---
id: "action-define-output-contracts"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["11:08:00", "15:45:00"]
tags: ["system-design", "composability"]
related: ["concept-skills-as-contracts", "concept-skill-composability"]
speakers: ["Nate B. Jones"]
outcome: "Enables reliable handoffs between agents in a multi-step workflow without formatting errors breaking the chain."
sources: ["s43-file-format-agreement"]
sourceVaultSlug: "s43-file-format-agreement"
originDay: 43
---
# Define strict output formats as contracts

## Action

Specify the exact format (e.g., Markdown, JSON, specific named fields) the skill must return, treating it like an **API contract**.

## Why

See [[concept-skills-as-contracts]] and [[concept-skill-composability]] — without explicit output contracts, downstream agents cannot reliably consume skill outputs and the chain breaks.

## Outcome

Enables reliable handoffs between agents in a multi-step workflow without formatting errors breaking the chain.

## How

- Treat each skill as if it had an **OpenAPI spec**.
- Specify field names, types, and required vs. optional.
- Ideally include a worked example of the output in the skill body (component #4 of [[framework-skill-methodology]]).