sylph-create-skill

# Create Skill ## When to use Run `/sylph-create-skill <name>` when the CAO wants to add a new skill that doesn't exist yet. ## Usage ``` /sylph-create-skill social-listening /sylph-create-skill competitor-analysis ``` --- ## Step 1: Understand the skill Ask the CAO ONE question: > What should **[skill-name]** do? (2-3 sentences is enough) From her answer, derive: - **Purpose**: what problem does it solve? - **Domain**: which area does it belong to? (content, sales, product, brand, finance, hr, legal, ops, events, writing, agents) - **Trigger**: when would someone invoke it? (on-demand, daily, event-triggered) - **Inputs**: what does it need to run? (a topic, a file, a customer name, nothing) - **Outputs**: what does it produce? (a draft, a report, an issue, a Slack message) - **MCP connectors**: which external tools does it need? ## Step 2: Create the skill file Create `.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md` with this structure: ```markdown --- name: <skill-name> description: <one line - what it does and when to use it> --- # <Skill Title> ## MCP connectors | Connector | Purpose | |-----------|---------| | [tool] | [what it's used for] | ## Context loading 1. Read [relevant files] for context 2. Read `_insights.md` for the domain (if exists) 3. Read `_examples/` for quality reference (if exists) ## Arguments | Argument | What it does | |----------|-------------| | [arg] | [description] | ## Execution 1. [Step 1] 2. [Step 2] 3. [Step 3] ## Guardrails - [Safety rule 1] - [Safety rule 2] - **Never publish or send directly** - always save to `_drafts/` ## Self-improvement After the CAO reviews and approves the output: 1. Move the final version from `_drafts/` to `_published/` 2. Diff what was drafted vs what the CAO kept - identify patterns in her edits 3. Update `_insights.md` with what worked, what she changed, and why 4. If her edits reveal a recurring pattern or new rule, add it to this skill file 5. If the output was a top performer, promote it to `_examples/` ``` ### Skill file rules - **Flat path**: `.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md` - one level only, no subdirectories - **YAML frontmatter required**: `name` and `description` fields - **MCP connectors table**: always include, even if empty ("None required") - **Guardrails section**: always include - every skill must define what it does NOT do - **No em dashes**: use `-` or `:` ## Step 3: Create the content folder (if applicable) If the skill produces content, create the folder structure: ``` <domain>/<channel>/ _drafts/ # where new content goes _published/ # approved content archive _examples/ # best-performing pieces (few-shot reference) _insights.md # channel learnings (create empty with header) ``` Not all skills need a content folder. Agent skills, ops skills, and tool skills may just use `agents/<name>/_logs/`. ## Step 4: Register the skill Add the skill to the index table in `AGENTS.md` (section 8): ```markdown | <skill-name> | <domain> | `.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md` | ``` Insert in alphabetical order within the domain group. ## Step 5: Create the setup guide (optional) If the skill needs configuration (MCP connections, examples, voice derivation), create a setup guide at `.claude/skills/sylph-setup-skill/setup-<skill-name>.md` and add it to the dispatch table in `sylph-setup-skill/SKILL.md`. Only create a setup guide if the skill requires initial configuration. Simple on-demand skills don't need one. ## Step 6: Add the self-improvement loop (mandatory) Every skill MUST have a `## Self-improvement` section as its last section. This is what makes Sylph a self-improving system instead of a static prompt library. Add this section to the skill file you created in Step 2: ```markdown ## Self-improvement After the CAO reviews and approves the output: 1. Move the final version from `_drafts/` to `_published/` 2. Diff what was drafted vs what the CAO kept - identify patterns in her edits 3. Update the relevant `_insights.md` with what worked, what she changed, and why 4. If her edits reveal a recurring pattern or new rule, add it to this skill file 5. If the output was a top performer, promote it to `_examples/` with annotated frontmatter ``` Adapt the wording to fit the skill's output type: - **Content skills** (posts, emails, articles): focus on voice, structure, and tone patterns - **Agent/routine skills** (CoS, CSM, EA): focus on format, scope, and prioritization patterns - **Analysis skills** (reports, screening, reviews): focus on depth, framing, and what the CAO found useful vs noise - **Ops skills** (CRM, docs updates): focus on process efficiency and what the CAO corrected The key principle: the skill improves because the CAO's edits are signal. Capture what she changed and why, then bake that into the skill's rules and the domain's insights. ## Step 7: Test Generate one piece of output using the new skill. Ask the CAO to review. Capture any corrections in the skill file or `_insights.md`. --- ## Checklist Before finishing, verify: - [ ] `SKILL.md` exists at `.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md` - [ ] Frontmatter has `name` and `description` - [ ] MCP connectors table is present - [ ] Guardrails section is present - [ ] **Self-improvement section is present** (mandatory) - [ ] Skill is registered in `AGENTS.md` section 8 - [ ] Content folder created (if applicable) - [ ] Test output generated and reviewed