workspace
Workspace
Manage the writing/docs side of a research project: scaffold infrastructure as needed, show the rendered work, save iterations. For managing the research task graph itself (planning, executing typed tasks), use asta-flows.
assets/DEVELOPER.md is the shared developer guide. Link to it from the project README at the selected asta-plugins ref; do not copy generic instructions into every project. This SKILL.md is the agent-specific procedure.
Show the user the rendered work
Give the user a web URL for the rendered work. Two URL sources, pick based on your context:
- Local agent (host, local dev container, or Codespace — the user can reach your port): run
make previewin the background. Pass the URL Quarto prints (localhost on host/dev container; Codespaces-forwarded URL in a Codespace). - Headless agent (no user-reachable port): push the branch (see Save), then
make deployed-urlto fetch the deployed URL from GitHub Pages CI.
When the user wants to see what changed since an earlier version, offer asta workspace what-changed <ref> (Git 2.30 or newer). It runs the project's make render at the named ref and in a private working-tree copy, then reuses the PR preview's diff script. It publishes only to .asta/cache/what-changed/; live preview can stay open. Run asta workspace preview --what-changed in the background and give the user its port-4849 URL (localhost or Codespaces-forwarded). A running server picks up later comparisons. No PR or Pages deploy is needed. Tracking the last-read version stays with the user; suggest git tag -f last-read after they read.
Choose a trusted ref and keep source files stable while the copy is made. The baseline contains only committed files; do not present current ignored inputs as historical data. Run comparisons one at a time. See the developer guide for build prerequisites, copying costs, cleanup and serving limits.