Skill Creator

Interactive guide for creating high-quality Claude skills.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• User wants to create a new Claude skill

• User wants to update or improve an existing skill

• User needs guidance on skill structure and best practices

• User wants to extend Claude's capabilities for specific workflows

Skill Structure

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 loaded into context as needed └── assets/ - Files used in output (templates, icons, fonts, etc.)

Required Components

Frontmatter (YAML)

name: my-skill-name description: A clear, comprehensive description of what this skill does and when to use it

Critical: The description field is how Claude determines when to use the skill. Be specific and comprehensive about:

• What the skill does

• When it should be used

• What types of queries trigger it

• What output it produces

Body (Markdown)

The markdown content contains:

• Instructions: Step-by-step guidance for using the skill

• Examples: Concrete usage examples

• Guidelines: Best practices and rules

• Workflows: Detailed procedures

Optional Bundled Resources

1. scripts/

When to include: When the skill needs executable code

Examples:

• scripts/analyzer.py

• Python data analysis script

• scripts/formatter.sh

• Bash formatting utility

• scripts/validator.js

• JavaScript validation tool

Rules:

• Must be tested before inclusion

• Should be well-documented

• Include error handling

2. references/

When to include: When the skill needs detailed reference material that shouldn't bloat SKILL.md

Examples:

• references/schema.md

• Database schema documentation

• references/api-spec.md

• API endpoint reference

• references/examples.md

• Extended examples

Rules:

• Move detailed info here, keep SKILL.md lean

• Avoid duplication between SKILL.md and references/

• Use for schemas, specs, detailed examples

3. assets/

When to include: When the skill needs files used in output

Examples:

• assets/logo.png

• Brand assets

• assets/template.pptx

• PowerPoint templates

• assets/boilerplate/

• HTML/React starter code

• assets/fonts/

• Custom typography

Rules:

• Only for files used in final output

• Not for documentation (use references/ instead)

• Templates, images, icons, boilerplate code

Creation Workflow

Step 1: Analyze the Use Case

Ask clarifying questions:

• What specific task will this skill handle?

• What are 3-5 concrete examples of user queries?

• What makes this task repetitive or specialized?

• What context or knowledge is required?

• Are there existing tools/APIs to integrate?

Step 2: Identify Reusable Resources

For each concrete example, identify:

• Scripts that would be helpful

• Reference documentation needed

• Assets/templates to include

Step 3: Create the Structure

• Start with SKILL.md frontmatter

• Write clear, comprehensive description

• Add instruction sections

• Create scripts/ if needed

• Add references/ for detailed docs

• Include assets/ for templates

Step 4: Test the Skill

• Test all scripts to ensure they work

• Verify references are complete

• Check assets are properly formatted

• Validate SKILL.md instructions are clear

Best Practices

Description Writing

✅ Good description: "Analyzes Brevard County foreclosure auctions using 12-stage pipeline. Searches AcclaimWeb for liens, calculates max bid using ARV formula, generates BID/REVIEW/SKIP recommendations. Use when analyzing foreclosure properties, calculating max bids, or generating auction reports."

❌ Bad description: "Helps with foreclosure analysis"

Instruction Writing

• Be specific and actionable

• Include concrete examples

• Define workflows step-by-step

• Explain when to use vs not use

• Provide success criteria

Resource Organization

• Keep SKILL.md focused on procedures

• Move detailed docs to references/

• Test all scripts before inclusion

• Organize assets logically

Common Skill Patterns

1. Domain Expert Skill

Focus: Specialized knowledge in a field Resources: references/ with domain docs, examples Example: foreclosure-analysis, medical-coding

2. Workflow Automation Skill

Focus: Repeatable multi-step processes Resources: scripts/ for automation, templates in assets/ Example: git-workflow, deployment-checklist

3. Integration Skill

Focus: Using external APIs/tools Resources: references/ with API docs, scripts/ for API calls Example: stripe-integration, supabase-setup

4. Template/Boilerplate Skill

Focus: Starting points for projects Resources: assets/ with templates, references/ with docs Example: react-boilerplate, brand-guidelines

Examples

See the following skills as references:

• frontend-design: Creative workflow with aesthetic guidelines

• mcp-builder: Technical integration with detailed specs

• docx: Complex file manipulation with scripts

• brand-guidelines: Assets and references combination