| name | using-agent-skills |
| description | Discovers and invokes agent skills. Use when starting a session or when you need to discover which skill applies to the current task. This is the meta-skill that governs how all other skills are discovered and invoked. |
| zh_description | 用于选择、加载和正确使用 Agent Skills 完成任务。 |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| author | addyosmani |
| source | github:addyosmani/agent-skills |
| source_url | https://github.com/addyosmani/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/using-agent-skills/SKILL.md |
| license | MIT |
| tags | ["agent", "ai", "engineering", "using-agent-skills", "workflow"] |
| created_at | 2026-07-27 |
| updated_at | 2026-07-27 |
| quality | 4 |
| complexity | advanced |
| upstream_slug | using-agent-skills |
Using Agent Skills
Overview
Agent Skills is a collection of engineering workflow skills organized by development phase. Each skill encodes a specific process that senior engineers follow. This meta-skill helps you discover and apply the right skill for your current task.
Skill Discovery
When a task arrives, identify the development phase and apply the corresponding skill:
Task arrives
│
├── Don't know what you want yet? ──────→ interview-me
├── Have a rough concept, need variants? → idea-refine
├── New project/feature/change? ──→ spec-driven-development
├── Have a spec, need tasks? ──────→ planning-and-task-breakdown
├── Implementing code? ────────────→ incremental-implementation
│ ├── UI work? ─────────────────→ frontend-ui-engineering
│ ├── API work? ────────────────→ api-and-interface-design
│ ├── Need better context? ─────→ context-engineering
│ ├── Need doc-verified code? ───→ source-driven-development
│ └── Stakes high / unfamiliar code? ──→ doubt-driven-development
├── Writing/running tests? ────────→ test-driven-development
│ └── Browser-based? ───────────→ browser-testing-with-devtools
├── Something broke? ──────────────→ debugging-and-error-recovery
├── Reviewing code? ───────────────→ code-review-and-quality
│ ├── Too complex? ─────────────→ code-simplification
│ ├── Security concerns? ───────→ security-and-hardening
│ └── Performance concerns? ────→ performance-optimization
├── Committing/branching? ─────────→ git-workflow-and-versioning
├── CI/CD pipeline work? ──────────→ ci-cd-and-automation
├── Deprecating/migrating? ────────→ deprecation-and-migration
├── Writing docs/ADRs? ───────────→ documentation-and-adrs
├── Adding logs/metrics/alerts? ───→ observability-and-instrumentation
└── Deploying/launching? ─────────→ shipping-and-launch
Core Operating Behaviors
These behaviors apply at all times, across all skills. They are non-negotiable.
1. Surface Assumptions
Before implementing anything non-trivial, explicitly state your assumptions:
ASSUMPTIONS I'M MAKING:
1. [assumption about requirements]
2. [assumption about architecture]
3. [assumption about scope]
→ Correct me now or I'll proceed with these.
Don't silently fill in ambiguous requirements. The most common failure mode is making wrong assumptions and running with them unchecked. Surface uncertainty early — it's cheaper than rework.
2. Manage Confusion Actively
When you encounter inconsistencies, conflicting requirements, or unclear specifications:
- STOP. Do not proceed with a guess.
- Name the specific confusion.
- Present the tradeoff or ask the clarifying question.
- Wait for resolution before continuing.
