Analyze a skill for improvement opportunities, implement selected ones, optimize for conciseness, and review. Use when "improve this skill", "make this skill better", "optimize skill".
Improve a skill through analysis, targeted changes, and optimization. Supports both project skills (a ./skills/ directory) and installed skills.
Use the minimal framework and requirements checklist in this skill's criteria.md (same folder). If framework/REQUIREMENTS.md and framework/FRAMEWORK.md are available in the current project, read them too.
Determine which skill to improve and where it lives (project vs installed).
./skills/ exists in the current project/workspace, scan that.~/.claude/skills/..backups/ when scanning.skills-improve itself.Read the skill's folder: , and any , , , or other relevant files present. Ignore machine-managed artifacts like and unless they are directly relevant to the user's request.
SKILL.mdcriteria.mdtemplate.mdpending-updates.md.backups/.skillstate.jsonAssess against the improvement dimensions in this skill's criteria.md (same folder). For each dimension, generate specific, actionable suggestions tied to what you actually read — not generic advice. Reference specific steps or sections.
If AskUserQuestion is available, use it with multiSelect: true. Otherwise, present suggestions conversationally and let the user respond in plain language.
The user may select improvements, ask follow-up questions, or add their own ideas. If the user selects none, skip to Phase 3 (Optimize).
For each selected improvement, show what will change:
Proceed only after the user confirms.
Before modifying files, create a timestamped backup:
{skill_folder}/.backups/{filesystem-safe-timestamp}/ (use an ISO-8601 timestamp with : replaced by .)..backups/) so rollback can remove newly created files.criteria.md), create it.last-updated in SKILL.md frontmatter to current UTC timestamp (ISO-8601).Check that the modified skill is still well-formed:
If verification fails:
.backups/ itself).Re-read the improved skill. Assess against the optimization checklist in this skill's criteria.md.
Show the user what you would tighten, with before/after for significant changes.
Ask for confirmation. If declined, skip to Phase 4.
Apply confirmed optimizations. Update last-updated.
Invoke /skills-review on the improved skill.
Report: