IQCoreTeam · zo-sol · Jul 2, 2026 · Jul 1, 2026
diff --git a/packages/core/src/chat/marketMessages.ts b/packages/core/src/chat/marketMessages.ts
@@ -113,9 +113,12 @@ export type MarketRequest =
   // buy a specific set of skills in one go (e.g. a workflow's required skills)
   | { type: "buyRequiredSkills"; items: { skillId: string; creatorWallet?: string }[] }
   | { type: "postAgentNote"; agentWallet: string; text: string; gitLink?: string; title?: string; image?: string }
-  // publish a skill from the UI (make-skill). priceSol is the human SOL amount as a
-  // string ("0.1"); the host converts to lamports. image is optional — an http URL
-  // or a base58 on-chain txid/PDA (the UI badges on-chain values), see skill-nft-json §3.
+  // publish a skill (or workflow) from the UI (make-skill). priceSol is the human SOL
+  // amount as a string ("0.1"); the host converts to lamports. image is optional — an
+  // http URL or a base58 on-chain txid/PDA (the UI badges on-chain values), see
+  // skill-nft-json §3. kind picks the item type (default "skill" when omitted, for
+  // back-compat with older clients); requiredSkills (workflow only) are the prerequisite
+  // skill mint ids the buyer must already hold.
   | {
       type: "publishSkill";
       name: string;
@@ -125,6 +128,8 @@ export type MarketRequest =
       hashtags?: string[];
       priceSol: string;
       image?: string;
+      kind?: "skill" | "workflow";
+      requiredSkills?: string[];
     };
 
 // ── host -> UI (responses / pushes) ─────────────────────────────────────────

diff --git a/packages/core/src/nft/workflow.spec.ts b/packages/core/src/nft/workflow.spec.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,39 @@ Workflow body here, long enough to pass the body length check easily.`;
     expect(mockConn.sendRawTransaction).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  // A clean form (separate name/description/requiredSkills/category fields, no hand-typed
+  // YAML) must be able to publish — publishWorkflow should synthesize frontmatter for
+  // validation ONLY, and still store the raw plain body on-chain (mirrors publishSkill's
+  // synthesis in skill.spec.ts).
+  it("publishes a workflow from a plain body with no own frontmatter (synthesizes for validation only)", async () => {
+    const plainBody = "Workflow body here, long enough to pass the body length check easily.";
+
+    const mintAddr = await publishWorkflow(mockConn as any, signer, {
+      name: "test-workflow",
+      description: "This is a test workflow that chains skills",
+      text: plainBody,
+      requiredSkills: ["So11111111111111111111111111111111111111112"],
+      category: "ai",
+    });
+
+    expect(typeof mintAddr).toBe("string");
+    const json = JSON.parse(vi.mocked(chain.codeIn).mock.calls[0][1] as string);
+    // The stored body is the raw plain text, NOT the synthesized frontmatter+body.
+    expect(json.skillText).toBe(plainBody);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a plain body missing requiredSkills (synthesis can't invent prerequisites)", async () => {
+    await expect(
+      publishWorkflow(mockConn as any, signer, {
+        name: "test-workflow",
+        description: "This is a test workflow that chains skills",
+        text: "Workflow body here, long enough to pass the body length check easily.",
+        requiredSkills: [],
+        category: "ai",
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow(FormatError);
+  });
+
   it("rejects publish if the workflow MD is invalid (type not workflow)", async () => {
     const invalidMd = VALID_WORKFLOW_MD.replace("type: workflow", "type: skill");
     await expect(

