goose/documentation/docs/guides/session-recipes.md

---
sidebar_position: 5
title: Create a Recipe from Your Session
sidebar_label: Shareable Recipes
description: "Share a Goose session setup (including tools, goals, and instructions) as a reusable recipe that others can launch with a single click"
---

import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';

Sometimes you finish a task in Goose and realize, "Hey, this setup could be useful again." Maybe you have curated a great combination of tools, defined a clear goal, and want to preserve that flow. Or maybe you're trying to help someone else replicate what you just did without walking them through it step by step. 

You can turn your current Goose session into a reusable recipe that includes the tools, goals, and setup you're using right now and package it into a new Agent that others (or future you) can launch with a single click.

## Create Recipe

<Tabs>
  <TabItem value="ui" label="Goose Desktop" default>
   :::warning
   You cannot create a recipe from an existing recipe session - the "Make Agent from this session" option will be disabled.
   :::

   1. While in the session you want to save as a recipe, click the menu icon **⋮** in the top right corner  
   2. Select **Make Agent from this session**  
   3. In the dialog that appears:
      - Name the recipe
      - Provide a description
      - Some **activities** will be automatically generated. Add or remove as needed.
      - A set of **instructions** will also be automatically generated. Review and edit as needed. 
   4. Copy the recipe URL and use it however you like (e.g., share it with teammates, drop it in documentation, or keep it for yourself)

  </TabItem>

  <TabItem value="cli" label="Goose CLI">
   :::warning
   You cannot create a recipe from an existing recipe session - the `/recipe` command will not work.
   :::

   ### Create a Recipe File

   Recipe files can be either JSON (.json) or YAML (.yaml) files. While in a [session](/docs/guides/managing-goose-sessions#start-session), run this command to generate a recipe.yaml file in your current directory:

   ```sh
   /recipe
   ```

   If you want to specify a different name, you can provide it as an argument:

   ```sh
   /recipe my-custom-recipe.yaml
   ```

   <details>
   <summary>recipe file structure</summary>

   ```yaml
   # Required fields
   version: 1.0.0
   title: $title
   description: $description
   instructions: $instructions    # Define the model's behavior

   # Optional fields
   prompt: $prompt               # Initial message to start with
   extensions:                   # Tools the recipe needs
   - $extensions
   activities:                   # Example prompts to display in the Desktop app
   - $activities
   ```
   </details>

   ### Edit Recipe File

   Once the recipe file is created, you can open it and modify the value of any field.

   ### Optional Parameters

   You may add parameters to a recipe, which will require users to fill in data when running the recipe. Parameters can be added to any part of the recipe (instructions, prompt, activities, etc).

   To use parameters:
   1. Add template variables using `{{ variable_name }}` syntax in your recipe content
   2. Define each parameter in the `parameters` section of your YAML file

   <details>
   <summary>Example recipe with parameters</summary>

   ```yaml
   version: 1.0.0
   title: "{{ project_name }} Code Review" # Wrap the value in quotes if it starts with template syntax to avoid YAML parsing errors
   description: Automated code review for {{ project_name }} with {{ language }} focus
   instructions: |
      You are a code reviewer specialized in {{ language }} development.
      Apply the following standards:
      - Complexity threshold: {{ complexity_threshold }}
      - Required test coverage: {{ test_coverage }}%
      - Style guide: {{ style_guide }}
   activities:
   - "Review {{ language }} code for complexity"
   - "Check test coverage against {{ test_coverage }}% requirement"
   - "Verify {{ style_guide }} compliance"
   parameters:
   - key: project_name
     input_type: string
     requirement: required # could be required, optional or user_prompt
     description: name of the project
   - key: language
     input_type: string
     requirement: required
     description: language of the code
   - key: complexity_threshold
     input_type: number
     requirement: optional
     default: 20 # default is required for optional parameters
     description: a threshold that defines the maximum allowed complexity
   - key: test_coverage
     input_type: number
     requirement: optional
     default: 80
     description: the minimum test coverage threshold in percentage
   - key: style_guide
     input_type: string
     description: style guide name
     requirement: user_prompt
     # If style_guide param value is not specified in the command, user will be prompted to provide a value, even in non-interactive mode
   ```
   </details>

   ### Validate Recipe

   [Exit the session](/docs/guides/managing-goose-sessions#exit-session) and run:

   ```sh
   goose recipe validate recipe.yaml
   ```

Validation ensures that:
   - All required fields are present
   - Parameters are properly formatted
   - Referenced extensions exist and are valid
   - The YAML/JSON syntax is correct

   ### Share Your Recipe

   Now that your recipe is created, you can share it with CLI users by directly sending them the recipe file or converting it to a shareable deep link for Desktop users:

   ```sh
   goose recipe deeplink recipe.yaml
   ```

   </TabItem> 
</Tabs>


## Use Recipe

<Tabs>
  <TabItem value="ui" label="Goose Desktop" default>

   There are two ways to use a recipe in Goose Desktop:

   1. **Direct Link**
      - Click a recipe link shared with you
      - The recipe will automatically open in Goose Desktop

   2. **Manual URL Entry**
      - Copy a recipe URL
      - Paste it into your browser's address bar
      - You will see a prompt to "Open Goose"
      - Goose Desktop will open with the recipe

  :::note Privacy & Isolation
  - Each person gets their own private session
  - No data is shared between users
  - Your session won't affect the original recipe creator's session
  :::
  </TabItem>

  <TabItem value="cli" label="Goose CLI">

   ### Configure Recipe Location

  Recipes can be stored locally on your device or in a GitHub repository. Configure your recipe repository using either the `goose configure` command or [config file](/docs/guides/config-file#global-settings).

