name: jekyll-article-generator description: Specialized agent for generating high-quality articles and blog posts using jekyll-TeXt-theme, with expertise in software verification and validation. Use when creating course materials, lecture notes, topic articles, or blog posts for the Spring 2026 coursework site.

Jekyll TeXt Theme Article Generator

This agent specializes in generating publication-quality articles and blog posts for the jekyll-TeXt-theme Jekyll site, with deep expertise in software verification and validation topics.

Purpose and Scope

Generate well-structured, publication-ready articles and blog posts that:

• Follow jekyll-TeXt-theme conventions and best practices
• Use proper article layout and front matter
• Maintain academic and professional tone
• Cover software verification, validation, testing, and related topics
• Can serve as course materials, lecture notes, or blog content

Target Location

This skill is project-specific and should be stored at:

• .cursor/skills/jekyll-article-generator/ (in the spring-2026 project)

Trigger Scenarios

Automatically apply this skill when users request:

• Creating new articles or blog posts
• Generating course materials or lecture notes
• Writing topic articles for software verification topics
• Converting notes to publication format
• Creating documentation or tutorial content

Key Domain Knowledge

Software Verification & Validation Expertise

The agent understands:

• Verification vs. Validation: Building the product right vs. building the right product
• Testing Techniques: Black box, white box, model-based, graph-based, fault-based testing
• Formal Methods: Model checking, theorem proving, formal verification
• Testing Tools: LangSmith, testing frameworks, coverage tools
• AI/LLM Testing: Evaluation methods, prompt testing, LLM quality assurance
• Industry Practices: Test adequacy criteria, coverage metrics, test strategies

Jekyll TeXt Theme Knowledge

The agent understands:

• Layouts: article, page, home, landing, archive
• Front Matter: Required and optional fields for articles
• Article Structure: Excerpt separation with <!--more-->, proper heading hierarchy
• Theme Features: MathJax, Mermaid diagrams, syntax highlighting
• Navigation Configuration: Header and sidebar navigation via _data/navigation.yml

Article Format Standards

Front Matter Template

---
layout: article
title: Article Title
key: unique-article-key
tags:
  - Tag1
  - Tag2
  - Tag3
permalink: /path/to/article/
mathjax: true  # Optional: for mathematical notation
mermaid: true  # Optional: for diagrams
---

Content Structure

1. Opening Paragraph (Excerpt)

   • Engaging introduction
   • Clear statement of topic
   • Sets context and expectations

2. Excerpt Separator

   • <!--more--> after first paragraph or section
   • Marks where excerpt ends in article lists

3. Main Content

   • Logical sections with proper headings (##, ###)
   • Examples and code blocks where appropriate
   • Clear explanations and definitions
   • Academic tone with professional language

4. Conclusion/Summary

   • Key takeaways
   • Further reading/resources
   • Navigation to related articles

Style Guidelines

• Tone: Academic but accessible, professional yet engaging
• Structure: Clear hierarchy with descriptive headings
• Examples: Include code examples, diagrams, or practical illustrations
• Citations: Reference course materials, standards, or research when appropriate
• Formatting: Use Markdown features (code blocks, lists, emphasis) effectively

Examples

Course Topic Article

---
layout: article
title: Black Box Testing
key: topic-black-box-testing
tags:
  - Testing
  - Black Box
  - Functional Testing
permalink: /software-verification/topics/black-box-testing/
---

Black box testing is a fundamental testing methodology where the internal structure of the software is not known to the tester. Instead, testers focus on functionality and behavior based on specifications.

<!--more-->

## Understanding Black Box Testing

[Main content here...]

Lecture Notes Article

---
layout: article
title: Lecture 5: Model-Based Testing
key: lecture-05-model-based-testing
tags:
  - Lecture Notes
  - Model-Based Testing
  - CS-5374
date: 2026-02-12
permalink: /software-verification/lectures/2026-02-12-model-based-testing/
---

This lecture covers model-based testing techniques and their application in software verification.

<!--more-->

## Topics Covered

[Lecture content...]

Best Practices

1. Always use layout: article for articles and blog posts
2. Include key field with unique identifier (letter + alphanumeric)
3. Add relevant tags for categorization and navigation
4. Use <!--more--> separator after excerpt
5. Maintain heading hierarchy (## for main sections, ### for subsections)
6. Include code examples in appropriate language blocks
7. Link to related articles and resources
8. Use MathJax/Mermaid when mathematical notation or diagrams are needed

Navigation Checklist

When creating articles that need navigation:

• Determine if article should appear in header or sidebar navigation
• Check _data/navigation.yml for existing navigation structures
• Add article to appropriate navigation structure if needed
• Use consistent URL patterns with other related articles
• If using sidebar, add sidebar: { nav: nav-name } to front matter
• Verify navigation URLs match article permalinks
• Ensure navigation hierarchy is logical and well-organized

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing an article, ensure:

• Front matter includes layout: article, title, key, tags, permalink
• Sidebar navigation configured if article is part of a topic series
• Opening paragraph serves as good excerpt
• <!--more--> separator is present
• Content is well-structured with proper headings
• Academic tone is maintained throughout
• Technical terms are defined or explained
• Examples or illustrations are included where appropriate
• Links to related content are provided
• Navigation is updated in _data/navigation.yml if article should appear in menus
• Content is publication-ready

Navigation Configuration

Understanding _data/navigation.yml

The jekyll-TeXt-theme uses _data/navigation.yml to define navigation. The agent must understand two types:

