feat: updated enabled_skills handling to support both list and comma-separated strings

config.example.yaml

@@ -131,10 +131,13 @@ visible_skills:                  # The universe of skills allowed to be enabled
   - frontend-ui-ux
   - git-master
 enabled_skills: null             # Which skills are available by default (no role/agent/session active). null = all visible.
-                                 # Example: only expose two skills in the bare REPL.
+                                 # Accepts either a YAML list or a comma-separated string.
+                                 # Example (list form):
                                  #   enabled_skills:
                                  #     - git-master
                                  #     - ai-slop-remover
+                                 # Example (comma-separated form):
+                                 #   enabled_skills: git-master,ai-slop-remover
 
 # ---- Auto-Continue (Todo System) ----
 # The auto-continue system provides built-in task tracking for improved reliability.

config.role.example.md

@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ enabled_tools: fs_ls,fs_cat           # A comma-separated list of tools to enabl
 enabled_mcp_servers: github,gitmcp    # A comma-separated list of MCP servers to enable for this role
 skills_enabled: true                  # Master switch for skills in this role (default: inherit from global).
                                       # Skills also require `function_calling_support: true` in the global config.
-enabled_skills: git-master,ai-slop-remover  # Comma-separated list of skills available when this role is active.
+enabled_skills:                       # Skills available when this role is active. Accepts a YAML list (preferred)
-                                      # Must be a subset of global `visible_skills`. Omit to inherit the global default.
+  - git-master                        # or a comma-separated string (e.g. `enabled_skills: git-master,ai-slop-remover`).
+  - ai-slop-remover                   # Must be a subset of global `visible_skills`. Omit to inherit the global default.
 prompt: null                          # A custom prompt to use for this role that will immediately query
                                       # the model for output instead of using the instructions below
 # Auto-Continue (Todo System)

src/config/app_config.rs

@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ pub struct AppConfig {
     pub visible_tools: Option<Vec<String>>,
 
     pub skills_enabled: bool,
-    pub enabled_skills: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "super::deserialize_csv_or_vec")]
+    pub enabled_skills: Option<Vec<String>>,
     pub visible_skills: Option<Vec<String>>,
 
     pub mcp_server_support: bool,
@@ -400,7 +401,7 @@ impl AppConfig {
         }
 
         if let Some(v) = super::read_env_value::<String>(&get_env_name("enabled_skills")) {
-            self.enabled_skills = v;
+            self.enabled_skills = v.map(|raw| super::csv_to_vec(&raw));
         }
 
         if let Some(Some(v)) = super::read_env_bool(&get_env_name("mcp_server_support")) {

src/config/mod.rs

@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub visible_tools: Option<Vec<String>>,
 
     pub skills_enabled: bool,
-    pub enabled_skills: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "deserialize_csv_or_vec")]
+    pub enabled_skills: Option<Vec<String>>,
     pub visible_skills: Option<Vec<String>>,
 
     pub mcp_server_support: bool,
@@ -783,6 +784,72 @@ where
     Ok(value)
 }
 
+pub(super) fn csv_to_vec(raw: &str) -> Vec<String> {
+    raw.split(',')
+        .map(|t| t.trim().to_string())
+        .filter(|t| !t.is_empty())
+        .collect()
+}
+
+pub(super) fn deserialize_csv_or_vec<'de, D>(
+    deserializer: D,
+) -> std::result::Result<Option<Vec<String>>, D::Error>
+where
+    D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+    use serde::de::{self, SeqAccess, Visitor};
+    use std::fmt;
+
+    struct CsvOrVec;
+
+    impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for CsvOrVec {
+        type Value = Option<Vec<String>>;
+
+        fn expecting(&self, formatter: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+            formatter.write_str("a comma-separated string, a list of strings, or null")
+        }
+
+        fn visit_str<E: de::Error>(self, value: &str) -> std::result::Result<Self::Value, E> {
+            Ok(Some(csv_to_vec(value)))
+        }
+
+        fn visit_string<E: de::Error>(self, value: String) -> std::result::Result<Self::Value, E> {
+            Ok(Some(csv_to_vec(&value)))
+        }
+
+        fn visit_none<E: de::Error>(self) -> std::result::Result<Self::Value, E> {
+            Ok(None)
+        }
+
+        fn visit_some<D2: serde::Deserializer<'de>>(
+            self,
+            deserializer: D2,
+        ) -> std::result::Result<Self::Value, D2::Error> {
+            deserializer.deserialize_any(self)
+        }
+
+        fn visit_unit<E: de::Error>(self) -> std::result::Result<Self::Value, E> {
+            Ok(None)
+        }
+
+        fn visit_seq<A: SeqAccess<'de>>(
+            self,
+            mut seq: A,
+        ) -> std::result::Result<Self::Value, A::Error> {
+            let mut vec = Vec::new();
+            while let Some(item) = seq.next_element::<String>()? {
+                let trimmed = item.trim().to_string();
+                if !trimmed.is_empty() {
+                    vec.push(trimmed);
+                }
+            }
+            Ok(Some(vec))
+        }
+    }
+
+    deserializer.deserialize_option(CsvOrVec)
+}
+
 fn read_env_bool(key: &str) -> Option<Option<bool>> {
     let value = env::var(key).ok()?;
     Some(parse_bool(&value))

