Install with Codex or Claude Copy this prompt, paste it into Codex, Claude, or another assistant, and let it review the skill page and install it for you.
A direct command skips the review prompt. Inspect the source before running it.
Unified skill development toolkit. Supersedes skill-creator — combines its creation process with quality validation, description optimization, and testing.
Iron Law: Skills must be discovered to be useful. The description is everything.
When to Use
Before writing or editing any SKILL.md file
When creating a new skill from scratch
When improving an existing skill's discovery rate
When validating skill quality before deployment
When scanning a skill/repo before sharing publicly
Boundaries
One-off instructions belong in CLAUDE.md, not a skill
Simple tool usage Claude already knows
Tasks that don't repeat across sessions
Why This Skill Exists
Even when the task seems simple, forge adds value you can't get from training alone:
CSO scoring catches description patterns that look fine but won't trigger discovery
Register checks ensure skills create a calm, productive emotional baseline
Lint validation catches structural issues (naming, frontmatter, section depth) before they cause silent failures
Small description edits are exactly where CSO scoring matters most — a word change can shift discovery rates
Quick Start
# 1. Initialize new skill
scripts/init_skill.py my-skill --path ~/.claude/skills
# 2. Edit SKILL.md (see Workflow below)# 3. Lint for structure issues${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/lint_skill.py /path/to/skill
# 4. Score description quality (CSO)${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/score_description.py /path/to/skill
# 5. Test with subagent (optional but recommended)${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/test_skill.py /path/to/skill
# 6. Package for distribution (optional)${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/package_skill.py /path/to/skill
Workflow: 6-Step Process
Step 1: Understand with Concrete Examples
Goal: Know exactly how the skill will be used before building.
Questions to answer:
"What would a user say that should trigger this skill?"
"Can you give examples of how this skill would be used?"
"What should happen after the skill triggers?"
Exit criterion: Clear list of trigger phrases and expected behaviors.
Step 2: Plan Reusable Contents
Analyze each example to identify:
Content Type
When to Include
Example
scripts/
Same code rewritten repeatedly
rotate_pdf.py
references/
Documentation Claude should reference
schema.md
assets/
Files used in output (not loaded)
template.pptx
Exit criterion: List of scripts/references/assets to create.
---
name: kebab-case-name
description: [ACTION VERB] + [LIFECYCLE CONTEXT] + [METHOD/VALUE]. Triggers on 'phrase1', 'phrase2'. (user)
---# Skill Title
[What good work looks like — the core principle]
## When to Use
[Specific triggers with examples]
## Boundaries
[What this skill is not for]
## Workflow
[Steps with success criteria]
## Common Mistakes
[Pitfalls and better alternatives]
Files to Include
File
Purpose
When Required
SKILL.md
Core instructions
Always
references/*.md
Detailed guides
When SKILL.md > 500 lines
scripts/*.py
Utility scripts
When deterministic code needed
assets/*
Output templates
When Claude uses files in output
Before Sharing
Run the sharing scanner:
scripts/scan.py <skill-path>
scripts/scan.py --risk high <skill-path> # High-risk only
Detects: emails, paths with usernames, secrets, company terms.
See references/sharing-scan.md for triage guidelines.
Integration
Anthropic scripts (symlinked from skill-creator):
init_skill.py — generate template
package_skill.py — create .skill file
Forge scripts:
lint_skill.py — automated structure validation
score_description.py — CSO quality scoring
test_skill.py — subagent pressure testing
scan.py — PII/secrets scanner for sharing
render_graphs.py — DOT workflow diagrams to SVG
References
references/cso-guide.md — Claude Search Optimization principles
