name: auto-sklearn
description: "Route auto-sklearn AutoML estimator, data validation, search,
custom component, and metadata-maintenance workflows."
disable-model-invocation: true
metadata:
disco-role: operating
license: BSD 3-Clause
auto-sklearn
Use this repo skill when the task names auto-sklearn, autosklearn, AutoSklearnClassifier, AutoSklearnRegressor, AutoSklearn2Classifier, autoML/HPO search, auto-sklearn metrics, component extension, or auto-sklearn metadata maintenance. Start here, then load the narrowest sub-skill for the requested workflow.
Quick install and import check
auto-sklearn is a Linux-oriented Python package with compiled dependencies. In a clean environment, install the public package or the user's selected source distribution, then verify the same Python that will run the task:
python -m pip install auto-sklearn
python -m pip check
python -I -c "import autosklearn; print(autosklearn.__version__)"
python -I -c "import autosklearn.classification, autosklearn.regression, autosklearn.metrics"
If pip builds dependencies from source, the environment may need a C++11 compiler and SWIG. For import errors, compiled dependency failures, unsupported OS/Python, pkg_resources warnings, or ConfigSpace/NumPy ABI problems, read cross-cutting troubleshooting before routing deeper.
Read repository provenance when checking whether this generated skill is current for a checkout or installed package version. The router metadata consumed by managed imports is in repo-routing-metadata.json.
Workflow lanes
| User need | Read |
|---|
Choose classifier vs regressor vs AutoSklearn2, call fit, predict, predict_proba, refit, fit_ensemble, inspect sprint_statistics, or run a bounded smoke helper | estimators |
Prepare pandas/NumPy/sparse/list inputs, diagnose feat_type, target encoding, allow_string_features, dataset_compression, built-in/custom metrics, scoring_functions, holdout/CV/custom splitters, or refit-after-CV rules | data-metrics-validation |
Configure search budgets, include/exclude, n_jobs, Dask clients, thread limits, SMAC/random/successive-halving callbacks, ensembles, leaderboard, show_models, cv_results_, or performance_over_time_ | search-and-parallelism |
| Implement or repair custom classifiers, regressors, feature/data preprocessors, ConfigSpace hyperparameters, component property dictionaries, registry calls, or custom component IDs | custom-components |
Maintain meta-learning metadata, metadata_directory, AutoSklearn2 selector/portfolio context, ASLib files, metadata-generation scripts, automl_common submodule checks, or focused repository tests | metadata-maintenance |
First-response patterns
- Ordinary model-fitting request: load
estimators; if inputs or metrics are underspecified, also load data-metrics-validation before writing code.
- Validation or scorer error: load
data-metrics-validation first. Do not start an AutoML fit just to validate containers or scorer flags.
- Slow, memory-heavy, parallel, or dummy-only run: load
search-and-parallelism; use estimators for high-level dummy-only triage if the user only needs fit/predict recovery.
- Search-space filtering: load
search-and-parallelism for built-in IDs and budget trade-offs; load custom-components if the user is adding a new component class.
- AutoSklearn2 issue: load
estimators for use-level ASKL2 behavior; load metadata-maintenance for selector/portfolio/cache/metadata internals.
- Repository contributor task: load
metadata-maintenance for metadata scripts, submodule state, and focused test guidance; load custom-components only for component API changes.
Common signals and what they usually mean
| Signal | Likely lane |
|---|
feat_type, pandas categories, datetime columns, target NaNs, custom scorers, dataset_compression, or custom splitters | data-metrics-validation |
n_jobs, Dask, include/exclude, ensemble_class, max_models_on_disc, leaderboard, show_models, performance_over_time_, or main-guard/resource problems | search-and-parallelism |
AutoSklearnClassifier, AutoSklearnRegressor, AutoSklearn2Classifier, predict_proba, refit, fit_ensemble, sprint_statistics, or dummy-only output | estimators |
add_classifier, add_regressor, add_preprocessor, get_properties, ConfigSpace, or custom class IDs | custom-components |
metadata_directory, selector cache, ASLib outputs, scripts/01_create_commands.py, automl_common, or repo test selection | metadata-maintenance |
Minimal operating habits
- Keep the task-specific lane narrow. If a task crosses lanes, resolve data/metric questions before search/fit questions and search questions before component-extension questions.
- Verify the public package version and import surface before using version-sensitive arguments. This skill was built from
auto-sklearn 0.16.0.dev0 / 0.16.0dev evidence.
- Use the bundled helper scripts under the relevant sub-skill for safe checks or command planning. Do not run the original repository's large examples or metadata scripts as the default runtime path.
- Treat short smoke runs as plumbing checks only. They prove import, fit, inspect, and predict behavior, not model quality.
- For source-maintenance work, check the
autosklearn/automl_common submodule and dirty-tree state before changing metadata scripts or focused tests.
Guardrails for future agents
- Keep
autosklearn package guidance version-aware. Recheck live signatures before using parameters not shown in this skill, especially output_directory.
- Do not run original repo examples or metadata scripts as normal skill usage. Use bundled helper scripts under the relevant sub-skill, or ask before expensive/network/long-running native workflows.
- Do not treat a short AutoML smoke as model-quality evidence. It proves import, fit, inspect, and predict plumbing only.
- Keep data validation, metric design, and resampling decisions explicit before expensive fitting.
- For parallel runs, plan for
n_jobs * memory_limit and require a Python main guard in scripts.
- For source-maintenance tasks, check submodule state and dirty-tree effects before and after focused tests.