Skill Creator
Use this skill to create new skills or modernize existing ones in this repository.
When To Use
Use this skill when the user asks to:
- •create a new skill
- •update skill frontmatter or layout
- •make a skill compatible with Agent Skills-compliant tooling
Canonical Standard
Treat the Agent Skills specification as the source of truth:
Core spec rules:
- •
SKILL.mdmust include YAML frontmatter - •required top-level fields:
name,description - •optional top-level fields:
license,compatibility,metadata,allowed-tools - •
namemust:- •be 1-64 chars
- •use lowercase letters, digits, and hyphens only
- •not start/end with a hyphen
- •not contain consecutive hyphens
- •exactly match the parent directory name
- •if
metadatais used, it must be a map of string keys to string values
Seren Repo Conventions
On top of the spec, this repo uses the following conventions:
- •frontmatter uses only
nameanddescription(everything else is derived) - •optional spec fields (
license,compatibility,allowed-tools,metadata) are available when appropriate - •use the first
# H1in the body as the display name - •keep runtime files in
scripts/ - •keep
requirements.txt/package.json,config.example.json, and.env.exampleat the skill root - •keep local
config.jsonuntracked
Workflow
1. Confirm Scope
Collect:
- •org name (for example
seren,coinbase) - •skill directory name in kebab-case (for example
grid-trader) - •skill purpose and activation context
- •whether the skill needs executable code (put in
scripts/) or is documentation-only
2. Scaffold Directory
Create:
- •
{org}/{skill-name}/SKILL.md - •optional runtime files under
{org}/{skill-name}/scripts/ - •optional root files:
requirements.txt,package.json,config.example.json,.env.example
3. Write Frontmatter Correctly
Use this baseline template:
yaml
--- name: skill-name description: Clear statement of what the skill does and when to use it # license: Apache-2.0 # compatibility: "Requires git and jq" # allowed-tools: Read Bash(git:*) ---
Validation requirements:
- •
nameequals directory name exactly - •
descriptionis concrete and trigger-oriented - •optional fields (if present) follow spec constraints
- •keep frontmatter fields minimal and relevant
4. Write A Focused SKILL.md Body
Include:
- •when to use the skill
- •step-by-step workflow
- •minimal command examples
- •constraints and failure handling
Avoid:
- •long generic prose
- •duplicate documentation across many files
- •references to paths that do not exist
5. Validate Before PR
Checklist:
- •frontmatter present and valid
- •
namematches directory - •commands in docs point to real files
- •runtime files (if any) live under
scripts/ - •no secrets committed
Example Skeleton
markdown
--- name: api-tester description: Test REST endpoints and validate response contracts. --- # API Tester ## When to Use Use when a user asks to validate API behavior or contracts. ## Workflow 1. Collect endpoint and auth details. 2. Run a defined test matrix (happy path + failures). 3. Report findings with reproducible commands.