thierryc/glyphs-mcp/global-skills

Glyphs MCP

Use Knowledge for facts, focused skills for judgment, and generic tools for mechanics. Generic Python with no Glyphs app or font target does not trigger this skill.

Core workflow

1. Call get_server_info; require data.apiMajor == 2 and inspect the entity,

projection, operation, Knowledge, and permanent Python capabilities.

1. Resolve one stable font with list_documents. Use read_document with an

exact EntitySelector and the smallest useful Projection; retain the document fingerprint and follow selector-owned pagination.

1. Use search_knowledge when a design, engineering, Glyphs API, scripting, or

file-format fact affects the decision. Retrieve selected evidence with get_knowledge and retain its citation and version scope.

1. Make typographic choices in the applicable focused skill. Tools must not be

treated as sources of design policy.

1. When a requested edit is mechanically expressible, create explicit set,

translate, insert, remove, move, or duplicate operations and before/after constraints. Call preview_change, explain the immutable semantic patch, then apply its exact previewId once with apply_change.

1. When the typed surface is insufficient, use the permanent execute_python

fallback: read_only for bounded inspection, staged_document for detached edits applied through apply_change, and live_open_world only for explicit unsupported UI, file, process, or other external effects.

1. Re-read affected entities, inspect list_history or get_operation when

needed, and use revert_change for a compatible unsaved-session reversal. Never save unless the user separately requests save_document.

The user may save in Glyphs between any two actions. Treat that as normal persistence concurrency: only a changed live canonical fingerprint stales a preview. apply_change reconciles saved-before, saved-after, or intermediate states and reports residual unsaved work. Never prevent, undo, or repeat a Save. Keep expectedDocumentFingerprint, expectedSourceFileFingerprint, and expectedDestinationFileFingerprint distinct; only save_document protects file overwrites.

Incomplete observations are evidence gaps, not passes. Locks and alignment are preserved state, not policy failures. Structural invalidity, stale live state, and failed read-back are hard failures. Source drift may warn but never blocks later document work.

Focused expertise

Route spacing to glyphs-mcp-spacing, kerning to glyphs-mcp-kerning, outlines to glyphs-mcp-outlines-docs, compatibility to glyphs-mcp-master-compatibility, and OpenType to glyphs-mcp-opentype-features; use the Unicode/icon, variable/color/export corresponding audit skill. Route Python to glyphs-mcp-scripting; Reusable scripts and plug-ins to glyphs-mcp-development.