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diataxis_type how-to
title How to Apply Changes
description Apply the best improvement snapshot back to your original skill directory

How to Apply Changes

After the Loop Completes

Autoresearch asks:

Apply the best version (v3, score 0.85) to the original skill? [y/n]

Applying (y)

The best snapshot replaces files in your original skill directory. This uses the restore() function, which:

  1. Copies all files from the best snapshot to the original skill
  2. Removes files in the original that aren't in the snapshot
  3. Skips files with matching SHA-256 hashes (no unnecessary writes)

Your original skill now reflects the improved version.

Declining (n)

Nothing changes. The workspace remains intact for manual review:

path/to/my-skill-autoresearch/
├── v0/           # Your original, untouched
├── v3/           # The best version
├── candidate/    # Same as v3 (or the last attempted version)
└── results.tsv   # Full history

Manual Application

If you declined but later want to apply:

# Review the diff first
/autoresearch --report path/to/my-skill-autoresearch

# Then manually copy the best version
# (Replace v3 with your actual best version number from results.tsv)
cp -r path/to/my-skill-autoresearch/v3/* path/to/my-skill/

Or cherry-pick specific files:

# Only apply SKILL.md changes
cp path/to/my-skill-autoresearch/v3/SKILL.md path/to/my-skill/SKILL.md

Partial Application

Sometimes the best version improves some things but changes others you don't want. To apply selectively:

  1. Run the report to see the diff: /autoresearch --report path/to/my-skill-autoresearch
  2. Identify which files you want
  3. Copy only those files from the best snapshot

After Applying

  1. Verify: Read the modified skill files to confirm they look right
  2. Test manually: Run the skill on a few prompts to sanity check
  3. Commit: Add the changes to version control
  4. Consider another round: Starting from a higher baseline, a second run often finds more improvements
  5. Update description: Use skill-creator to re-optimize the trigger description if SKILL.md changed significantly