skill-creator Skill for AI Agents
by Anthropic
Guide for creating effective skills that extend Claude's capabilities. Use when creating new skills or updating existing skills with specialized knowledge, workflows, or tool integrations.
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About this Skill
The skill-creator skill enables AI agents like Claude and ChatGPT to guide for creating effective skills that extend claude's capabilities. use when creating new skills or updating existing skills with specialized knowledge, workflows, or tool integrations.
SKILLS.md Content
# Skill Creator
Guide for creating effective skills that extend Claude's capabilities.
## About Skills
Skills are modular, self-contained packages that extend Claude's capabilities by providing specialized knowledge, workflows, and tools. Think of them as "onboarding guides" for specific domains.
### 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
## Core Principles
### Concise is Key
The context window is a public good. Only add context Claude doesn't already have.
**Default assumption: Claude is already very smart.** Challenge each piece of information: "Does Claude really need this explanation?"
Prefer concise examples over verbose explanations.
### Anatomy of a Skill
```
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required)
│ ├── YAML frontmatter (name, description)
│ └── Markdown instructions
└── Bundled Resources (optional)
├── scripts/ - Executable code
├── references/ - Documentation
└── assets/ - Templates, images
```
## SKILL.md Components
### Frontmatter (YAML)
```yaml
---
name: skill-name
description: What the skill does. Use when [activation trigger].
---
```
The description is the primary triggering mechanism. Include both what the skill does AND when to use it.
### Body (Markdown)
Instructions and guidance. Only loaded AFTER the skill triggers.
## Bundled Resources
### Scripts (`scripts/`)
Executable code for tasks requiring deterministic reliability.
### References (`references/`)
Documentation loaded as needed into context.
### Assets (`assets/`)
Files used in output (templates, images, fonts).
## Progressive Disclosure
Skills use three-level loading:
1. **Metadata** - Always in context (~100 words)
2. **SKILL.md body** - When skill triggers (<5k words)
3. **Bundled resources** - As needed
Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines. Split content when approaching this limit.
## Skill Creation Process
1. **Understand** - Gather concrete usage examples
2. **Plan** - Identify reusable scripts, references, assets
3. **Initialize** - Create skill directory structure
4. **Edit** - Implement resources and write SKILL.md
5. **Package** - Bundle for distribution
6. **Iterate** - Improve based on real usage
## What NOT to Include
- README.md
- INSTALLATION_GUIDE.md
- CHANGELOG.md
- User-facing documentation
Skills are for AI agents, not humans. Only include what Claude needs to do the job.