diff --git a/packages/core/src/nft/workflow.ts b/packages/core/src/nft/workflow.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,27 @@ export async function publishWorkflow(
   input: PublishWorkflowInput,
   onProgress?: (p: PublishProgress) => void,
 ): Promise<string> {
-  const format = checkWorkflowFormat(input.text);
+  // Validate the workflow the way it will actually exist: a SKILL.md whose frontmatter
+  // (name/description/type/requiredSkills) comes from the separate form fields, mirroring
+  // publishSkill's synthesis (skill.ts) so a clean form — no hand-typed YAML — can publish.
+  // A legacy body that already carries its own frontmatter is validated verbatim.
+  const hasOwnFrontmatter = /^?---\s*\n[\s\S]*?\n---\s*(\n|$)/.test(input.text);
+  const descLine = input.description.replace(/\s*\n\s*/g, " ").trim();
+  const mdToCheck = hasOwnFrontmatter
+    ? input.text
+    : [
+        "---",
+        `name: ${input.name}`,
+        `description: ${descLine}`,
+        "type: workflow",
+        `requiredSkills: [${input.requiredSkills.join(", ")}]`,
+        ...(input.category ? [`category: ${input.category}`] : []),
+        ...(input.hashtags?.length ? [`hashtags: [${input.hashtags.join(", ")}]`] : []),
+        "---",
+        "",
+        input.text,
+      ].join("\n");
+  const format = checkWorkflowFormat(mdToCheck);
   if (!format.ok) {
     throw new FormatError(format.errors);
   }

diff --git a/packages/core/src/skill-market/index.spec.ts b/packages/core/src/skill-market/index.spec.ts
@@ -9,12 +9,14 @@ import { InMemoryTransport } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/inMemory.js";
 import { readSkillManifest } from "./registry.js";
 import { searchSkills } from "../search/search.js";
 import { buySkill, publishSkill } from "../nft/skill.js";
+import { publishWorkflow } from "../nft/workflow.js";
 import { postNote, postAgentNote } from "../notes/notes.js";
 import { readSkillText, readSkillMintMetadata } from "../nft/token2022.js";
 import { Keypair } from "@solana/web3.js";
 
 vi.mock("../search/search.js", () => ({ searchSkills: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("../nft/skill.js", () => ({ buySkill: vi.fn(), publishSkill: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("../nft/workflow.js", () => ({ publishWorkflow: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("../nft/token2022.js", () => ({ readSkillText: vi.fn(), readSkillMintMetadata: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("../notes/notes.js", () => ({
   postNote: vi.fn(),
@@ -112,6 +114,37 @@ describe("skill-market", () => {
     expect(publishSkill).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("publish_skill routes to publishWorkflow when requiredSkills is non-empty", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(publishWorkflow).mockResolvedValue("workflowMint123");
+    const result = await handleToolCall(mockConn, signer, "defaultCreator", "publish_skill", {
+      name: "chain-refactor",
+      description: "Chains two skills together.",
+      text: "# Chain refactor\n...",
+      requiredSkills: ["skillMint1", "skillMint2"],
+    });
+    expect(result.content[0].text).toContain("workflow");
+    expect(result.content[0].text).toContain("workflowMint123");
+    expect(publishWorkflow).toHaveBeenCalledWith(mockConn, signer, expect.objectContaining({
+      name: "chain-refactor",
+      requiredSkills: ["skillMint1", "skillMint2"],
+      price: 100_000_000n,
+    }), expect.any(Function));
+    expect(publishSkill).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("publish_skill still takes the skill path when requiredSkills is omitted/empty", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(publishSkill).mockResolvedValue("mintAddr123");
+    const result = await handleToolCall(mockConn, signer, "defaultCreator", "publish_skill", {
+      name: "clean-code",
+      description: "Refactor toward clean code.",
+      text: "# Clean code\n...",
+      requiredSkills: [],
+    });
+    expect(result.content[0].text).toContain("mintAddr123");
+    expect(publishWorkflow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(publishSkill).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("search_skills returns empty when there are no results", async () => {
     vi.mocked(searchSkills).mockResolvedValue([]);
     const result = await handleToolCall(mockConn, signer, "defaultCreator", "search_skills", {});

