Skill Creator

---
name: create-skill
description: "Create or update Claude Code skills that extend capabilities with specialized knowledge, workflows, and tools. Use this when: (1) creating a new skill from scratch, (2) updating an existing skill, (3) user says /create-skill or /create skill, (4) user wants to package a skill for distribution. Triggers on: create skill, new skill, build skill, make skill, skill for, update skill, improve skill, package skill."
---

# Skill Creator

Create effective skills that extend Claude's capabilities with specialized knowledge, workflows, and tools.

## Quick Reference

- **New skills go to**: `~/.claude/skills/[skill-name]/SKILL.md`
- **Init script**: `scripts/init_skill.py`
- **Package script**: `scripts/package_skill.py`
- **Workflows guide**: `references/workflows.md`
- **Output patterns**: `references/output-patterns.md`

## What Skills Provide

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

## Skill Structure

```
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required)
│   ├── YAML frontmatter: name, description
│   └── Markdown instructions
└── Optional resources:
    ├── scripts/      - Executable code
    ├── references/   - Documentation for context
    └── assets/       - Templates, images, files for output
```

## Core Principles

### 1. Concise is Key

Context window is shared. Only add what Claude doesn't already know. Prefer examples over explanations.

### 2. Degrees of Freedom

- **High freedom**: Multiple valid approaches, use text instructions
- **Medium freedom**: Preferred pattern exists, use pseudocode/parameterized scripts
- **Low freedom**: Fragile operations, use specific scripts

### 3. Progressive Disclosure

1. **Metadata** (~100 words) - Always loaded
2. **SKILL.md body** (<5k words) - When skill triggers
3. **Bundled resources** - As needed

## Creation Process

### Step 1: Understand with Examples

Ask the user:
- "What functionality should this skill support?"
- "Can you give examples of how it would be used?"
- "What should trigger this skill?"

### Step 2: Plan Resources

For each example, identify:
- Scripts for repetitive code
- References for documentation/schemas
- Assets for templates/files

### Step 3: Initialize

```bash
python3 ~/.claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/init_skill.py <skill-name>
```

Creates skill at `~/.claude/skills/<skill-name>/` with template SKILL.md and example directories.

### Step 4: Edit the Skill

1. Implement planned scripts, references, assets
2. Test any scripts by running them
3. Delete unused example files
4. Write SKILL.md:

**Frontmatter:**
```yaml
---
name: skill-name
description: "What it does. Use when: (conditions). Triggers on: keywords."
---
```

**Body:** Instructions for using the skill and its resources.

See `references/workflows.md` for multi-step process patterns.
See `references/output-patterns.md` for output format guidance.

### Step 5: Package

```bash
python3 ~/.claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py ~/.claude/skills/<skill-name>
```

Creates `<skill-name>.skill` file for distribution.

### Step 6: Iterate

Use the skill on real tasks, notice struggles, improve, repeat.

## Writing Guidelines

- Use imperative form: "Create file" not "Creates file"
- Include trigger keywords in description
- Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines
- Reference files for detailed content
- Delete example files not needed

## What NOT to Include

- README.md, CHANGELOG.md, INSTALLATION_GUIDE.md
- User-facing documentation
- Setup/testing procedures
- Process documentation

Skills are for AI agents, not humans.

## Checklist Before Packaging

- [ ] SKILL.md has name and description in frontmatter
- [ ] Description includes trigger keywords
- [ ] All scripts tested and working
- [ ] Unused example files deleted
- [ ] References linked from SKILL.md
- [ ] Body under 500 lines