
init
Initialize warehouse schema discovery. Generates .astro/warehouse.md with all table metadata for instant lookups. Run once per project, refresh when schema changes. Use when user says "/data:init" or asks to set up data discovery.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/astronomer/agents --skill init- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads init automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Initialize Warehouse Schema
Generate a comprehensive, user-editable schema reference file for the data warehouse.
Scripts: ../analyzing-data/scripts/ — All CLI commands below are relative to the analyzing-data skill's directory. Before running any scripts/cli.py command, cd to ../analyzing-data/ relative to this file.
What This Does
- Discovers all databases, schemas, tables, and columns from the warehouse
- Enriches with codebase context (dbt models, gusty SQL, schema docs)
- Records row counts and identifies large tables
- Generates
.astro/warehouse.md- a version-controllable, team-shareable reference - Enables instant concept→table lookups without warehouse queries
Process
Step 1: Read Warehouse Configuration
cat ~/.astro/agents/warehouse.yml
Get the list of databases to discover (e.g., databases: [HQ, ANALYTICS, RAW]).
Step 2: Search Codebase for Context (Parallel)
Launch a subagent to find business context in code:
Task(
subagent_type="Explore",
prompt="""
Search for data model documentation in the codebase:
1. dbt models: **/models/**/*.yml, **/schema.yml
- Extract table descriptions, column descriptions
- Note primary keys and tests
2. Gusty/declarative SQL: **/dags/**/*.sql with YAML frontmatter
- Parse frontmatter for: description, primary_key, tests
- Note schema mappings
3. AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md files with data layer documentation
Return a mapping of:
table_name -> {description, primary_key, important_columns, layer}
"""
)
Step 3: Parallel Warehouse Discovery
Launch one subagent per database using the Task tool:
For each database in configured_databases:
Task(
subagent_type="general-purpose",
prompt="""
Discover all metadata for database {DATABASE}.
Use the CLI to run SQL queries:
# Scripts are relative to ../analyzing-data/
uv run scripts/cli.py exec "df = run_sql('...')"
uv run scripts/cli.py exec "print(df)"
1. Query schemas:
SELECT SCHEMA_NAME FROM {DATABASE}.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMATA
2. Query tables with row counts:
SELECT TABLE_SCHEMA, TABLE_NAME, ROW_COUNT, COMMENT
FROM {DATABASE}.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
ORDER BY TABLE_SCHEMA, TABLE_NAME
3. For important schemas (MODEL_*, METRICS_*, MART_*), query columns:
SELECT TABLE_NAME, COLUMN_NAME, DATA_TYPE, COMMENT
FROM {DATABASE}.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = 'X'
Return a structured summary:
- Database name
- List of schemas with table counts
- For each table: name, row_count, key columns
- Flag any tables with >100M rows as "large"
"""
)
Run all subagents in parallel (single message with multiple Task calls).
Step 4: Discover Categorical Value Families
For key categorical columns (like OPERATOR, STATUS, TYPE, FEATURE), discover value families:
uv run cli.py exec "df = run_sql('''
SELECT DISTINCT column_name, COUNT(*) as occurrences
FROM table
WHERE column_name IS NOT NULL
GROUP BY column_name
ORDER BY occurrences DESC
LIMIT 50
''')"
uv run cli.py exec "print(df)"
Group related values into families by common prefix/suffix (e.g., Export* for ExportCSV, ExportJSON, ExportParquet).
Step 5: Merge Results
Combine warehouse metadata + codebase context:
- Quick Reference table - concept → table mappings (pre-populated from code if found)
- Categorical Columns - value families for key filter columns
- Database sections - one per database
- Schema subsections - tables grouped by schema
- Table details - columns, row counts, descriptions from code, warnings
Step 6: Generate warehouse.md
Write the file to:
.astro/warehouse.md(default - project-specific, version-controllable)~/.astro/agents/warehouse.md(if--globalflag)
Output Format
# Warehouse Schema
> Generated by `/data:init` on {DATE}. Edit freely to add business context.
## Quick Reference
| Concept | Table | Key Column | Date Column |
|---------|-------|------------|-------------|
| customers | HQ.MODEL_ASTRO.ORGANIZATIONS | ORG_ID | CREATED_AT |
<!-- Add your concept mappings here -->
## Categorical Columns
When filtering on these columns, explore value families first (values often have variants):
| Table | Column | Value Families |
|-------|--------|----------------|
| {TABLE} | {COLUMN} | `{PREFIX}*` ({VALUE1}, {VALUE2}, ...) |
<!-- Populated by /data:init from actual warehouse data -->
## Data Layer Hierarchy
Query downstream first: `reporting` > `mart_*` > `metric_*` > `model_*` > `IN_*`
| Layer | Prefix | Purpose |
|-------|--------|---------|
| Reporting | `reporting.*` | Dashboard-optimized |
| Mart | `mart_*` | Combined analytics |
| Metric | `metric_*` | KPIs at various grains |
| Model | `model_*` | Cleansed sources of truth |
| Raw | `IN_*` | Source data - avoid |
## {DATABASE} Database
### {SCHEMA} Schema
#### {TABLE_NAME}
{DESCRIPTION from code if found}
| Column | Type | Description |
|--------|------|-------------|
| COL1 | VARCHAR | {from code or inferred} |
- **Rows:** {ROW_COUNT}
- **Key column:** {PRIMARY_KEY from code or inferred}
{IF ROW_COUNT > 100M: - **⚠️ WARNING:** Large table - always add date filters}
## Relationships
{Inferred relationships based on column names like *_ID}
Command Options
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
/data:init | Generate .astro/warehouse.md |
/data:init --refresh | Regenerate, preserving user edits |
/data:init --database HQ | Only discover specific database |
/data:init --global | Write to ~/.astro/agents/ instead |
Step 7: Pre-populate Cache
After generating warehouse.md, populate the concept cache:
# Scripts are relative to ../analyzing-data/
uv run cli.py concept import -p .astro/warehouse.md
uv run cli.py concept learn customers HQ.MART_CUST.CURRENT_ASTRO_CUSTS -k ACCT_ID
Step 8: Offer CLAUDE.md Integration (Ask User)
Ask the user:
Would you like to add the Quick Reference table to your CLAUDE.md file?
