Python: Improve python sample validation workflow

.github/.linkspector.yml

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ dirs:
   - .
 excludedFiles:
   - ./python/CHANGELOG.md
+  - "**/SKILL.md"
 ignorePatterns:
   - pattern: "/github/"
   - pattern: "./actions"
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ ignorePatterns:
   - pattern: "https:\/\/dotnet.microsoft.com"
   - pattern: "https://github.com/Rel1cx/eslint-react"
 # excludedDirs:
-  # Folders which include links to localhost, since it's not ignored with regular expressions
+# Folders which include links to localhost, since it's not ignored with regular expressions
 baseUrl: https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/
 aliveStatusCodes:
   - 200

.github/actions/sample-validation-save-playbooks/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+name: Save Sample Playbooks
+description: >
+  Save the cached sample-validation playbooks. Split out from
+  sample-validation-setup (which only restores) so the save runs even when the
+  validation step fails. Combining restore+save via actions/cache would skip the
+  save on a failing job (post-if: success()), so freshly authored playbooks for
+  samples that failed validation would never persist. Invoke this with
+  'if: not-cancelled' after the validation step in each job.
+
+runs:
+  using: "composite"
+  steps:
+    - name: Save sample playbooks cache
+      uses: actions/cache/save@55cc8345863c7cc4c66a329aec7e433d2d1c52a9 # v6.1.0
+      with:
+        # Must match the restore path/key in sample-validation-setup/action.yml and the
+        # sample_validation --playbooks-dir default (samples/sample_validation/playbooks).
+        path: python/samples/sample_validation/playbooks/
+        key: sample-playbooks-${{ github.job }}-${{ github.run_id }}

.github/actions/sample-validation-setup/action.yml

@@ -36,15 +36,31 @@ runs:
       shell: bash
       run: copilot --version && copilot -p "What can you do in one sentence?"
 
+    - name: Set up python and install the project
+      uses: ./.github/actions/python-setup
+      with:
+        python-version: ${{ inputs.python-version }}
+        os: ${{ inputs.os }}
+
+    - name: Restore sample playbooks
+      # Restore-only. The matching save is a separate step in each job that runs with
+      # `if: ${{ !cancelled() }}` (see .github/actions/sample-validation-save-playbooks).
+      # A combined actions/cache would skip its post-job save on a failing job
+      # (post-if: success()), so playbooks authored for samples that failed validation
+      # would never persist. Keyed per job so each validate-* job keeps its own playbooks.
+      uses: actions/cache/restore@55cc8345863c7cc4c66a329aec7e433d2d1c52a9 # v6.1.0
+      with:
+        # Must match the sample_validation --playbooks-dir default, which resolves to
+        # samples/sample_validation/playbooks (see python/scripts/sample_validation/__main__.py).
+        # If a job overrides --playbooks-dir, update this path to match.
+        path: python/samples/sample_validation/playbooks/
+        key: sample-playbooks-${{ github.job }}-${{ github.run_id }}
+        restore-keys: |
+          sample-playbooks-${{ github.job }}-
+
     - name: Azure CLI Login
       uses: azure/login@a457da9ea143d694b1b9c7c869ebb04ebe844ef5 # v2
       with:
         client-id: ${{ inputs.azure-client-id }}
         tenant-id: ${{ inputs.azure-tenant-id }}
         subscription-id: ${{ inputs.azure-subscription-id }}
-
-    - name: Set up python and install the project
-      uses: ./.github/actions/python-setup
-      with:
-        python-version: ${{ inputs.python-version }}
-        os: ${{ inputs.os }}