claude skill creator

claudeskillcreator.md

name	description	license
skill-creator	Guide for creating effective skills. This skill should be used 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.	Complete terms in LICENSE.txt

Skill Creator

This skill provides guidance for creating effective skills.

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 or tasks—they transform Claude from a general-purpose agent into a specialized agent equipped with procedural knowledge that no model can fully possess.

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 and repetitive tasks

Anatomy of a Skill

Every skill consists of a required SKILL.md file and optional bundled resources:

skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required)
│   ├── YAML frontmatter metadata (required)
│   │   ├── name: (required)
│   │   └── description: (required)
│   └── Markdown instructions (required)
└── Bundled Resources (optional)
    ├── scripts/          - Executable code (Python/Bash/etc.)
    ├── references/       - Documentation intended to be loaded into context as needed
    └── assets/           - Files used in output (templates, icons, fonts, etc.)

SKILL.md (required)

Metadata Quality: The name and description in YAML frontmatter determine when Claude will use the skill. Be specific about what the skill does and when to use it. Use the third-person (e.g. "This skill should be used when..." instead of "Use this skill when...").

Bundled Resources (optional)

Scripts (scripts/)

Executable code (Python/Bash/etc.) for tasks that require deterministic reliability or are repeatedly rewritten.

• When to include: When the same code is being rewritten repeatedly or deterministic reliability is needed
• Example: scripts/rotate_pdf.py for PDF rotation tasks
• Benefits: Token efficient, deterministic, may be executed without loading into context
• Note: Scripts may still need to be read by Claude for patching or environment-specific adjustments

References (references/)

Documentation and reference material intended to be loaded as needed into context to inform Claude's process and thinking.

• When to include: For documentation that Claude should reference while working
• Examples: references/finance.md for financial schemas, references/mnda.md for company NDA template, references/policies.md for company policies, references/api_docs.md for API specifications
• Use cases: Database schemas, API documentation, domain knowledge, company policies, detailed workflow guides
• Benefits: Keeps SKILL.md lean, loaded only when Claude determines it's needed
• Best practice: If files are large (>10k words), include grep search patterns in SKILL.md
• Avoid duplication: Information should live in either SKILL.md or references files, not both. Prefer references files for detailed information unless it's truly core to the skill—this keeps SKILL.md lean while making information discoverable without hogging the context window. Keep only essential procedural instructions and workflow guidance in SKILL.md; move detailed reference material, schemas, and examples to references files.

Assets (assets/)

Files not intended to be loaded into context, but rather used within the output Claude produces.

• When to include: When the skill needs files that will be used in the final output
• Examples: assets/logo.png for brand assets, assets/slides.pptx for PowerPoint templates, assets/frontend-template/ for HTML/React boilerplate, assets/font.ttf for typography
• Use cases: Templates, images, icons, boilerplate code, fonts, sample documents that get copied or modified
• Benefits: Separates output resources from documentation, enables Claude to use files without loading them into context

Progressive Disclosure Design Principle

Skills use a three-level loading system to manage context efficiently:

1. Metadata (name + description) - Always in context (~100 words)
2. SKILL.md body - When skill triggers (<5k words)
3. Bundled resources - As needed by Claude (Unlimited*)

*Unlimited because scripts can be executed without reading into context window.

Skill Creation Process

To create a skill, follow the "Skill Creation Process" in order, skipping steps only if there is a clear reason why they are not applicable.

Step 1: Understanding the Skill with Concrete Examples

Skip this step only when the skill's usage patterns are already clearly understood. It remains valuable even when working with an existing skill.

To create an effective skill, clearly understand concrete examples of how the skill will be used. This understanding can come from either direct user examples or generated examples that are validated with user feedback.

For example, when building an image-editor skill, relevant questions include:

• "What functionality should the image-editor skill support? Editing, rotating, anything else?"
• "Can you give some examples of how this skill would be used?"
• "I can imagine users asking for things like 'Remove the red-eye from this image' or 'Rotate this image'. Are there other ways you imagine this skill being used?"
• "What would a user say that should trigger this skill?"

To avoid overwhelming users, avoid asking too many questions in a single message. Start with the most important questions and follow up as needed for better effectiveness.

Conclude this step when there is a clear sense of the functionality the skill should support.

