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name: skill-creator description: Create, validate, and package Claude skills - modular packages that extend Claude's capabilities through specialized knowledge, workflows, and tool integrations. type: domain enforcement: suggest priority: high keywords: skill system, create skill, add skill, skill triggers, skill rules, hook system, skill development patterns: (how do|how does|explain).?skill, (create|add|modify|build).?skill, skill.*?(work|trigger|activate|system)

Skill Creator

Overview

The Skill Creator provides guidance for building skills that extend Claude's capabilities through specialized knowledge, workflows, and tool integrations. These modular packages function as "onboarding guides" for specific domains.

Key Components

Skills consist of a required SKILL.md file plus optional bundled resources:

• SKILL.md: Contains YAML metadata (name, description) and markdown instructions
• scripts/: Executable code for deterministic, reusable tasks
• references/: Documentation loaded into context as needed
• assets/: Output files like templates and icons

Design Principle

Skills employ progressive disclosure—metadata always loads (~100 words), SKILL.md triggers when relevant (<5k words), and bundled resources load on demand.

Creation Process

Step 1: Gather concrete usage examples to understand functionality requirements.

Step 2: Analyze examples to identify reusable resources (scripts, references, assets).

Step 3: Run scripts/init_skill.sh <skill-name> --path <path> to generate the skill template structure.

Step 4: Edit the skill using imperative language, focusing on procedural knowledge beneficial to another Claude instance.

Step 5: Iterate based on real-world testing feedback.

Best Practices

Write in imperative form rather than second person. Keep SKILL.md lean by moving detailed information to references files. Include scripts for repeatedly-written code. Avoid duplicating information across files.

Available Scripts

init_skill.sh

Creates a new skill from template with proper directory structure and example files.

Usage:

Copy.claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/init_skill.sh <skill-name> --path <path>

Example:

Copy.claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/init_skill.sh my-new-skill --path .claude/skills

quick_validate.sh

Validates skill structure and metadata.

Usage:

Copy.claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/quick_validate.sh <skill_directory>

Example:

Copy.claude/skills/skill-creator/scripts/quick_validate.sh .claude/skills/my-skill