Why use this instead of /tmp for temporary scripts?

Files in /tmp are often deleted automatically and lack context. This skill creates persistent, documented areas that preserve your problem-solving process for future reference.

Will scratch files be committed to Git?

No. The skill includes a setup workflow to ensure the .scratch directory is added to your global or project-level .gitignore, keeping temporary work separate from your source code.

Does it support languages other than Bash?

Yes. It supports any script with a valid shebang, including Python, Ruby, and Node.js, and provides a helper to safely make them executable.

What happens when I no longer need a scratch script?

The skill encourages adding a 'retrospective' header explaining what was learned before stopping work, rather than deleting the file, creating a valuable knowledge base of past investigations.

Persistent Scratch Areas

Name: Persistent Scratch Areas
Author: technicalpickles

bytechnicalpickles

0•

Productivity & Workflow

Organizes and preserves one-off scripts, debug tools, and temporary documentation in structured, persistent scratch areas.

The Persistent Scratch Areas skill solves the common problem of repository clutter by providing a standardized workflow for managing temporary developer work. Instead of littering projects with 'temp' files or losing scripts in /tmp, this skill creates a symlinked .scratch area with mandatory subdirectory organization and documentation requirements. It enforces best practices like proper shebang usage, file headers, and retrospective documentation, ensuring that even 'one-off' investigation tools remain discoverable and usable for future reference without ever being accidentally committed to your main codebase.

Key Features

01Automated setup of persistent .scratch directories via symlinks to a central workspace

02Enforced script standards including shebang validation and secure executable helpers

030 GitHub stars

04Mandatory topic-specific subdirectory organization with auto-generated READMEs

05Automatic .gitignore configuration to prevent accidental commits of temporary work

06Preservation-first philosophy that encourages retrospective documentation over deletion

Use Cases

01Generating temporary data extraction utilities and analysis reports

02Creating and documenting one-off debug scripts for production or environment investigations

03Developing diagnostic tools that need to be preserved for future reference but don't belong in production

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add technicalpickles/pickled-claude-plugins working-in-scratch-areas

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill