instrument-existing-agent-with-prefactor-sdk
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Use when an existing agent already works without Prefactor and you need to add tracing for runs, llm calls, tool calls, and failures with minimal behavior changes.
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npx skill4agent add prefactordev/typescript-sdk instrument-existing-agent-with-prefactor-sdkTags
Translated version includes tags in frontmatterSKILL.md Content
View Translation Comparison →Instrument Existing Agent With Prefactor SDK
Instrument a working agent that was built without Prefactor.
Core principle: instrument boundaries, not business logic.
Quick Start
- Identify runtime path: built-in adapter (or
@prefactor/langchain) or custom@prefactor/aiadapter.@prefactor/core - Add one top-level run span and child spans around LLM/tool boundaries.
- Preserve context propagation and package-prefixed span types.
- Record error metadata and rethrow original errors.
- Finish spans on success, error, cancel, and stream terminal paths.
- Verify in your project's build/test/typecheck flow.
Coding Tool Trigger Phrases
If the user asks for any of these, apply this skill:
- "instrument this existing agent"
- "this agent already works, add prefactor tracing"
- "wrap this existing langchain/ai agent with prefactor"
- "add tracing for tool calls and runs"
- "tool calls are missing in my coding tool timeline"
Use With Custom Provider Skill
Sometimes you need both skills.
- If the framework/provider is already supported by a Prefactor adapter, use this skill directly.
- If the framework/provider is not supported yet (for example a custom Google SDK agent integration), first use to build a custom adapter, then use this skill to instrument the existing agent with that adapter.
skills/create-provider-package-with-core/SKILL.md
Recommended sequence when unsupported:
- Create provider adapter with .
@prefactor/core - Integrate adapter into the existing agent entrypoint.
- Validate run/llm/tool/error spans in real executions.
Implementation Rules
- Prefer or
@prefactor/langchainbefore low-level@prefactor/ai.@prefactor/core - Keep provider span types package-prefixed (,
langchain:*).ai-sdk:* - Run nested work inside active context so parent/child trace trees stay intact.
- Capture input/output safely (redact secrets, enforce truncation limits).
- Instrumentation must never crash user code.
Verification
Run equivalent project verification commands (for example build, typecheck, and tests).
Also run at least one real agent request and confirm:
- top-level run span exists
- child llm/tool spans are correctly nested
- terminal status appears for success and failure
References
- For coding-tool-oriented keyword coverage and trigger wording, read .
references/coding-tool-triggers.md - For an execution checklist and failure diagnostics, read .
references/instrumentation-checklist.md
Common Mistakes
- Instrumenting every helper instead of boundaries.
- Using generic span types.
- Swallowing exceptions after logging.
- Missing stream cancel/error completion paths.