skill-creator

# Skill Creator Generate new Claude Code skills with correct directory structure, YAML frontmatter, and optional bundled resources. ## When to Use - Creating a new custom skill for a project - Standardizing skill structure across a team - Generating skill templates with scripts, references, and assets - Packaging skills for distribution ## Skill Directory Structure ``` skill-name/ ├── SKILL.md # Required: Main skill file with YAML frontmatter ├── scripts/ # Optional: Executable code for deterministic tasks ├── references/ # Optional: Documentation loaded contextually └── assets/ # Optional: Templates, images, boilerplate (not loaded into context) ``` ## Workflow ### 1. Create the Skill ``` Create a new skill called "my-skill-name" in ~/.claude/skills/ ``` Or with a specific purpose: ``` Create a skill for generating release notes from git commits, with templates for CHANGELOG.md and Slack announcements ``` Or via the initialization script: ```bash python3 ~/.claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/init_skill.py <skill-name> --path <output-directory> ``` ### 2. Generated SKILL.md Template The created SKILL.md follows this structure: ```markdown --- name: skill-name description: "What the skill does. Use when [trigger conditions]." --- # Skill Name ## When to Use - Trigger condition 1 - Trigger condition 2 ## What This Skill Does 1. **Step 1**: Description 2. **Step 2**: Description ## How to Use [Usage examples] ## Example **User**: "Example prompt" **Output**: [Example output] ``` ### 3. Validate the Skill After creation, verify: 1. **Frontmatter**: `name` is kebab-case, 1-64 chars; `description` is a quoted string with "Use when" clause 2. **Content**: Has "When to Use" section with trigger conditions and at least one usage example 3. **Structure**: SKILL.md is under 5000 words; references and assets are in correct subdirectories 4. **Test**: Invoke the skill with a real use case and confirm expected output ### 4. Package for Distribution (Optional) ```bash python3 ~/.claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder> [output-directory] ``` ## Organizational Patterns | Pattern | Best For | Structure | |---------|----------|-----------| | **Workflow-Based** | Sequential procedures | Step-by-step instructions | | **Task-Based** | Multiple operations | Collection of tasks | | **Reference/Guidelines** | Standards, specs | Rules and examples | | **Capabilities-Based** | Interrelated features | Feature descriptions | ## Example: Creating a Release Notes Skill **User**: "Create a skill for generating release notes with 3 output formats" **Steps**: 1. Initialize: `init_skill.py release-notes-generator --path ~/.claude/skills/` 2. Add templates to `assets/`: `changelog-template.md`, `pr-release-template.md`, `slack-template.md` 3. Add rules to `references/`: `tech-to-product-mappings.md` 4. Complete `SKILL.md` with usage instructions 5. Validate: check frontmatter, test with a real commit range 6. Package: `package_skill.py ~/.claude/skills/release-notes-generator` ## Tips - Keep SKILL.md under 5000 words for efficient context usage - Use `references/` for domain knowledge that doesn't change often - Put templates in `assets/` so they're not auto-loaded into context - Always include a "Use when" clause in the description frontmatter - Test with real use cases before packaging