diff --git a/packages/core/src/skill-market/index.ts b/packages/core/src/skill-market/index.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import type { Connection } from "@solana/web3.js";
 import type { SignerInput } from "@iqlabs-official/solana-sdk/utils";
 import { searchSkills } from "../search/search.js";
 import { publishSkill } from "../nft/skill.js";
+import { publishWorkflow } from "../nft/workflow.js";
 import { readSkillText } from "../nft/token2022.js";
 import { SkillSync } from "./ingest/index.js";
 import { postNote, postAgentNote } from "../notes/notes.js";
@@ -225,15 +226,16 @@ const SKILL_TOOLS: { name: string; description: string; schema: z.ZodRawShape }[
   {
     name: "publish_skill",
     description:
-      "Publish a new skill to the marketplace: mint it as a soulbound Token-2022 NFT and store the SKILL.md body on-chain (you, the creator, auto-receive 1 copy). This is the raw publish action — it does NOT decide WHETHER something is worth becoming a skill; call it once you've authored the SKILL.md content and chosen a name/price.",
+      "Publish a new skill OR workflow to the marketplace: mint it as a soulbound Token-2022 NFT and store the SKILL.md body on-chain (you, the creator, auto-receive 1 copy). Pass requiredSkills (non-empty) to publish a WORKFLOW instead of a plain skill — a workflow gates its mint on the buyer holding every listed prerequisite skill. This is the raw publish action — it does NOT decide WHETHER something is worth becoming a skill/workflow; call it once you've authored the SKILL.md content and chosen a name/price.",
     schema: {
-      name: z.string().describe("Short skill name / slug, e.g. 'clean-code-refactor'."),
-      description: z.string().describe("One or two lines on what the skill does."),
-      text: z.string().describe("The full SKILL.md body the agent reads when this skill fires."),
+      name: z.string().describe("Short skill/workflow name / slug, e.g. 'clean-code-refactor'."),
+      description: z.string().describe("One or two lines on what it does."),
+      text: z.string().describe("The full SKILL.md body the agent reads when this fires."),
       category: z.string().optional().describe("Optional single category, e.g. 'clean-code'."),
       hashtags: z.array(z.string()).optional().describe("Optional tags, e.g. ['refactoring','testing']."),
       priceSol: z.string().optional().describe("Price in SOL a buyer pays (e.g. '0.1'). Use '0' for a free skill. Defaults to 0.1 if omitted."),
       image: z.string().optional().describe("Cover image, ONLY if the user explicitly gave you an image URL or on-chain (base58) address. Pass it through verbatim. Do NOT generate, invent, or ask for one, and NEVER pass raw/base64 image data — omit this field entirely when the user didn't provide a link."),
+      requiredSkills: z.array(z.string()).optional().describe("Base58 skill mint addresses this item requires the buyer to already hold. Non-empty = publish a WORKFLOW (gated); omitted/empty = publish a plain skill (no gate)."),
     },
   },
 ];
@@ -425,21 +427,35 @@ export async function handleToolCall(
     if (lamports === null) {
       return { isError: true, content: [{ type: "text", text: `Invalid priceSol "${priceSol}" — use a SOL amount like "0.1" or "0".` }] };
     }
+    // Non-empty requiredSkills IS the workflow signal — no separate kind param needed for
+    // this structured-args tool (unlike the freeform-text UI forms, which sniff/toggle it).
+    const requiredSkills = (args?.requiredSkills as string[] | undefined)?.filter(Boolean) ?? [];
+    const isWorkflow = requiredSkills.length > 0;
     try {
-      const mint = await publishSkill(conn, signer, {
-        name: skillName,
-        description,
-        text,
-        category: args?.category as string | undefined,
-        hashtags: args?.hashtags as string[] | undefined,
-        price: lamports,
-        image: args?.image as string | undefined,
-      }, (p) => emit({ type: "publishProgress", phase: p.phase, signed: p.signed, percent: p.percent, kind: p.kind }));
+      const mint = isWorkflow
+        ? await publishWorkflow(conn, signer, {
+            name: skillName,
+            description,
+            text,
+            requiredSkills,
+            category: args?.category as string | undefined,
+            hashtags: args?.hashtags as string[] | undefined,
+            price: lamports,
+          }, (p) => emit({ type: "publishProgress", phase: p.phase, signed: p.signed, percent: p.percent, kind: p.kind }))
+        : await publishSkill(conn, signer, {
+            name: skillName,
+            description,
+            text,
+            category: args?.category as string | undefined,
+            hashtags: args?.hashtags as string[] | undefined,
+            price: lamports,
+            image: args?.image as string | undefined,
+          }, (p) => emit({ type: "publishProgress", phase: p.phase, signed: p.signed, percent: p.percent, kind: p.kind }));
       emit({ type: "publishResult", ok: true, mint });
-      return { content: [{ type: "text", text: `Published skill "${skillName}" — mint: ${mint}` }] };
+      return { content: [{ type: "text", text: `Published ${isWorkflow ? "workflow" : "skill"} "${skillName}" — mint: ${mint}` }] };
     } catch (err: any) {
       emit({ type: "publishResult", ok: false, error: err.message });
-      return { isError: true, content: [{ type: "text", text: `Failed to publish skill: ${err.message}` }] };
+      return { isError: true, content: [{ type: "text", text: `Failed to publish ${isWorkflow ? "workflow" : "skill"}: ${err.message}` }] };
     }
   }
 

