---
name: skill-creator
description: Guide for creating effective skills. Use when users want to create a new skill or update an existing skill that extends Claude's capabilities with specialized knowledge, workflows, or tool integrations.
---

# Skill Creator

Guide for creating effective skills that extend Claude's capabilities.

## About Skills

Skills are modular packages providing:
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

## Core Principles

### Concise is Key
The context window is a public good. Only add context Claude doesn't already have.

### Set Appropriate Degrees of Freedom
- **High freedom**: Use when multiple approaches are valid
- **Medium freedom**: Use when a preferred pattern exists
- **Low freedom**: Use when operations are fragile and error-prone

## Skill Structure

```
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required)
│   ├── YAML frontmatter (name, description)
│   └── Markdown instructions
└── Bundled Resources (optional)
    ├── scripts/          - Executable code
    ├── references/       - Documentation
    └── assets/           - Templates, icons, fonts
```

### SKILL.md Frontmatter

```yaml
---
name: my-skill
description: What the skill does and when to use it. Include triggers.
---
```

## Skill Creation Process

1. **Understand** with concrete examples
2. **Plan** reusable contents (scripts, references, assets)
3. **Initialize** the skill directory
4. **Edit** SKILL.md and resources
5. **Package** the skill
6. **Iterate** based on real usage

## Progressive Disclosure

Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines. Split content into separate files:

```markdown
# PDF Processing

## Quick start
[code example]

## Advanced features
- **Form filling**: See [FORMS.md](FORMS.md)
- **API reference**: See [REFERENCE.md](REFERENCE.md)
```

## What NOT to Include

- README.md
- INSTALLATION_GUIDE.md
- CHANGELOG.md
- User-facing documentation

Only include information needed for AI agent to do the job.

## Writing Guidelines

- Always use imperative/infinitive form
- Include specific triggers in description
- Provide concrete examples
- Keep SKILL.md body under 500 lines