tailored for the database backup rotation procedure, including sections for prerequisites, execution steps, and verification.
“/runbook service deployment”
Creates a comprehensive operational document for deploying services, complete with rollback instructions and escalation contacts.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/anthropics/runbook/download

  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip runbook.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Anthropic

/runbook

If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.

Create a step-by-step operational runbook for a recurring task or procedure.

Usage

/runbook $ARGUMENTS

Output

## Runbook: [Task Name]
**Owner:** [Team/Person] | **Frequency:** [Daily/Weekly/Monthly/As Needed]
**Last Updated:** [Date] | **Last Run:** [Date]

### Purpose
[What this runbook accomplishes and when to use it]

### Prerequisites
- [ ] [Access or permission needed]
- [ ] [Tool or system required]
- [ ] [Data or input needed]

### Procedure

#### Step 1: [Name]

[Exact command, action, or instruction]

**Expected result:** [What should happen]
**If it fails:** [What to do]

#### Step 2: [Name]

[Exact command, action, or instruction]

**Expected result:** [What should happen]
**If it fails:** [What to do]

### Verification
- [ ] [How to confirm the task completed successfully]
- [ ] [What to check]

### Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---------|-------------|-----|
| [What you see] | [Why] | [What to do] |

### Rollback
[How to undo this if something goes wrong]

### Escalation
| Situation | Contact | Method |
|-----------|---------|--------|
| [When to escalate] | [Who] | [How to reach them] |

### History
| Date | Run By | Notes |
|------|--------|-------|
| [Date] | [Person] | [Any issues or observations] |

If Connectors Available

If ~~knowledge base is connected:

  • Search for existing runbooks to update rather than create from scratch

  • Publish the completed runbook to your ops wiki

If ~~ITSM is connected:

  • Link the runbook to related incident types and change requests

  • Auto-populate escalation contacts from on-call schedules

Tips

  1. Be painfully specific — "Run the script" is not a step. "Run python sync.py --prod --dry-run from the ops server" is.

  2. Include failure modes — What can go wrong at each step and what to do about it.

  3. Test the runbook — Have someone unfamiliar with the process follow it. Fix where they get stuck.

Files

Requirements and compatibility

Written for: Claude Code, Claude apps

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Claude Code frontmatter, Needs Python

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Published by
Anthropic
Publisher
Anthropic (Official)
Source
anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins · operations/skills/runbook · commit e050c2e
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download runbook.zip