Step 2: Planning the Reusable Skill Contents

To turn concrete examples into an effective skill, analyze each example by:

1. Considering how to execute on the example from scratch
2. Identifying what scripts, references, and assets would be helpful when executing these workflows repeatedly

Example: When building a pdf-editor skill to handle queries like "Help me rotate this PDF," the analysis shows:

1. Rotating a PDF requires re-writing the same code each time
2. A scripts/rotate_pdf.py script would be helpful to store in the skill

Example: When designing a frontend-webapp-builder skill for queries like "Build me a todo app" or "Build me a dashboard to track my steps," the analysis shows:

1. Writing a frontend webapp requires the same boilerplate HTML/React each time
2. An assets/hello-world/ template containing the boilerplate HTML/React project files would be helpful to store in the skill

Example: When building a big-query skill to handle queries like "How many users have logged in today?" the analysis shows:

1. Querying BigQuery requires re-discovering the table schemas and relationships each time
2. A references/schema.md file documenting the table schemas would be helpful to store in the skill

To establish the skill's contents, analyze each concrete example to create a list of the reusable resources to include: scripts, references, and assets.

Step 3: Initializing the Skill

At this point, it is time to actually create the skill.

Skip this step only if the skill being developed already exists, and iteration or packaging is needed. In this case, continue to the next step.

When creating a new skill from scratch, always run the init_skill.py script. The script conveniently generates a new template skill directory that automatically includes everything a skill requires, making the skill creation process much more efficient and reliable.

Usage:

scripts/init_skill.py <skill-name> --path <output-directory>

The script:

• Creates the skill directory at the specified path
• Generates a SKILL.md template with proper frontmatter and TODO placeholders
• Creates example resource directories: scripts/, references/, and assets/
• Adds example files in each directory that can be customized or deleted

After initialization, customize or remove the generated SKILL.md and example files as needed.

Step 4: Edit the Skill

When editing the (newly-generated or existing) skill, remember that the skill is being created for another instance of Claude to use. Focus on including information that would be beneficial and non-obvious to Claude. Consider what procedural knowledge, domain-specific details, or reusable assets would help another Claude instance execute these tasks more effectively.

Start with Reusable Skill Contents

To begin implementation, start with the reusable resources identified above: scripts/, references/, and assets/ files. Note that this step may require user input. For example, when implementing a brand-guidelines skill, the user may need to provide brand assets or templates to store in assets/, or documentation to store in references/.

Also, delete any example files and directories not needed for the skill. The initialization script creates example files in scripts/, references/, and assets/ to demonstrate structure, but most skills won't need all of them.

Update SKILL.md

Writing Style: Write the entire skill using imperative/infinitive form (verb-first instructions), not second person. Use objective, instructional language (e.g., "To accomplish X, do Y" rather than "You should do X" or "If you need to do X"). This maintains consistency and clarity for AI consumption.

To complete SKILL.md, answer the following questions:

1. What is the purpose of the skill, in a few sentences?
2. When should the skill be used?
3. In practice, how should Claude use the skill? All reusable skill contents developed above should be referenced so that Claude knows how to use them.

Step 5: Packaging a Skill

Once the skill is ready, it should be packaged into a distributable zip file that gets shared with the user. The packaging process automatically validates the skill first to ensure it meets all requirements:

scripts/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder>

Optional output directory specification:

scripts/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder> ./dist

The packaging script will:

1. Validate the skill automatically, checking:

   • YAML frontmatter format and required fields
   • Skill naming conventions and directory structure
   • Description completeness and quality
   • File organization and resource references

2. Package the skill if validation passes, creating a zip file named after the skill (e.g., my-skill.zip) that includes all files and maintains the proper directory structure for distribution.

If validation fails, the script will report the errors and exit without creating a package. Fix any validation errors and run the packaging command again.

Step 6: Iterate

After testing the skill, users may request improvements. Often this happens right after using the skill, with fresh context of how the skill performed.

Iteration workflow:

1. Use the skill on real tasks
2. Notice struggles or inefficiencies
3. Identify how SKILL.md or bundled resources should be updated
4. Implement changes and test again

#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Skill Initializer - Creates a new skill from template

Usage:
init_skill.py --path

Examples:
init_skill.py my-new-skill --path skills/public
init_skill.py my-api-helper --path skills/private
init_skill.py custom-skill --path /custom/location
"""

import sys
from pathlib import Path

SKILL_TEMPLATE = """---
name: {skill_name}
description: [TODO: Complete and informative explanation of what the skill does and when to use it. Include WHEN to use this skill - specific scenarios, file types, or tasks that trigger it.]

