| name | nobody-writes-skills |
| description | Use when creating new skills, editing existing skills, or verifying skills work before deployment |
Writing Skills
Overview
Writing skills IS Test-Driven Development applied to process documentation. Write test scenarios, watch agents fail without the skill, write the skill, watch them succeed.
Skill Structure
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md # Required: frontmatter + instructions
├── scripts/ # Helper scripts (optional)
└── references/ # Detailed docs (optional)
SKILL.md Format
---
name: skill-name
description: Use when [specific triggering conditions]
---
# Skill Name
## Overview
Core principle in 1–2 sentences.
## When to Use
Symptoms and use cases.
## Process
Steps to follow.
## Common Mistakes
What goes wrong + fixes.
Frontmatter Rules
name: lowercase, hyphens, 1–64 chars, must match directory name
description: start with "Use when...", max 1024 chars, describe triggers NOT workflow
Critical: Description = WHEN to use, NOT what the skill does. Testing shows agents follow descriptions as shortcuts and skip the full skill body.
Testing Skills (TDD)
RED — Baseline
Run a pressure scenario with a subagent WITHOUT the skill. Document:
- What choices did they make?
- What rationalizations did they use?
GREEN — Write Skill
Write skill addressing the specific failures observed. Run same scenario WITH skill — agent should now comply.
REFACTOR — Close Loopholes
Agent found a new rationalization? Add explicit counter. Re-test.
When to Create
Do create for: Reusable techniques, non-obvious patterns, cross-project workflows
Don't create for: One-off solutions, project-specific config, mechanically enforceable rules
Checklist