make-skill-template

name	make-skill-template
description	Scaffolds new Agent Skills with SKILL.md frontmatter, folder structure, and bundled resources. USE FOR: create a skill, scaffold skill, new skill template, add agent capability. DO NOT USE FOR: Azure infrastructure, Bicep/Terraform code, architecture decisions.

Make Skill Template

A meta-skill for creating new Agent Skills. Use this skill when you need to scaffold a new skill folder, generate a SKILL.md file, or help users understand the Agent Skills specification.

When to Use This Skill

• User asks to "create a skill", "make a new skill", or "scaffold a skill"
• User wants to add a specialized capability to their GitHub Copilot setup
• User needs help structuring a skill with bundled resources
• User wants to duplicate this template as a starting point

Prerequisites

• Understanding of what the skill should accomplish
• A clear, keyword-rich description of capabilities and triggers
• Knowledge of any bundled resources needed (scripts, references, assets, templates)

Creating a New Skill

📋 Reference: Read references/step-by-step-guide.md for the detailed 4-step creation process:

1. Create the Skill Directory — lowercase, hyphenated folder name
2. Generate SKILL.md with Frontmatter — field requirements, description best practices
3. Write the Skill Body — recommended sections and structure
4. Add Optional Directories — scripts/, references/, assets/, templates/

Example: Complete Skill Structure

my-awesome-skill/
├── SKILL.md                    # Required instructions
├── LICENSE.txt                 # Optional license file
├── scripts/
│   └── helper.py               # Executable automation
├── references/
│   ├── api-reference.md        # Detailed docs
│   └── examples.md             # Usage examples
├── assets/
│   └── diagram.png             # Static resources
└── templates/
    └── starter.ts              # Code scaffold

Quick Start: Duplicate This Template

1. Copy the make-skill-template/ folder
2. Rename to your skill name (lowercase, hyphens)
3. Update SKILL.md:
   • Change name: to match folder name
   • Write a keyword-rich description:
   • Replace body content with your instructions
4. Add bundled resources as needed
5. Validate with npm run skill:validate

Validation Checklist

• Folder name is lowercase with hyphens
• name field matches folder name exactly
• description is 10-1024 characters
• description explains WHAT and WHEN
• description is wrapped in single quotes
• Body content is under 500 lines
• Bundled assets are under 5MB each

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Skill not discovered	Improve description with more keywords and triggers
Validation fails on name	Ensure lowercase, no consecutive hyphens, matches folder
Description too short	Add capabilities, triggers, and keywords
Assets not found	Use relative paths from skill root

Project-Specific Scaffold Templates

📋 Reference: Read references/scaffold-templates.md for Azure Knowledge Skill and Integration Skill skeleton templates, plus the "Before Committing a New Skill" checklist.

References

• Agent Skills official spec: https://agentskills.io/specification

Reference Index

Load these on demand — do NOT read all at once:

Reference	When to Load
references/step-by-step-guide.md	Detailed 4-step skill creation process with frontmatter rules
references/scaffold-templates.md	Azure/Integration skill skeletons, before-committing checklist