---
id: "action-use-scripts-for-hardwiring"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["17:25:00", "17:45:00"]
tags: ["architecture", "coding"]
related: ["concept-hard-wiring-vs-skills", "claim-use-scripts-for-deterministic", "contrarian-dont-use-skills-for-everything"]
speakers: ["Nate B. Jones"]
outcome: "Prevents probabilistic failures in mission-critical, rigid workflows while still allowing agents to invoke the scripts as tools."
sources: ["s43-file-format-agreement"]
sourceVaultSlug: "s43-file-format-agreement"
originDay: 43
---
# Use scripts for deterministic behavior

## Action

Write **traditional code (scripts)** instead of plain-English skills for processes that require 100% hard-wired, deterministic execution.

## Why

Skills are probabilistic. See [[claim-use-scripts-for-deterministic]] and [[concept-hard-wiring-vs-skills]].

## Outcome

Prevents probabilistic failures in mission-critical, rigid workflows while still allowing agents to invoke the scripts as tools.

## How

- Identify procedural logic that **must not deviate** (math, financial calculations, schema transforms, security checks).
- Implement those as Python (or other) scripts.
- Expose them as agent-callable tools.
- Reserve `.md` skills for tasks needing reasoning, judgment, or pattern matching.