diff --git a/packages/core/src/skill-market/ingest/env.spec.ts b/packages/core/src/skill-market/ingest/env.spec.ts
@@ -110,4 +110,61 @@ Some skill body`;
     }, undefined);
     expect(corePublishWorkflow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
+
+  it("prefers explicit kind/requiredSkills over frontmatter-sniffing (plain body, no frontmatter at all)", async () => {
+    const text = "Pure markdown without frontmatter";
+
+    const env = await marketplaceEnv(mockWallet);
+    const result = await env.publishSkill({
+      name: "My Workflow",
+      description: "A workflow",
+      text,
+      category: "testing",
+      hashtags: ["test", "workflow"],
+      priceSol: "0.25",
+      kind: "workflow",
+      requiredSkills: ["skillMint1", "skillMint2"],
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({ ok: true, mint: "mockWorkflowMint" });
+    expect(corePublishWorkflow).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(Object), mockWallet, {
+      name: "My Workflow",
+      description: "A workflow",
+      text,
+      requiredSkills: ["skillMint1", "skillMint2"],
+      category: "testing",
+      hashtags: ["test", "workflow"],
+      price: 250000000n,
+    }, undefined);
+    expect(corePublishSkill).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("explicit kind: 'skill' takes the skill path even if the body happens to embed workflow frontmatter", async () => {
+    const text = `---
+type: workflow
+requiredSkills: [skillMint1]
+---
+Some body`;
+
+    const env = await marketplaceEnv(mockWallet);
+    const result = await env.publishSkill({
+      name: "My Skill",
+      description: "A skill",
+      text,
+      priceSol: "0.1",
+      kind: "skill",
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({ ok: true, mint: "mockSkillMint" });
+    expect(corePublishSkill).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(Object), mockWallet, {
+      name: "My Skill",
+      description: "A skill",
+      text,
+      category: undefined,
+      hashtags: undefined,
+      price: 100000000n,
+      image: undefined,
+    }, undefined);
+    expect(corePublishWorkflow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/skill-market/ingest/env.ts b/packages/core/src/skill-market/ingest/env.ts
@@ -317,17 +317,22 @@ export async function marketplaceEnv(wallet: Wallet) {
     async publishSkill(input: {
       name: string; description: string; text: string;
       category?: string; hashtags?: string[]; priceSol: string; image?: string;
+      kind?: "skill" | "workflow"; requiredSkills?: string[];
     }, onProgress?: (p: PublishProgress) => void): Promise<{ ok: boolean; mint?: string; error?: string }> {
       try {
         const lamports = solToLamports(input.priceSol);
         if (lamports === null) return { ok: false, error: "Enter a valid price in SOL (e.g. 0.1)" };
-        const frontmatter = publishFrontmatter(input.text);
-        if (frontmatter.type === "workflow") {
+        // Prefer the explicit kind/requiredSkills a form sends; fall back to sniffing the
+        // body's own frontmatter only when kind is absent, for back-compat with hand-typed
+        // YAML bodies (chat/agent callers, older UI builds) that predate these fields.
+        const frontmatter = input.kind ? {} : publishFrontmatter(input.text);
+        const isWorkflow = input.kind === "workflow" || frontmatter.type === "workflow";
+        if (isWorkflow) {
           const mint = await corePublishWorkflow(conn, wallet, {
             name: input.name,
             description: input.description,
             text: input.text,
-            requiredSkills: frontmatter.requiredSkills ?? [],
+            requiredSkills: input.requiredSkills ?? frontmatter.requiredSkills ?? [],
             category: input.category,
             hashtags: input.hashtags,
             price: lamports,