implement-agent-skills

name	implement-agent-skills
description	Implement and maintain Claude Agent Skills with valid SKILL.md frontmatter, focused instructions, and progressive disclosure.

Implement Agent Skills

Create or update skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md files with deterministic scope and reusable references/scripts/templates.

Workflow

1. Assess complexity: Use decision framework to determine skill level needed (simple vs workflow)
2. Start simple: Choose simplest skill type that meets requirements
3. Define scope: Single-purpose objective with clear trigger criteria and success metrics
4. Create/update: skills/<name>/SKILL.md with valid frontmatter
5. Add supporting materials: References/scripts/templates for progressive disclosure
6. Plan evaluations: Identify 20-50 test cases to validate skill behavior
7. Validate: Check frontmatter and directory structure
8. Cross-link: Connect to plugin packaging or umbrella guidance as needed

Progressive Disclosure

Best Practices (Anthropic Guidelines)

• Core principles: ../../docs/ANTHROPIC_BEST_PRACTICES.md
  • Links to detailed references for complexity scoring, context management, and evaluation strategy

Skill Design Patterns

• Skill directory conventions: references/skill-structure.md
• Required frontmatter fields: references/skill-frontmatter.md
• Progressive disclosure patterns: references/skill-progressive-disclosure.md
• Invocation and trigger guidance: references/skill-invocation.md

Validation Tools

• Structure validator: scripts/validate-skill-structure.sh
• Frontmatter checker: scripts/check-skill-frontmatter.sh

Tiered Templates (by Complexity)

• Level 1 - Simple Skill (Score 1-3): assets/templates/skill-simple.md
• Level 2 - Workflow Skill (Score 4-6): assets/templates/skill-workflow.md
• Base skill template: assets/templates/skill-template.md
• Skill with references example: assets/templates/skill-with-references.md
• Skill with scripts example: assets/templates/skill-with-scripts.md

Related Skills

• Umbrella routing and component selection: ../implement-claude-extensions/SKILL.md
• Plugin packaging/distribution: ../implement-plugin/SKILL.md

Sources

• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills
• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/plugins