{skill_title}

Overview

[TODO: 1-2 sentences explaining what this skill enables]

Structuring This Skill

[TODO: Choose the structure that best fits this skill's purpose. Common patterns:

1. Workflow-Based (best for sequential processes)

• Works well when there are clear step-by-step procedures
• Example: DOCX skill with "Workflow Decision Tree" → "Reading" → "Creating" → "Editing"
• Structure: ## Overview → ## Workflow Decision Tree → ## Step 1 → ## Step 2...

2. Task-Based (best for tool collections)

• Works well when the skill offers different operations/capabilities
• Example: PDF skill with "Quick Start" → "Merge PDFs" → "Split PDFs" → "Extract Text"
• Structure: ## Overview → ## Quick Start → ## Task Category 1 → ## Task Category 2...

3. Reference/Guidelines (best for standards or specifications)

• Works well for brand guidelines, coding standards, or requirements
• Example: Brand styling with "Brand Guidelines" → "Colors" → "Typography" → "Features"
• Structure: ## Overview → ## Guidelines → ## Specifications → ## Usage...

4. Capabilities-Based (best for integrated systems)

• Works well when the skill provides multiple interrelated features
• Example: Product Management with "Core Capabilities" → numbered capability list
• Structure: ## Overview → ## Core Capabilities → ### 1. Feature → ### 2. Feature...

Patterns can be mixed and matched as needed. Most skills combine patterns (e.g., start with task-based, add workflow for complex operations).

Delete this entire "Structuring This Skill" section when done - it's just guidance.]

[TODO: Replace with the first main section based on chosen structure]

[TODO: Add content here. See examples in existing skills:

• Code samples for technical skills
• Decision trees for complex workflows
• Concrete examples with realistic user requests
• References to scripts/templates/references as needed]

Resources

This skill includes example resource directories that demonstrate how to organize different types of bundled resources:

scripts/

Executable code (Python/Bash/etc.) that can be run directly to perform specific operations.

Examples from other skills:

• PDF skill: fill_fillable_fields.py, extract_form_field_info.py - utilities for PDF manipulation
• DOCX skill: document.py, utilities.py - Python modules for document processing

Appropriate for: Python scripts, shell scripts, or any executable code that performs automation, data processing, or specific operations.

Note: Scripts may be executed without loading into context, but can still be read by Claude for patching or environment adjustments.

references/

Documentation and reference material intended to be loaded into context to inform Claude's process and thinking.

Examples from other skills:

• Product management: communication.md, context_building.md - detailed workflow guides
• BigQuery: API reference documentation and query examples
• Finance: Schema documentation, company policies

Appropriate for: In-depth documentation, API references, database schemas, comprehensive guides, or any detailed information that Claude should reference while working.

assets/

Files not intended to be loaded into context, but rather used within the output Claude produces.

Examples from other skills:

• Brand styling: PowerPoint template files (.pptx), logo files
• Frontend builder: HTML/React boilerplate project directories
• Typography: Font files (.ttf, .woff2)

Appropriate for: Templates, boilerplate code, document templates, images, icons, fonts, or any files meant to be copied or used in the final output.

---

Any unneeded directories can be deleted. Not every skill requires all three types of resources.
"""

EXAMPLE_SCRIPT = '''#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Example helper script for {skill_name}

This is a placeholder script that can be executed directly.
Replace with actual implementation or delete if not needed.

Example real scripts from other skills:

• pdf/scripts/fill_fillable_fields.py - Fills PDF form fields
• pdf/scripts/convert_pdf_to_images.py - Converts PDF pages to images
  """

def main():
print("This is an example script for {skill_name}")
# TODO: Add actual script logic here
# This could be data processing, file conversion, API calls, etc.

if name == "main":
main()
'''

EXAMPLE_REFERENCE = """# Reference Documentation for {skill_title}

This is a placeholder for detailed reference documentation.
Replace with actual reference content or delete if not needed.

Example real reference docs from other skills:

• product-management/references/communication.md - Comprehensive guide for status updates
• product-management/references/context_building.md - Deep-dive on gathering context
• bigquery/references/ - API references and query examples

When Reference Docs Are Useful

Reference docs are ideal for:

• Comprehensive API documentation
• Detailed workflow guides
• Complex multi-step processes
• Information too lengthy for main SKILL.md
• Content that's only needed for specific use cases

Structure Suggestions

API Reference Example

• Overview
• Authentication
• Endpoints with examples
• Error codes
• Rate limits

Workflow Guide Example

• Prerequisites
• Step-by-step instructions
• Common patterns
• Troubleshooting
• Best practices
  """

EXAMPLE_ASSET = """# Example Asset File

This placeholder represents where asset files would be stored.
Replace with actual asset files (templates, images, fonts, etc.) or delete if not needed.

