| name | code-skill-design |
| description | Use this skill when you are writing, reviewing, or refactoring Claude Code skills and want proven structure, content patterns (Gotchas, references, scripts, templates), and distribution guidance. |
Claude Code skill design playbook
Instructions
What a skill is (and why structure matters)
A skill is a folder of instructions and supporting resources, not just a single markdown file. Use the file system for progressive disclosure so the agent reads the right level of detail at the right time.
Keep a skill in one category
Skills that fit cleanly into a single category tend to work best; avoid mixing multiple categories in one skill.
See the category reference:
references/skill_categories.md
Write the description for the model
Treat the description field as trigger text (when to use the skill), not as a human-oriented summary.
Make “Gotchas” the highest-signal section
Capture real failure cases and footguns Claude hits in your environment, and update over time.
Use progressive disclosure (files, not one long document)
Split long details into companion files:
- API/CLI references →
references/*.md
- Setup/config →
templates/config.json
- Output templates to copy →
templates/*
When scripts help, ship scripts
If a step can be made deterministic (validation, formatting, generating boilerplate), include scripts in the skill folder.
Use on-demand hooks
If a hook is too disruptive to be always-on, activate it only when the skill triggers for the session.
Examples
- Use
templates/config.json as a starting point when a skill requires per-user setup.
Source