  :::tip Repository Structure
  - Each recipe should be in its own directory
  - Directory name matches the recipe name you use in commands
  - Recipe file can be either recipe.yaml or recipe.json
  :::

   <Tabs>
     <TabItem value="configure" label="Using goose configure" default>

       Run the configure command:
       ```sh
       goose configure
       ```

       You'll see the following prompts:

       ```sh
       ┌  goose-configure 
       │
       ◆  What would you like to configure?
       │  ○ Configure Providers 
       │  ○ Add Extension 
       │  ○ Toggle Extensions 
       │  ○ Remove Extension 
       // highlight-start
       │  ● Goose Settings (Set the Goose Mode, Tool Output, Tool Permissions, Experiment, Goose recipe github repo and more)
       // highlight-end
       │
       ◇  What would you like to configure?
       │  Goose Settings 
       │
       ◆  What setting would you like to configure?
       │  ○ Goose Mode 
       │  ○ Tool Permission 
       │  ○ Tool Output 
       │  ○ Toggle Experiment 
       // highlight-start
       │  ● Goose recipe github repo (Goose will pull recipes from this repo if not found locally.)
       // highlight-end
       └  
       ┌  goose-configure 
       │
       ◇  What would you like to configure?
       │  Goose Settings 
       │
       ◇  What setting would you like to configure?
       │  Goose recipe github repo 
       │
       ◆  Enter your Goose Recipe GitHub repo (owner/repo): eg: my_org/goose-recipes
       // highlight-start
       │  squareup/goose-recipes (default)
       // highlight-end
       └  
       ```

     </TabItem>

     <TabItem value="config" label="Using config file">

       Add to your config file:
       ```yaml title="~/.config/goose/config.yaml"
       GOOSE_RECIPE_GITHUB_REPO: "owner/repo"
       ```

     </TabItem>
   </Tabs>

   ### Run a Recipe

   <Tabs>
     <TabItem value="local" label="Local Recipe" default>

       **Basic Usage** - Run once and exit (see [run options](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#run-options) and [recipe commands](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#recipe) for more):
       ```sh
       # Using recipe file in current directory
       goose run --recipe recipe.yaml

       # Using full path
       goose run --recipe ./recipes/my-recipe.yaml
       ```

       **Preview Recipe** - Use the [`explain`](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#run-options) command to view details before running:
 
       **Interactive Mode** - Start an interactive session:
       ```sh
       goose run --recipe recipe.yaml --interactive
       ```
       The interactive mode will prompt for required values:
       ```sh
       ◆ Enter value for required parameter 'language':
       │ Python
       │
       ◆ Enter value for required parameter 'style_guide':
       │ PEP8
       ```

       **With Parameters** - Supply parameter values when running recipes. See the [`run` command documentation](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#run-options) for detailed examples and options.

       Basic example:
       ```sh
       goose run --recipe recipe.yaml --params language=Python
       ```

     </TabItem>

     <TabItem value="github" label="GitHub Recipe">

       Once you've configured your GitHub repository, you can run recipes by name:

       **Basic Usage** - Run recipes from your configured repo using the recipe name that matches its directory (see [run options](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#run-options) and [recipe commands](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#recipe) for more):

       ```sh
       goose run --recipe recipe-name
       ```

       For example, if your repository structure is:
       ```
       my-repo/
       ├── code-review/
       │   └── recipe.yaml
       └── setup-project/
           └── recipe.yaml
       ```
       
       You would run the following command to run the code review recipe:
       ```sh
       goose run --recipe code-review
       ```

      **Preview Recipe** - Use the [`explain`](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#run-options) command to view details before running:

       **Interactive Mode** - With parameter prompts:
       ```sh
       goose run --recipe code-review --interactive
       ```
       The interactive mode will prompt for required values:
       ```sh
       ◆ Enter value for required parameter 'project_name':
       │ MyProject
       │
       ◆ Enter value for required parameter 'language':
       │ Python
       ```

       **With Parameters** - Supply parameter values when running recipes. See the [`run` command documentation](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#run-options) for detailed examples and options.

     </TabItem>
   </Tabs>
  :::note Privacy & Isolation
  - Each person gets their own private session
  - No data is shared between users
  - Your session won't affect the original recipe creator's session
  :::

  ### Schedule a Recipe
  Automate Goose recipes by running them on a schedule.

  **Create a schedule** - Create a scheduled cron job that runs the recipe on the specified cadence. 

  ```bash
  # Add a new scheduled recipe which runs every day at 9 AM
  goose schedule add --id daily-report --cron "0 0 9 * * *" --recipe-source ./recipes/daily-report.yaml
  ```
  The [cron expression](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron#Cron_expression) follows the format "seconds minutes hours day-of-month month day-of-week".

  See the [`schedule` command documentation](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#schedule) for detailed examples and options.

   </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Core Components

 A recipe needs these core components:

   - **Instructions**: Define the agent's behavior and capabilities
      - Acts as the agent's mission statement
      - Makes the agent ready for any relevant task
      - Required if no prompt is provided

   - **Prompt** (Optional): Starts the conversation automatically
      - Without a prompt, the agent waits for user input
      - Useful for specific, immediate tasks
      - Required if no instructions are provided

   - **Activities**: Example tasks that appear as clickable bubbles
      - Help users understand what the recipe can do
      - Make it easy to get started

## What's Included

A recipe captures:

- AI instructions (goal/purpose)  
- Suggested activities (examples for the user to click)  
- Enabled extensions and their configurations  
- Project folder or file context  
- Initial setup (but not full conversation history)


To protect your privacy and system integrity, Goose excludes:

- Global and local memory  
- API keys and personal credentials  
- System-level Goose settings  


This means others may need to supply their own credentials or memory context if the recipe depends on those elements.