Skill Creator

Create effective skills that extend Claude's capabilities with specialized knowledge, workflows, and tools.

About Skills

Skills are modular, self-contained packages that extend Claude's capabilities by providing specialized knowledge, workflows, and tools. Think of them as "onboarding guides" for specific domains or tasks - they transform Claude from a general-purpose agent into a specialized agent equipped with procedural knowledge.

What Skills Provide

1. •Specialized workflows - Multi-step procedures for specific domains
2. •Tool integrations - Instructions for working with specific file formats or APIs
3. •Domain expertise - Company-specific knowledge, schemas, business logic
4. •Bundled resources - Scripts, references, and assets for complex tasks

Anatomy of a Skill

Every skill consists of a required SKILL.md file and optional bundled resources:

skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required)
│   ├── YAML frontmatter metadata (required)
│   │   ├── name: (required)
│   │   └── description: (required)
│   └── Markdown instructions (required)
└── Bundled Resources (optional)
    ├── scripts/          - Executable code (Python/Bash/etc.)
    ├── references/       - Documentation loaded into context as needed
    └── assets/           - Files used in output (templates, icons, fonts)

Bundled Resources

Scripts (scripts/)

Executable code for tasks requiring deterministic reliability or repeated execution.

• •When to include: Same code rewritten repeatedly, or deterministic reliability needed
• •Example: scripts/rotate_pdf.py for PDF rotation tasks
• •Benefits: Token efficient, deterministic, may execute without loading into context

References (references/)

Documentation and reference material loaded as needed into context.

• •When to include: Documentation Claude should reference while working
• •Examples: Database schemas, API docs, domain knowledge, company policies
• •Best practice: If >10k words, include grep search patterns in SKILL.md
• •Avoid duplication: Information lives in SKILL.md OR references, not both

Assets (assets/)

Files used within output Claude produces (not loaded into context).

• •When to include: Files needed in final output
• •Examples: Templates, images, icons, boilerplate code, fonts
• •Benefits: Separates output resources from documentation

Progressive Disclosure Design

Skills use a three-level loading system to manage context efficiently:

1. •Metadata (name + description) - Always in context (~100 words)
2. •SKILL.md body - When skill triggers (<5k words)
3. •Bundled resources - As needed by Claude (Unlimited*)

*Unlimited because scripts can execute without reading into context.

Skill Creation Process

Follow these steps in order, skipping only if clearly not applicable.

Step 1: Understand the Skill with Concrete Examples

Goal: Clearly understand how the skill will be used.

Ask questions like:

• •"What functionality should this skill support?"
• •"Can you give examples of how this skill would be used?"
• •"What would a user say that should trigger this skill?"

Conclude when: You have a clear sense of the functionality the skill should support.

Step 2: Plan the Reusable Skill Contents

Goal: Identify what scripts, references, and assets would be helpful.

For each example use case:

1. •Consider how to execute it from scratch
2. •Identify what would be helpful when executing repeatedly

Example analysis:

Conclude with: A list of reusable resources to include (scripts, references, assets).

Step 3: Initialize the Skill

Run the initialization script to create the skill structure:

scripts/init_skill.py <skill-name> --path <output-directory>

The script creates:

• •Skill directory at specified path
• •SKILL.md template with proper frontmatter and TODO placeholders
• •Example resource directories: scripts/, references/, assets/
• •Example files that can be customized or deleted

Skip this step if: Updating an existing skill (proceed to Step 4).

Step 4: Edit the Skill

Remember: The skill is for another Claude instance to use. Include information that would be beneficial and non-obvious.

Start with Reusable Contents

1. •Create the identified scripts, references, and assets
2. •Delete example files/directories not needed
3. •Request user input if needed (e.g., brand assets, documentation)

Update SKILL.md

Writing Style: Use imperative/infinitive form (verb-first instructions), not second person.

• •✅ "To accomplish X, do Y"
• •❌ "You should do X"

Answer these questions:

1. •What is the purpose of the skill? (few sentences)
2. •When should the skill be used?
3. •How should Claude use the skill? (reference all bundled resources)

Metadata Quality: The name and description in YAML frontmatter determine when Claude uses the skill. Be specific about what the skill does and when to use it. Use third-person:

• •✅ "This skill should be used when..."
• •❌ "Use this skill when..."

Step 5: Package the Skill

Package into a distributable zip file:

scripts/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder>

Optional output directory:

scripts/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder> ./dist

The script will:

1. •Validate - Check YAML frontmatter, naming conventions, structure
2. •Package - Create zip file with proper directory structure

If validation fails, fix errors and run again.

Step 6: Iterate

After testing the skill:

1. •Use the skill on real tasks
2. •Notice struggles or inefficiencies
3. •Identify how SKILL.md or resources should be updated
4. •Implement changes and test again

SKILL.md Template

---
name: skill-name
description: Brief description of what this skill does and when to use it. Use third-person (e.g., "This skill should be used when..."). Be specific about triggers and use cases.
---

# Skill Name

[One paragraph explaining the skill's purpose and core philosophy]

## Purpose

[What this skill accomplishes]

## When to Use This Skill

- [Trigger 1]
- [Trigger 2]
- [Trigger 3]

**Not for:** [What this skill should NOT be used for]

---

## Workflow

### Step 1: [First Step]
[Instructions]

### Step 2: [Second Step]
[Instructions]

[Continue as needed]

---

## Bundled Resources

- `scripts/[name].py` - [What it does]
- `references/[name].md` - [What it contains]
- `assets/[name]/` - [What it includes]

---
## Related Skills

- **Enhanced by**: **mcp-builder**