Asset files are NOT intended to be loaded into context, but rather used within
the output Claude produces.

Example asset files from other skills:

• Brand guidelines: logo.png, slides_template.pptx
• Frontend builder: hello-world/ directory with HTML/React boilerplate
• Typography: custom-font.ttf, font-family.woff2
• Data: sample_data.csv, test_dataset.json

Common Asset Types

• Templates: .pptx, .docx, boilerplate directories
• Images: .png, .jpg, .svg, .gif
• Fonts: .ttf, .otf, .woff, .woff2
• Boilerplate code: Project directories, starter files
• Icons: .ico, .svg
• Data files: .csv, .json, .xml, .yaml

Note: This is a text placeholder. Actual assets can be any file type.
"""

def title_case_skill_name(skill_name):
"""Convert hyphenated skill name to Title Case for display."""
return ' '.join(word.capitalize() for word in skill_name.split('-'))

def init_skill(skill_name, path):
"""
Initialize a new skill directory with template SKILL.md.

Args:
    skill_name: Name of the skill
    path: Path where the skill directory should be created

Returns:
    Path to created skill directory, or None if error
"""
# Determine skill directory path
skill_dir = Path(path).resolve() / skill_name

# Check if directory already exists
if skill_dir.exists():
    print(f"❌ Error: Skill directory already exists: {skill_dir}")
    return None

# Create skill directory
try:
    skill_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=False)
    print(f"✅ Created skill directory: {skill_dir}")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ Error creating directory: {e}")
    return None

# Create SKILL.md from template
skill_title = title_case_skill_name(skill_name)
skill_content = SKILL_TEMPLATE.format(
    skill_name=skill_name,
    skill_title=skill_title
)

skill_md_path = skill_dir / 'SKILL.md'
try:
    skill_md_path.write_text(skill_content)
    print("✅ Created SKILL.md")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ Error creating SKILL.md: {e}")
    return None

# Create resource directories with example files
try:
    # Create scripts/ directory with example script
    scripts_dir = skill_dir / 'scripts'
    scripts_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
    example_script = scripts_dir / 'example.py'
    example_script.write_text(EXAMPLE_SCRIPT.format(skill_name=skill_name))
    example_script.chmod(0o755)
    print("✅ Created scripts/example.py")

    # Create references/ directory with example reference doc
    references_dir = skill_dir / 'references'
    references_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
    example_reference = references_dir / 'api_reference.md'
    example_reference.write_text(EXAMPLE_REFERENCE.format(skill_title=skill_title))
    print("✅ Created references/api_reference.md")

    # Create assets/ directory with example asset placeholder
    assets_dir = skill_dir / 'assets'
    assets_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
    example_asset = assets_dir / 'example_asset.txt'
    example_asset.write_text(EXAMPLE_ASSET)
    print("✅ Created assets/example_asset.txt")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ Error creating resource directories: {e}")
    return None

# Print next steps
print(f"\n✅ Skill '{skill_name}' initialized successfully at {skill_dir}")
print("\nNext steps:")
print("1. Edit SKILL.md to complete the TODO items and update the description")
print("2. Customize or delete the example files in scripts/, references/, and assets/")
print("3. Run the validator when ready to check the skill structure")

return skill_dir

def main():
if len(sys.argv) < 4 or sys.argv[2] != '--path':
print("Usage: init_skill.py --path ")
print("\nSkill name requirements:")
print(" - Hyphen-case identifier (e.g., 'data-analyzer')")
print(" - Lowercase letters, digits, and hyphens only")
print(" - Max 40 characters")
print(" - Must match directory name exactly")
print("\nExamples:")
print(" init_skill.py my-new-skill --path skills/public")
print(" init_skill.py my-api-helper --path skills/private")
print(" init_skill.py custom-skill --path /custom/location")
sys.exit(1)

skill_name = sys.argv[1]
path = sys.argv[3]

print(f"🚀 Initializing skill: {skill_name}")
print(f"   Location: {path}")
print()

result = init_skill(skill_name, path)

if result:
    sys.exit(0)
else:
    sys.exit(1)

if name == "main":
main()

#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Skill Packager - Creates a distributable zip file of a skill folder

Usage:
python utils/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder> [output-directory]

Example:
python utils/package_skill.py skills/public/my-skill
python utils/package_skill.py skills/public/my-skill ./dist
"""

import sys
import zipfile
from pathlib import Path
from quick_validate import validate_skill

def package_skill(skill_path, output_dir=None):
"""
Package a skill folder into a zip file.