src/config/role.rs

@@ -57,8 +57,12 @@ pub struct Role {
     enabled_mcp_servers: Option<String>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     skills_enabled: Option<bool>,
-    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    #[serde(
-    enabled_skills: Option<String>,
+        default,
+        skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none",
+        deserialize_with = "super::deserialize_csv_or_vec"
+    )]
+    enabled_skills: Option<Vec<String>>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     auto_continue: Option<bool>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
@@ -103,7 +107,7 @@ impl Role {
                         role.enabled_mcp_servers = value.as_str().map(|v| v.to_string())
                     }
                     "skills_enabled" => role.skills_enabled = value.as_bool(),
-                    "enabled_skills" => role.enabled_skills = value.as_str().map(|v| v.to_string()),
+                    "enabled_skills" => role.enabled_skills = parse_enabled_skills_value(value),
                     "auto_continue" => role.auto_continue = value.as_bool(),
                     "max_auto_continues" => {
                         role.max_auto_continues = value.as_u64().map(|v| v as usize)
@@ -157,7 +161,8 @@ impl Role {
             metadata.push(format!("skills_enabled: {skills_enabled}"));
         }
         if let Some(enabled_skills) = &self.enabled_skills {
-            metadata.push(format!("enabled_skills: {enabled_skills}"));
+            let inline = serde_json::to_string(enabled_skills).unwrap_or_else(|_| "[]".to_string());
+            metadata.push(format!("enabled_skills: {inline}"));
         }
         if let Some(auto_continue) = self.auto_continue {
             metadata.push(format!("auto_continue: {auto_continue}"));
@@ -287,7 +292,7 @@ impl Role {
         self.skills_enabled
     }
 
-    pub fn enabled_skills(&self) -> Option<&str> {
+    pub fn enabled_skills(&self) -> Option<&[String]> {
         self.enabled_skills.as_deref()
     }
 
@@ -392,6 +397,28 @@ impl RoleLike for Role {
     }
 }
 
+fn parse_enabled_skills_value(value: &Value) -> Option<Vec<String>> {
+    if value.is_null() {
+        return None;
+    }
+
+    if let Some(s) = value.as_str() {
+        return Some(csv_to_vec(s));
+    }
+
+    if let Some(arr) = value.as_array() {
+        let items: Vec<String> = arr
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|v| v.as_str().map(|s| s.trim().to_string()))
+            .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
+            .collect();
+
+        return Some(items);
+    }
+
+    None
+}
+
 fn parse_structure_prompt(prompt: &str) -> (&str, Vec<(&str, &str)>) {
     let mut text = prompt;
     let mut search_input = true;

src/config/session.rs

@@ -30,8 +30,12 @@ pub struct Session {
     enabled_mcp_servers: Option<String>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     skills_enabled: Option<bool>,
-    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    #[serde(
-    enabled_skills: Option<String>,
+        default,
+        skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none",
+        deserialize_with = "super::deserialize_csv_or_vec"
+    )]
+    enabled_skills: Option<Vec<String>>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     save_session: Option<bool>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
@@ -83,10 +87,17 @@ impl Session {
         self.skills_enabled
     }
 
-    pub fn enabled_skills(&self) -> Option<&str> {
+    pub fn enabled_skills(&self) -> Option<&[String]> {
         self.enabled_skills.as_deref()
     }
 
+    pub fn set_skills_enabled(&mut self, value: Option<bool>) {
+        if self.skills_enabled != value {
+            self.skills_enabled = value;
+            self.dirty = true;
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn new_from_ctx(ctx: &RequestContext, app: &AppConfig, name: &str) -> Self {
         let role = ctx.extract_role(app);
         let mut session = Self {

src/config/skill_policy.rs

@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@ impl SkillPolicy {
             .map(|v| v.iter().cloned().collect());
 
         let enabled_raw: Option<Vec<String>> = session
-            .and_then(|s| parse_csv_opt(s.enabled_skills()))
+            .and_then(|s| s.enabled_skills().map(|v| v.to_vec()))
             .or_else(|| agent.and_then(|a| a.enabled_skills().map(|v| v.to_vec())))
-            .or_else(|| role.and_then(|r| parse_csv_opt(r.enabled_skills())))
+            .or_else(|| role.and_then(|r| r.enabled_skills().map(|v| v.to_vec())))
-            .or_else(|| parse_csv_opt(global.enabled_skills.as_deref()));
+            .or_else(|| global.enabled_skills.clone());
 
         let enabled: HashSet<String> = match enabled_raw {
             Some(explicit) => {
@@ -107,18 +107,10 @@ impl SkillPolicy {
     }
 }
 
-fn parse_csv_opt(s: Option<&str>) -> Option<Vec<String>> {
-    s.map(|raw| {
-        raw.split(',')
-            .map(|t| t.trim().to_string())
-            .filter(|t| !t.is_empty())
-            .collect()
-    })
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
+    use super::super::csv_to_vec;
 
     fn always_true(_: &str) -> bool {
         true
@@ -135,7 +127,7 @@ mod tests {
     ) -> AppConfig {
         AppConfig {
             skills_enabled,
-            enabled_skills: enabled.map(|s| s.to_string()),
+            enabled_skills: enabled.map(csv_to_vec),
             visible_skills: visible.map(|v| v.iter().map(|s| s.to_string()).collect()),
             ..AppConfig::default()
         }