Skill Creator

Prefer concise examples over verbose explanations.

Set Appropriate Degrees of Freedom

Match the level of specificity to the task's fragility and variability:

High freedom (text-based instructions): Use when multiple approaches are valid, decisions depend on context, or heuristics guide the approach.

Medium freedom (pseudocode or scripts with parameters): Use when a preferred pattern exists, some variation is acceptable, or configuration affects behavior.

Low freedom (specific scripts, few parameters): Use when operations are fragile and error-prone, consistency is critical, or a specific sequence must be followed.

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)
│   │   └── command: (optional, e.g., /my-skill)
│   └── Markdown instructions (required)
└── Bundled Resources (optional)
    ├── scripts/          - Executable code (Python/Bash/etc.)
    ├── references/       - Documentation loaded as needed
    └── assets/           - Files used in output (templates, icons, fonts, etc.)

SKILL.md (required)

Every SKILL.md consists of:

• Frontmatter (YAML): Contains name, description, and optional command fields. These determine when the skill gets used—be clear and comprehensive.
• Body (Markdown): Instructions and guidance for using the skill. Only loaded AFTER the skill triggers.

Bundled Resources (optional)

Scripts (scripts/)

Executable code for tasks requiring deterministic reliability or that are repeatedly rewritten.

• When to include: When the same code is being rewritten repeatedly or deterministic reliability is needed
• Example: scripts/rotate_pdf.py for PDF rotation tasks

References (references/)

Documentation and reference material loaded as needed into context.

• When to include: For documentation that should be referenced while working
• Examples: references/schema.md for database schemas, references/api_docs.md for API specifications

Assets (assets/)

Files not intended to be loaded into context, but used within the output.

• When to include: When the skill needs files for the final output
• Examples: assets/logo.png for brand assets, assets/template.html for boilerplate

Skill Creation Process

1. Understand the skill - Gather concrete examples of how the skill will be used
2. Plan contents - Identify what scripts, references, and assets would be helpful
3. Create the skill directory - Set up the folder structure
4. Write SKILL.md - Include frontmatter and instructions
5. Verify creation - MANDATORY: Confirm file exists at correct path with valid content
6. Test and iterate - Use the skill on real tasks and improve

Step 1: Understanding the Skill

To create an effective skill, understand concrete examples of how it will be used:

• "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?"

Step 2: Planning Contents

Analyze each example to identify reusable resources:

1. Consider how to execute the example from scratch
2. Identify what scripts, references, and assets would help

Step 3: Create the Skill

Create a new directory for your skill:

my-skill/
├── SKILL.md
└── (optional resources)

Step 4: Write SKILL.md

Frontmatter:

---