/uipath-rpa

name: uipath-rpa
description: "Always invoke for `.xaml`/`.cs` workflow files. UiPath RPA (Modern or Legacy): create, edit, validate, build, pack, run, debug coded `.cs` and `.xaml` workflows; UI automation with Object Repository selectors; live desktop/browser UI exploration/control; test case authoring; Integration Service connector calls. Packing stays here; solution-level `.uipx` deployment→uipath-solution; non-solution Orchestrator ops→uipath-platform; test reports→uipath-test; agents→uipath-agents."
when_to_use: "User wants to create, edit, validate, debug, run, or pack a UiPath automation — '.cs' coded workflows or '.xaml' files. Triggers: 'build a workflow', 'pack this project', 'build a .nupkg', 'automate Excel/email/web/PDF/queue items', 'add a try-catch', 'fix this XAML error', 'scrape this site', 'process invoices', 'create a test case', a .NET Framework 4.6.1 / Windows-Legacy project, or project.json shows UiPath dependencies. NOT for '.flow' files (→uipath-maestro-flow), Python agents (→uipath-agents)."

UiPath RPA Assistant

Create, edit, manage, validate, build, run, debug, test, and publish UiPath coded (C#) and XAML automations. One UIA activity set covers Windows/macOS, desktop/web, strict/fuzzy selectors with anchors, Computer Vision, and semantic matching; `uia-configure-target` selects and automatically falls back between routes.

> **Read referenced files imperatively.** This SKILL.md routes you; it does not replace references. When a rule, Task Navigation entry, or section points to a file, open and read it in full before acting—do not grep, skim, use `--help`, or substitute prior knowledge. Catalogs may prescribe targeted lookup (for example, Grep `^##` for contents or `<command> --help` for flags); read matching sections only. A pointer naming a section (`file.md § Section`) is targeted through the next heading of its level. Skipped or partial references commonly cause build/runtime errors.

<!--skill-flavor:host-scope:start--> <!--skill-flavor:host-scope:end-->

When to Use This Skill

Use for projects, workflows, tests, source files, configuration, dependencies, activities, validation/build/run/debug, assertions, Integration Service connectors, and desktop/web UI automation.

UIA Prerequisites

UIA work requires `UiPath.UIAutomation.Activities` at or above its minimum version. Version, checks, discovery/install commands, and the upgrade-consent matrix (**NEVER install or upgrade UIA silently**) are only in [uia-starter-guide.md § UIA Prerequisites](references/uia-starter-guide.md); do not hardcode the version.

Precondition: Project Context

<!--skill-flavor:project-context-precondition:start--> Before work, check `.claude/rules/project-context.md` in the project directory. If present and fresh, proceed. If missing/stale, run the skip gate and, only if it does not trip, perform [environment-setup.md § Project Context Discovery](references/environment-setup.md): metadata-comment counts versus current counts, the 60–70% threshold, greenfield/empty/untouched-scaffold skip gate, host-specific discovery-agent options, and `context-files:`/`SKIP:` handling. The agent writes context files; do not re-read or rewrite them. **Dispatch discovery AT MOST ONCE per session** — reuse a running agent or its produced result; a later step that calls for project-context discovery means INTEGRATE the earlier dispatch, never spawn a second. If the skip gate trips, use no discovery agent and write both context files yourself after build per that section. <!--skill-flavor:project-context-precondition:end-->

Step 0: Resolve PROJECT_DIR

Before creating/modifying anything, resolve the project using [environment-setup.md § Step 0.1](references/environment-setup.md#step-01-establish-project-root). Find `project.json` to establish `{projectRoot}`; no Studio Desktop check is needed for the standard loop. `uip rpa` auto-launches a headless Studio (UiPath.Studio.Helm NuGet) on first call. Studio Desktop is required only for `files diff` and `focus-activity`. Coded UI `ObjectRepository.cs` (`Descriptors.*`) regenerates on per-file `validate` after a `[Workflow]`/`[TestCase]` `.cs` exists (§ Capture-First Fast Path step 2; [coded/operations-guide.md § Configure UI Targets](references/coded/operations-guide.md#configure-ui-targets-object-repository)).

Project Type Detection

After resolving `PROJECT_DIR`, inspect `project.json` `targetFramework` first:

• `"Legacy"` or absent in an older project: Legacy mode. Stop and follow [references/legacy/legacy-mode-guide.md](references/legacy/legacy-mode-guide.md). Use standalone `uip rpa-legacy`, .NET Framework 4.6.1, classic activities without “X”, and `mscorlib`; modern rules do not apply.
• `"Windows"` or `"Portable"`: Modern mode; use `uip rpa`. `Windows` means modern Windows-only, not Windows-Legacy.

Use `uip rpa-legacy` only for Legacy, never because `uip rpa` is unavailable; it can pack Modern projects with exit 0, so fix `uip rpa` instead.

Modern mode: coded = `.cs` with `[Workflow]`/`[TestCase]` and no workflow `.xaml` beyond scaffolded `Main.xaml`; XAML = workflow `.xaml` and no coded workflow `.cs`; both = hybrid, consult [coded-vs-xaml-guide.md](references/coded-vs-xaml-guide.md) and match the request; neither = new project, default XAML. Switch to coded only for explicit “coded”, “.cs”, “C# workflow”, “coded test case”, or coded-specific triggers (DTOs/custom models/unit-testable business logic). Otherwise “create a workflow”, “automate X”, and “build an automation” mean XAML. Route through Task Navigation; Legacy follows its guide.

Authoring Mode Selection

Match existing mode; new or ambiguous work defaults to XAML. Switch to coded only on explicit user phrasing or a coded-specific trigger from the table below.

| Scenario | Mode | Why | |----------|------|-----| | Standard RPA (Excel, email, file ops) | **XAML** (default) | Direct activity support, no code needed | | UI automation | **XAML** (default) | F