| name | skill-doctor |
| description | Use when a repo skill fails, produces errors, gives wrong instructions, or references stale information. Also use when a command from a skill returns "not found" or "unknown flag", when a skill references a file path that doesn't exist, when a skill's behavior doesn't match the codebase, or to list available skills, manage local overrides, check staleness, or optimize token usage and quality. |
Skill Doctor
Diagnose issues with repository skills, manage local overrides, and optimize skill quality.
Scope: Skills in the current repository's .claude/skills/ directory only.
Routing
Parse $ARGUMENTS:
| Pattern | Mode |
|---|
list | list (all repo skills) |
info <skill> | list (detail for one skill) |
feedback [skill] "<message>" | feedback (quick note) |
(empty) or <skill-name> | diagnose |
--optimize <skill> | optimize |
--manage [skill] | manage (status) |
clone/diff/sync/revert <skill> | manage (lifecycle) |
report/gist/pr <skill> | deliver |
resolve <skill> | resolve |
Unrecognized input: show this table and ask to rephrase. Then read ./reference.md for detailed procedures.
List
Dynamically discovers repo skills by reading .claude/skills/*/SKILL.md. Shows name, description, invocation, and override status. info <skill> reads the full SKILL.md to provide detailed usage guidance. All information comes from the skill files themselves — nothing is hardcoded. See reference.md for details.
Feedback
Lightweight path for quick notes. No investigation or quality gate — just scrub, preview, confirm, post. If skill name is omitted, ask which skill (or use the most recently invoked skill if known from conversation context). See reference.md for details.
Manage
Lifecycle: clone -> edit -> diff -> sync/revert -> pr/gist. Local overrides live at ~/.claude/skills/<name>/ with .skill-origin.json tracking.
Diagnose
- Identify skill, validate it exists
- Classify:
invalid_command | wrong_assumption | stale_info | other
- Investigate -- reproduce, root cause, determine fix, check related issues. Quality gate: confirmed problem + root cause + suggested fix
- Duplicate check in Discussion thread. Match found: upvote, add context, or report anyway
- Route: local override -> fix inline, stop. Repo -> offer clone-and-fix or report-only
- Scrub PII, review with developer, deliver to GitHub Discussion + Slack
Optimize
Checks frontmatter, token efficiency (<500 words), structure quality, and staleness (file paths, commands, flags). Scored report with fixes. Local overrides fixed directly; repo versions cloned first.
Deliver & Resolve
Deliver: GitHub Discussion (primary, one thread per skill) + Slack #log-skill-feedback (optional notification). Check prerequisites first (gh auth, repo access). See reference.md.
Resolve: After fix PR merges, mark Discussion reports resolved, post Slack summary, offer to lock thread.
Common Mistakes
See reference.md for the full table. Key rules:
- Never send reports without root cause + suggested fix
- Always check Discussion thread for duplicates before reporting
- Always run
gh auth status before any delivery action
revert always shows diff and requires name confirmation
Override Warning
When ANY skill is invoked and ~/.claude/skills/<name>/.skill-origin.json exists, output before skill content:
SKILL OVERRIDE ACTIVE: <name>
Using: ~/.claude/skills/<name>/ (local)
Instead of: .claude/skills/<name>/ (repo)
Cloned from: <sha> | Repo is N commits ahead
Run /skill-doctor --manage <name> for options