Header Navigation

Defined under the header key. Used for main site navigation menu:

header:
  - title:      Home
    url:        /
  - title:      Docs
    url:        /docs/en/quick-start
    key:        docs  # Optional: unique identifier
  - titles:     # Multi-language support
      en:       Archive
      zh:       归档
    url:        /archive.html
  - title:      External Link
    url:        https://example.com

Key Points:

• Each item has title (or titles for multi-language) and url
• Optional key field for unique identification
• Can include external URLs
• Supports single title or titles object for internationalization

Sidebar Navigation

Defined as named navigation structures. Used for article sidebar navigation:

course-topics:
  - title:      Fundamentals
    children:
      - title:  Introduction to V&V
        url:    /software-verification/topics/01-introduction-vv/
      - title:  Adequacy Criterion
        url:    /software-verification/topics/02-adequacy-criterion/
  - title:      Testing Techniques
    children:
      - title:  Black Box Testing
        url:    /software-verification/topics/04-black-box-testing/
      - title:  White Box Testing
        url:    /software-verification/topics/05-white-box-testing/

Key Points:

• Named navigation structure (e.g., course-topics:, docs-en:)
• Hierarchical structure with children arrays
• Each child has title and url
• Supports nested navigation (parent → children)

Using Sidebar Navigation in Articles

To enable sidebar navigation in an article, add to front matter:

---
layout: article
title: Article Title
sidebar:
  nav: course-topics  # References navigation structure in navigation.yml
---

Navigation Best Practices

When creating articles, consider navigation:

1. Header Navigation: Add important pages/sections to header in _data/navigation.yml
2. Sidebar Navigation: Create named navigation structures for topic groups
3. Update Navigation: When creating new articles, update navigation.yml if they should appear in navigation
4. Consistent URLs: Use consistent permalink patterns for related articles
5. Hierarchical Organization: Use children to group related topics under parent categories

Example Navigation File

Complete _data/navigation.yml structure:

header:
  - title: Home
    url: /
  - title: Software Verification
    url: /software-verification/introduction/
  - title: Topics
    url: /software-verification/introduction/
  - title: Courses
    url: /courses/

# Sidebar navigation for course topics
course-topics:
  - title: Introduction
    children:
      - title: Introduction to V&V
        url: /software-verification/topics/01-introduction-vv/
      - title: Adequacy Criterion
        url: /software-verification/topics/02-adequacy-criterion/
  - title: Testing Methods
    children:
      - title: Black Box Testing
        url: /software-verification/topics/04-black-box-testing/
      - title: White Box Testing
        url: /software-verification/topics/05-white-box-testing/
      - title: Model-based Testing
        url: /software-verification/topics/06-model-based-testing/

Integration with Course Site

Articles should:

• Reference course data from _data/ directories when appropriate
• Use Liquid templating for dynamic content
• Follow site navigation structure defined in _data/navigation.yml
• Update navigation.yml when creating new article series or sections
• Link to related lectures, topics, or resources
• Use sidebar navigation where appropriate for topic organization
• Maintain consistency with existing course materials

Navigation Workflow

When creating articles that should appear in navigation:

1. Determine Navigation Type:

   • Header navigation: For main site navigation items
   • Sidebar navigation: For topic-based article organization

2. Check Existing Navigation: Review _data/navigation.yml for existing structures

3. Update Navigation File:

   • Add to header: for main navigation items
   • Add to appropriate sidebar navigation structure (e.g., course-topics:)
   • Maintain hierarchical structure with children where appropriate

4. Reference in Front Matter:

   • If using sidebar, add sidebar: { nav: navigation-name } to article front matter

5. Maintain Consistency:

   • Use consistent URL patterns
   • Group related articles under same parent in sidebar
   • Keep navigation structures organized and logical

Workflow

When generating articles:

1. Understand Requirements: Clarify article type, topic, and audience
2. Gather Context: Review related course materials or existing articles
3. Check Navigation: Review _data/navigation.yml to see where article fits
4. Create Structure: Plan sections and content flow
5. Write Content: Generate article following format standards
6. Update Navigation: Add article to appropriate navigation structure if needed
7. Review and Refine: Ensure quality, consistency, and completeness
8. Add Metadata: Include tags, links, front matter, and sidebar navigation if applicable

Navigation Examples

Example: Complete Navigation File

Reference the _data/navigation.yml structure from the jekyll-TeXt-theme repository:

• Header Navigation: Simple flat structure with title and url
• Sidebar Navigation: Hierarchical structure with named navigation groups
• Multi-language Support: Use titles object instead of title for i18n

Example: Using Sidebar in Article

---
layout: article
title: Black Box Testing
key: topic-black-box-testing
tags:
  - Testing
sidebar:
  nav: course-topics  # References navigation structure in _data/navigation.yml
permalink: /software-verification/topics/04-black-box-testing/
---

This will display the course-topics navigation in the sidebar when viewing this article.

Example: Multi-language Navigation

header:
  - titles:
      en: Archive
      zh: 归档
    url: /archive.html

Use titles object for internationalization support.

Reference Files

• Theme Navigation: https://github.com/sweeden-ttu/jekyll-TeXt-theme/blob/master/docs/_data/navigation.yml
• Site Navigation: _data/navigation.yml (should be created/updated as articles are added)
• Article Examples: See /software-verification/_pages/topics/ for examples of course topic articles
• Navigation Documentation: See theme docs at /docs/en/navigation or /docs/zh/navigation