This ensures the schema mappings are always in context for data queries, improving accuracy from ~25% to ~100% for complex queries.
Options:
- Yes, add to CLAUDE.md (Recommended) - Append Quick Reference section
- No, skip - Use warehouse.md and cache only
If user chooses Yes:
- Check if
.claude/CLAUDE.mdorCLAUDE.mdexists - If exists, append the Quick Reference section (avoid duplicates)
- If not exists, create
.claude/CLAUDE.mdwith just the Quick Reference
Quick Reference section to add:
## Data Warehouse Quick Reference
When querying the warehouse, use these table mappings:
| Concept | Table | Key Column | Date Column |
|---------|-------|------------|-------------|
{rows from warehouse.md Quick Reference}
**Large tables (always filter by date):** {list tables with >100M rows}
> Auto-generated by `/data:init`. Run `/data:init --refresh` to update.
If yes: Append the Quick Reference section to .claude/CLAUDE.md or CLAUDE.md.
After Generation
Tell the user:
Generated .astro/warehouse.md
Summary:
- {N} databases, {N} schemas, {N} tables
- {N} tables enriched with code descriptions
- {N} concepts cached for instant lookup
Next steps:
1. Edit .astro/warehouse.md to add business context
2. Commit to version control
3. Run /data:init --refresh when schema changes
Refresh Behavior
When --refresh is specified:
- Read existing warehouse.md
- Preserve all HTML comments (
<!-- ... -->) - Preserve Quick Reference table entries (user-added)
- Preserve user-added descriptions
- Update row counts and add new tables
- Mark removed tables with
<!-- REMOVED -->comment
Cache Staleness & Schema Drift
The runtime cache has a 7-day TTL by default. After 7 days, cached entries expire and will be re-discovered on next use.
When to Refresh
Run /data:init --refresh when:
- Schema changes: Tables added, renamed, or removed
- Column changes: New columns added or types changed
- After deployments: If your data pipeline deploys schema migrations
- Weekly: As a good practice, even if no known changes
Signs of Stale Cache
Watch for these indicators:
- Queries fail with "table not found" errors
- Results seem wrong or outdated
- New tables aren't being discovered
Manual Cache Reset
If you suspect cache issues:
# Scripts are relative to ../analyzing-data/
uv run scripts/cli.py cache status
uv run scripts/cli.py cache clear --stale-only
uv run scripts/cli.py cache clear
Codebase Patterns Recognized
| Pattern | Source | What We Extract |
|---|---|---|
**/models/**/*.yml | dbt | table/column descriptions, tests |
**/dags/**/*.sql | gusty | YAML frontmatter (description, primary_key) |
AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md | docs | data layer hierarchy, conventions |
**/docs/**/*.md | docs | business context |
Example Session
User: /data:init
Agent:
→ Reading warehouse configuration...
→ Found 1 warehouse with databases: HQ, PRODUCT
→ Searching codebase for data documentation...
Found: AGENTS.md with data layer hierarchy
Found: 45 SQL files with YAML frontmatter in dags/declarative/
→ Launching parallel warehouse discovery...
[Database: HQ] Discovering schemas...
[Database: PRODUCT] Discovering schemas...
→ HQ: Found 29 schemas, 401 tables
→ PRODUCT: Found 1 schema, 0 tables
→ Merging warehouse metadata with code context...
Enriched 45 tables with descriptions from code
→ Generated .astro/warehouse.md
Summary:
- 2 databases
- 30 schemas
- 401 tables
- 45 tables enriched with code descriptions
- 8 large tables flagged (>100M rows)
Next steps:
1. Review .astro/warehouse.md
2. Add concept mappings to Quick Reference
3. Commit to version control
4. Run /data:init --refresh when schema changes
FAQ
What does the init skill do?
Initialize warehouse schema discovery. Generates .astro/warehouse.md with all table metadata for instant lookups. Run once per project, refresh when schema changes. Use when user says "/data:init" or asks to set up data discovery.
How do I install init?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/astronomer/agents --skill init in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/init/ (personal) or .claude/skills/init/ (project).
Which AI agents can use init?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is init safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains init?
It is published by astronomer in astronomer/agents, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 176 recorded installs.
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