
Update Docs
- 4 installs
- 39 repo stars
- Updated August 4, 2026
- aws-samples/sample-apex-skills
update-docs is a skill that audits and re-syncs every documentation surface in the APEX repo after a change to a skill, workflow, or README marker table.
About
update-docs audits and updates every documentation surface in the APEX repo after a change to a skill, steering workflow, README marker table, or Docusaurus site. It detects the change set from git, re-runs script-managed surfaces when their --check fails, and reasons through tracked prose markdown to catch stale references. It reports results as a PASS/STALE table and asks before writing user-facing prose.
- Audits every documentation surface in the APEX repo against current skills and workflows
- Splits work into script-managed surfaces and prose ripple, handled in one pass
- Ends with a PASS/STALE summary table and confirmation gates for prose changes
Update Docs by the numbers
- 4 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- Ranked #1,241 of 1,879 Documentation skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Data as of Aug 5, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
update-docs capabilities & compatibility
- Capabilities
- docs sync · repo audit · stale reference detection
- Works with
- github
- Use cases
- documentation
What update-docs says it does
Walk the APEX repo after any content change and bring every documentation surface back into sync.
Two categories of surface exist: script-managed (deterministic, re-runnable) and prose (requires reasoning). Handle both in a single pass.
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| Installs | 4 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 39 |
| Last updated | August 4, 2026 |
| Repository | aws-samples/sample-apex-skills ↗ |
What it does
Audit and sync all documentation surfaces in the APEX repo after a skill or workflow change.
Who is it for?
Contributors keeping APEX repo docs in sync after adding, renaming, or retiring a skill
Skip if: Repos outside the APEX layout of skills, steering workflows, and Docusaurus surfaces
When should I use this skill?
After adding, removing, or renaming a skill, editing SKILL.md frontmatter, or before publishing a docs change
What you get
Every documentation surface is re-synced with a PASS/STALE summary of actions taken
- a PASS/STALE surface summary table
- re-run script outputs
- proposed prose diffs
By the numbers
- 2 script-managed surface tiers
- two --check scripts
Files
Update Docs
Walk the APEX repo after any content change and bring every documentation surface back into sync. Two categories of surface exist: script-managed (deterministic, re-runnable) and prose (requires reasoning). Handle both in a single pass.
When to use
- A skill was added, removed, renamed, or had its frontmatter edited
- A steering workflow was added, removed, or renamed
- README marker blocks were edited manually
- Before opening a PR that touches
skills/orsteering/ - The user asks to "check docs", "update docs", or "sync documentation"
Modes
Coding-agent mode (default in Claude Code): walk the repo, re-run scripts, propose diffs, ask before writing user-facing prose. Auto-apply mechanical fixes (script outputs, simple name substitutions in fenced code blocks).
Chat-only mode (no file-write tools available): emit the PASS/STALE table + a fix checklist of one-line commands. No file edits.
Step 1: Detect the change set
Determine what changed. Default comparison base is origin/main:
git diff --name-status origin/main...HEAD -- 'skills/**/SKILL.md' 'steering/workflows/*.md' 'steering/commands/**/*.md'If the user specifies a different scope ("since my last commit", "just the rename I did"), adjust the base accordingly. Also include any paths the user explicitly names.
Step 2: Tier 1 — Script-managed surfaces
Two scripts own deterministic regeneration. Detect staleness and re-run them. Never duplicate their logic.
| Surface | Stale when | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Marker blocks (README.md, skills/README.md, steering/*/.md) | ./misc/update-all-references.sh --check exits non-zero | ./misc/update-all-references.sh |
| Docusaurus wrappers, manifest, skills index | ./misc/update-pages.sh --check exits non-zero | ./misc/update-pages.sh |
Run both --check commands. If either exits non-zero, re-run the corresponding script. In coding-agent mode, apply the changes directly. In chat-only mode, emit the fix command.
Step 3: Tier 2 — Prose ripple
Read each file in the candidate set below. Hold the change set in mind and look for stale references.
What "stale" looks like
- A skill name in prose that no longer matches a
skills/<name>/directory - A frontmatter description that was edited, where the old phrasing still appears verbatim elsewhere
- A retired steering workflow still referenced in a list
- A skill count or coverage claim ("APEX ships six skills") that no longer matches reality
- A path link
skills/old-name/after a rename - A removed or renamed concept still mentioned in contributor guidance
Candidate set (tracked files only — use git ls-files)
In scope:
README.mdCONTRIBUTING.mdCODE_OF_CONDUCT.mdTHIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.mdskills/README.md- Every
skills/<name>/README.mdwhere present - Every
skills/<name>/SKILL.md - Every tracked
*.mdundersteering/ misc/README.mdmisc/evals/README.mdmisc/evals/_template/README.md- Every
misc/evals/<skill>/README.md misc/website/docs/intro.mdmisc/website/docs/getting-started.mdmisc/website/src/pages/index.tsx(not markdown but contains skill-name copy)
Excluded (generated by scripts — never hand-edit):
misc/website/docs/skills/*.mdmisc/website/docs/steering/*.mdmisc/website/docs/skills/index.mdmisc/website/static/manifests/skills.json
For each file, if you find stale content:
- In coding-agent mode: propose the diff. For user-facing prose changes, ask before applying. For mechanical substitutions (path renames in code fences, skill-name swaps in lists), apply directly.
- In chat-only mode: add to the checklist with file, line, and what to change.
Step 4: Final output
Always end with a summary table:
| Surface | Status | Action taken | Confirm? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marker blocks | PASS | — | — |
| Docusaurus wrappers | STALE | Re-ran ./misc/update-pages.sh | — |
| README.md | STALE | Proposed diff | yes (line 42 prose) |
| CONTRIBUTING.md | PASS | — | — |
| skills/README.md | PASS | — | — |
| misc/evals/*/README.md | PASS | — | — |
| ... | | | |Status values: PASS (no changes needed), STALE (changes applied or proposed), SKIP (file doesn't exist yet).
Rows marked Confirm? yes require the user's approval before the change is final. Wait for their response before moving on.
Related skills
FAQ
Does update-docs edit prose automatically?
It applies mechanical fixes like path renames automatically but asks for confirmation before writing user-facing prose changes.
What does it do without file-write tools?
In chat-only mode it emits a PASS/STALE table plus a fix checklist of one-line commands and makes no file edits.