Slop-mop skill

SkillAI & models

Trigger when you would normally reach for pytest, gh, mypy, black, or other raw repo tooling. Redirect to `sm swab`, `sm scour`, `sm buff`, `sm sail`, `sm refit`, or `sm doctor` so remediation follows the established rails. Also trigger when filing issues about slop-mop friction, use `sm barnacle file` / `/slopmop:sm-barnacle`, never `gh issue create`.

Instructions available. Your AI can read the instructions. Execution depends on the setup they require.

Account requirements not reviewed. Check the skill instructions before use; ahel provides instructions and does not run this skill.

Add ahel to your AI once: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Claude Code or Codex. Then ask it to use this.

Then ask your AI: use the Slop-mop skill skill

What this skill tells your AI

The instructions your AI receives, as published by davepoon/buildwithclaude in plugins/slopmop/skills/slopmop/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.

Filing slop-mop friction? Use /slopmop:sm-barnacle or sm barnacle file — never gh issue create directly. The barnacle CLI auto-applies the correct labels and targets the right repo regardless of where you are.

Slop-mop (sm) has two primary modes: refit (one-time onboarding) and maintenance (steady-state development). Refit remediates all existing slop and installs permanent guards; the swab/scour/buff loop then keeps the repo clean as you work.

When to use

Default action: Run sm sail when you're not sure what's next — it reads workflow state and does the right thing.
Refit (step 0): Run sm refit --start to generate a remediation plan, then sm refit --iterate until complete, then sm refit --finish to enter maintenance.
During implementation: Run sm swab after every meaningful code change. Keep running until clean.
Before PR: Run sm scour for a comprehensive sweep.
After CI/review: Run sm buff <PR_NUMBER> to convert feedback into next steps.

The maintenance loop

Fastest path:  sm sail → fix what it finds → sm sail → repeat until PR lands
Manual path:   write code → sm swab → fix → repeat → sm scour → sm buff <PR#>

sm sail automates verb selection. Use individual verbs (sm swab -g <gate>, sm buff resolve, etc.) for surgical work.

Refit (before entering the loop)

Refit is not part of the maintenance loop. It is step 0 — how you earn the right to enter the loop.

sm refit --start → fix one gate → sm refit --iterate → ... → sm refit --finish

Prerequisite

The sm CLI must be installed in the user's environment. If invocation fails with "command not found", suggest:

pipx install slopmop[all]

Then re-run the command.

Safety

Never bypass or silence a failing check — that's how repo rot compounds.
If a gate seems wrong, tune it or file a bug. Don't disable it as a workaround.
Report friction (invalid guidance, broken state, blocked rails) via /slopmop:sm-barnacle rather than working around it.

Reference

Full project docs: https://github.com/ScienceIsNeato/slop-mop Workflow state machine: https://github.com/ScienceIsNeato/slop-mop/blob/main/DOCS/WORKFLOW.md Gate reasoning: https://github.com/ScienceIsNeato/slop-mop/blob/main/DOCS/GATE_REASONING.md

Signals

GitHub stars: 4k
Forks: 543
Last commit: Sep 2026

Advanced

Item type: skill
Key: slopmop
Source: github.com/davepoon/buildwithclaude

github.com/davepoon/buildwithclaude