Skill Creator Guide

When to Create a New Skill

Create a skill when:

• •A module has patterns that differ from generic best practices
• •AI frequently needs context about a specific area
• •Documentation would benefit from on-demand loading
• •The pattern is used repeatedly across the project

Do NOT create a skill for:

• •One-off tasks
• •Trivial patterns already well-documented
• •Generic technology patterns (use existing skills)

Skill Structure

.claude/skills/skill-name/
├── SKILL.md                 # Required - main instructions
└── references/              # Optional - detailed docs
    ├── detailed-topic.md
    └── another-topic.md

SKILL.md Template

---
name: skill-name
description: Brief description of what this skill covers. Include trigger keywords that should activate it.
allowed-tools: Read, Edit, Write, Glob, Grep, Bash, Task
---

# Skill Title

## Overview

One paragraph explaining the module/pattern this skill covers.

## Core Patterns

### Pattern 1 Name

Explain the pattern with code examples:

\`\`\`typescript
// Example code
\`\`\`

**Why this matters:** Explanation of consequences.

### Pattern 2 Name

...

## Key Files

| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `path/to/file.ts` | Description |

## Common Pitfalls

1. **Mistake name:** What goes wrong and how to fix it
2. ...

## Additional Resources

For detailed documentation:
- [topic.md](references/topic.md) - Description

Naming Conventions

• •Reclip-specific: reclip-{module} (e.g., reclip-editor)
• •Technology: {tech}-patterns (e.g., zustand-patterns)
• •Meta: Descriptive name (e.g., skill-creator)

Writing Effective Descriptions

The description determines when Claude loads the skill. Include:

1. •What it covers: "PixiJS video rendering, timeline editing"
2. •Trigger keywords: "Use when working on PixiCanvas, zoom effects"
3. •File hints: "or any editor canvas functionality"

Good:

description: PixiJS video rendering engine, timeline editing, zoom effects. Use when working on PixiCanvas.tsx, Timeline.tsx, or video playback.

Bad:

description: Editor stuff.

Reference Files

Use references for:

• •Detailed explanations (>100 lines)
• •Complex diagrams or flows
• •Content that's only sometimes needed

Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines. Claude reads references on-demand.

Testing a New Skill

1. •Create the skill files
2. •Start a new Claude Code session
3. •Ask about the topic the skill covers
4. •Verify Claude mentions loading the skill
5. •Check that Claude has the right context

Checklist for New Skills

• • Name follows conventions
• • Description has trigger keywords
• • Core patterns documented with examples
• • Key files listed with paths
• • Common pitfalls included
• • References extracted for detailed content
• • SKILL.md under 500 lines

Example: Creating a New Skill

If asked to create a skill for a new "effects" module:

mkdir -p .claude/skills/reclip-effects/references

# .claude/skills/reclip-effects/SKILL.md
---
name: reclip-effects
description: Visual effects system for video editing - click effects, transitions, overlays. Use when working on effects rendering, effect configuration, or adding new effect types.
allowed-tools: Read, Edit, Write, Glob, Grep, Bash, Task
---

# Reclip Effects System

## Overview

The effects system renders visual enhancements on top of the video...

## Core Patterns

### Effect Registration

\`\`\`typescript
const EFFECTS = {
  ripple: RippleEffect,
  glow: GlowEffect,
} as const;
\`\`\`

...

Updating Existing Skills

When a module changes significantly:

1. •Read the current SKILL.md
2. •Update patterns that changed
3. •Add new patterns if needed
4. •Remove deprecated patterns
5. •Update file references if paths changed

Skills in This Project