| name | create-skill |
| description | Create new skills for Claude Code. Use when users ask to create a skill, add a skill, make a new command, build a skill, add a slash command, create a plugin skill, or define a new automation. Trigger phrases include "create a skill", "new skill", "add a skill", "make a command", "build a skill", "I want a skill that", "add slash command", "create automation". |
Create Skill
Create new skills for Claude Code. Use $ARGUMENTS to determine what the user wants.
Skill File Format
A skill is a SKILL.md file inside a skills/<skill-name>/ directory. It uses YAML frontmatter:
---
name: my-skill
description: Short description of when to trigger this skill. Include trigger phrases so Claude knows when to activate it.
---
# Skill Title
Instructions for what Claude should do when this skill is triggered.
Key rules for SKILL.md:
- name: lowercase, kebab-case (e.g.
my-skill)
- description: must include trigger phrases and keywords so Claude knows when to use it
- The body contains the full instructions Claude will follow when the skill is invoked
Scope
Skills can be created at two levels:
Project Level (default)
- Location:
<project-root>/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md
- Only available within this project
- No special permissions needed
- Use this when the skill is project-specific
Global Level
- Location:
~/.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md
- Available across all projects
- Requires write access to
~/.claude/
- Use this when the skill should work everywhere
Steps
-
Ask the user conversationally what the skill should do, what scope (project or global), and what name they want. Suggest ideas based on context.
-
Based on their answers, generate the SKILL.md content:
- Write a clear, descriptive
name in kebab-case
- Write a
description with plenty of trigger phrases so Claude knows when to activate it
- Write detailed body instructions for what Claude should do
-
Create the skill:
- Project level: Write to
skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md relative to project root
- Global level: Write to
~/.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md
-
Confirm creation and show the user:
- The skill name and path
- How to invoke it:
/<plugin-name>:<skill-name> or just by asking naturally (Claude auto-triggers based on description)
- Remind them the skill is available immediately — no restart needed