skill-creator

name	skill-creator
description	Guide for creating effective skills. Use when creating a new skill or updating an existing skill that extends Claude's capabilities with specialized knowledge, workflows, or tool integrations.

Skill Creator

Create modular, self-contained packages that extend AI capabilities with specialized knowledge and workflows.

Core Principles

Concise is Key

Challenge each piece: "Does Claude really need this?" Prefer concise examples over verbose explanations.

Progressive Disclosure

1. Metadata (~100 words) - Always loaded
2. SKILL.md body (<500 lines) - When triggered
3. Bundled resources - As needed

Skill Structure

skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required)
│   ├── YAML frontmatter (name, description)
│   └── Markdown instructions
└── Bundled Resources (optional)
    ├── scripts/      - Executable code
    ├── references/   - Documentation
    └── assets/       - Templates, icons

SKILL.md Format

---
name: my-skill
description: What it does AND when to use it (critical for triggering)
---

# Title

[Core instructions - imperative form]

## Sections as needed

Best Practices

Do	Don't
Clear, comprehensive description	Vague one-liner
Imperative form ("Create", "Run")	Passive voice
Concise examples	Verbose explanations
Reference files for details	Everything in SKILL.md
Test scripts by running them	Assume they work

What NOT to Include

• README.md, CHANGELOG.md, INSTALLATION.md
• User-facing documentation
• Setup/testing procedures

Creation Process

1. Understand - Get concrete usage examples
2. Plan - Identify reusable scripts/references/assets
3. Initialize - Create skill directory with SKILL.md
4. Edit - Implement resources, write instructions
5. Test - Verify with real usage
6. Iterate - Refine based on feedback