Write a skill

Skill: write-a-skill

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• User wants to create a new reusable skill
• User says "write a skill", "build a skill", or "create a skill"

Process

1. Gather requirements - ask user about:

   • What task/domain does the skill cover?
   • What specific use cases should it handle?
   • Does it need executable scripts or just instructions?
   • Any reference materials to include?

2. Draft the skill - create:

   • SKILL.md with concise instructions (under 100 lines)
   • Additional reference files if content is large or has distinct domains
   • Utility scripts if deterministic operations are needed

3. Review with user - present draft and ask:

   • Does this cover your use cases?
   • Anything missing or unclear?
   • Should any section be more/less detailed?

Skill Structure

skill-name/
├── SKILL.md           # Main instructions (required)
├── TEMPLATE.md        # Reusable templates (if needed)
├── REFERENCE.md       # Detailed docs (if needed)
└── scripts/           # Utility scripts (if needed)
    └── helper.js

See TEMPLATE.md for the standard SKILL.md template, description rules, and review checklist.

When to Add Scripts

Add utility scripts when:

• Operation is deterministic (validation, formatting)
• Same code would be generated repeatedly
• Errors need explicit handling

Scripts save tokens and improve reliability vs generated code.

When to Split Files

Split into separate files when:

• SKILL.md exceeds 100 lines
• Content has distinct domains (e.g., finance vs. sales schemas)
• Advanced features are rarely needed