--- title: "Skills, automations, flows, and runs" description: "Choose the right Tedix execution surface, run a one-off flow, and inspect durable evidence." --- > Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tedix.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Skills, automations, flows, and runs Tedix runs reusable skills, scheduled automations, and one-off flows on one durable execution engine. The words describe different user intent; they are not competing systems. Internally the engine is still called the skill-workflow engine, and the read-only `tedix workflow` command keeps that name. ## Choose the surface | Concept | Meaning | Use it when | | ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Skill | A persistent, revisioned procedure. It may contain guidance only or include executable `scripts/workflow.ts` source. | The organization should reuse, review, schedule, or improve the capability. | | Flow | A one-off author-and-run convenience. A file-authored flow creates an ephemeral draft executable skill and runs it through the same engine. | You need several MCP or platform steps once, without replaying their intermediate data through an agent context window. | | Run | One durable execution of a pinned executable-skill revision, with status, steps, approvals, artifacts, costs, and terminal evidence. | You need to inspect what actually happened. | | Automation | A skill that runs on a schedule ("every morning at 08:00, do this"). Automations are ordinary skills with a schedule attached; there is no separate builder. | Work should happen without anyone starting it. | | Engine | The durable execution engine and its definitions. Tedix owns static platform definitions; organizations own dynamic executable-skill definitions. | You are observing engine definitions, health, or history through `tedix workflow`. | There is no separate workflow-builder object. Author a reusable executable skill, schedule it as an automation, use a flow for one-off work, or change a static platform definition in Tedix source. ## Run a one-off flow Create `plan.ts`. The leading `/* tedix */` block is the skill manifest and declares the exact MCP methods the workflow may call: ```ts /* tedix name: audit-tool-annotations description: Count tools available to this organization. capabilities: mcp: app_config: [list_app_tools] */ export default { async run(event, step, env) { const tools = await step.do("list", { timeout: "60 seconds" }, () => env.MCP.app_config.list_app_tools({ limit: 200 }), ); return { count: tools.length }; }, }; ``` Discover the exact callable and parameter schema before declaring a capability; do not guess tool names. Then run and watch it: ```bash tedix -w acme code \ 'async () => await discover.search({ query: "list app tools", limit: 2, includeParameters: true })' tedix -w acme flow run --file plan.ts --watch ``` The command returns a `skillId` and `runId`. File-authored flows are draft skills tagged `flow-ephemeral`; they never run on a schedule and auto-archive after 14 unused days. Put large output in an artifact and return its reference: only the bounded return value should enter the caller's context. Use the returned run identifier for readback: ```bash tedix -w acme flow status RUN_ID --watch tedix -w acme flow inspect RUN_ID tedix -w acme flow list ``` Status is a compact lifecycle projection. Inspect is the detailed evidence view for failures, steps, calls, retries, approvals, and artifacts. ## Reuse an executable skill An existing executable skill is persistent and revisioned. Running it does not create or change a draft: ```bash tedix -w acme skill list tedix -w acme skill show SKILL_UUID tedix -w acme skill run SKILL_UUID --watch tedix -w acme skill runs ``` `tedix flow run --skill SKILL_UUID --watch` reaches the same execution path; `tedix skill run` is the clearer spelling when reuse is the intent. Promotion, activation, and scheduling remain governed skill lifecycle decisions, not automatic consequences of a successful flow. ## Observe the engine The `tedix workflow` command is deliberately read-only. Its name is the internal engine name, not a separate product component: ```bash tedix -w acme workflow list tedix -w acme workflow health tedix -w acme workflow runs tedix -w acme workflow status WORKFLOW_ID ``` Definitions include static Tedix platform workflows and dynamic executable skills available to the organization. A definition with no run history is unobserved, not failed. For a dynamic skill run, use `skill status` or `skill inspect` for canonical engine reconciliation and detailed evidence. ## CLI, MCP gateway, and Tedix OS All three surfaces use the same organization gateway, authorization, and records: | Surface | Best use | Important boundary | | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | CLI | Human- and script-friendly authoring, watching, compact output, and exit codes | Thin commands call canonical gateway tools; they do not create a second capability model. | | MCP gateway / Code Mode | Agent-native discovery, exact schemas, direct composition, and typed calls | Use `discover.search()` and the returned namespaced callable; broad discovery and large returns waste context. | | Tedix OS | Visual skill authoring, workspace references, approvals, run inspection, artifacts, and promotion | Gadgets and Blueprints are views and composition aids; Tedix remains authoritative for skills, runs, policy, and evidence. | The canonical MCP families are `flow.*` for one-off convenience, `skills.*` for persistent skill lifecycle and dynamic-run inspection, and `workflows.*` for read-only engine observability. Identity-specific tedi callables are equivalent execution owners, not a second workflow system. Continue with [Getting started](./getting-started.md), [Install the Tedix CLI](./cli.md), or [Core concepts](./concepts.md). Source: https://docs.tedix.dev/skills-flows-workflows/index.mdx