Args:
    skill_path: Path to the skill folder
    output_dir: Optional output directory for the zip file (defaults to current directory)

Returns:
    Path to the created zip file, or None if error
"""
skill_path = Path(skill_path).resolve()

# Validate skill folder exists
if not skill_path.exists():
    print(f"❌ Error: Skill folder not found: {skill_path}")
    return None

if not skill_path.is_dir():
    print(f"❌ Error: Path is not a directory: {skill_path}")
    return None

# Validate SKILL.md exists
skill_md = skill_path / "SKILL.md"
if not skill_md.exists():
    print(f"❌ Error: SKILL.md not found in {skill_path}")
    return None

# Run validation before packaging
print("🔍 Validating skill...")
valid, message = validate_skill(skill_path)
if not valid:
    print(f"❌ Validation failed: {message}")
    print("   Please fix the validation errors before packaging.")
    return None
print(f"✅ {message}\n")

# Determine output location
skill_name = skill_path.name
if output_dir:
    output_path = Path(output_dir).resolve()
    output_path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
else:
    output_path = Path.cwd()

zip_filename = output_path / f"{skill_name}.zip"

# Create the zip file
try:
    with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_filename, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zipf:
        # Walk through the skill directory
        for file_path in skill_path.rglob('*'):
            if file_path.is_file():
                # Calculate the relative path within the zip
                arcname = file_path.relative_to(skill_path.parent)
                zipf.write(file_path, arcname)
                print(f"  Added: {arcname}")

    print(f"\n✅ Successfully packaged skill to: {zip_filename}")
    return zip_filename

except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ Error creating zip file: {e}")
    return None

def main():
if len(sys.argv) < 2:
print("Usage: python utils/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder> [output-directory]")
print("\nExample:")
print(" python utils/package_skill.py skills/public/my-skill")
print(" python utils/package_skill.py skills/public/my-skill ./dist")
sys.exit(1)

skill_path = sys.argv[1]
output_dir = sys.argv[2] if len(sys.argv) > 2 else None

print(f"📦 Packaging skill: {skill_path}")
if output_dir:
    print(f"   Output directory: {output_dir}")
print()

result = package_skill(skill_path, output_dir)

if result:
    sys.exit(0)
else:
    sys.exit(1)

if name == "main":
main()

#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Quick validation script for skills - minimal version
"""

import sys
import os
import re
from pathlib import Path

def validate_skill(skill_path):
"""Basic validation of a skill"""
skill_path = Path(skill_path)

# Check SKILL.md exists
skill_md = skill_path / 'SKILL.md'
if not skill_md.exists():
    return False, "SKILL.md not found"

# Read and validate frontmatter
content = skill_md.read_text()
if not content.startswith('---'):
    return False, "No YAML frontmatter found"

# Extract frontmatter
match = re.match(r'^---\n(.*?)\n---', content, re.DOTALL)
if not match:
    return False, "Invalid frontmatter format"

frontmatter = match.group(1)

# Check required fields
if 'name:' not in frontmatter:
    return False, "Missing 'name' in frontmatter"
if 'description:' not in frontmatter:
    return False, "Missing 'description' in frontmatter"

# Extract name for validation
name_match = re.search(r'name:\s*(.+)', frontmatter)
if name_match:
    name = name_match.group(1).strip()
    # Check naming convention (hyphen-case: lowercase with hyphens)
    if not re.match(r'^[a-z0-9-]+$', name):
        return False, f"Name '{name}' should be hyphen-case (lowercase letters, digits, and hyphens only)"
    if name.startswith('-') or name.endswith('-') or '--' in name:
        return False, f"Name '{name}' cannot start/end with hyphen or contain consecutive hyphens"

# Extract and validate description
desc_match = re.search(r'description:\s*(.+)', frontmatter)
if desc_match:
    description = desc_match.group(1).strip()
    # Check for angle brackets
    if '<' in description or '>' in description:
        return False, "Description cannot contain angle brackets (< or >)"

return True, "Skill is valid!"

if name == "main":
if len(sys.argv) != 2:
print("Usage: python quick_validate.py <skill_directory>")
sys.exit(1)

valid, message = validate_skill(sys.argv[1])
print(message)
sys.exit(0 if valid else 1)