Template Skill
This is a starter template for building your own Claude Skills. Use this as a foundation for creating custom tools that extend Claude's capabilities.
Purpose
This skill demonstrates the proper structure and format for Claude Skills, including:
- YAML frontmatter with required metadata
- Clear instructions and guidelines
- Example usage patterns
- Helper scripts and resources
- Best practices for skill development
When to Use
Use this skill as a reference when:
- Creating a new custom skill for your workflow
- Learning about skill structure and organization
- Understanding how to bundle resources and documentation
- Building skills for team collaboration
Key Features
- Well-Organized Structure - Follows the recommended directory layout with clear separation of concerns
- Progressive Disclosure - Bundles helper scripts and documentation that Claude loads as needed
- Example Usage - Provides concrete examples of how the skill should be invoked
- Flexible and Extensible - Easily customize for your specific use case
Directory Structure
template-skill/
├── SKILL.md # Main skill definition (this file)
├── scripts/
│ ├── helper.py # Python helper script
│ └── utilities.sh # Bash utilities
├── references/
│ └── best-practices.md # Supporting documentation
└── assets/
├── templates/ # Template files
└── examples/ # Example data
Instructions
When you activate this skill, Claude will:
- Follow the guidelines outlined below
- Use helper scripts from the
scripts/directory when appropriate - Reference documentation from the
references/directory for detailed information - Apply templates from the
assets/directory to structure outputs - Provide clear examples based on the patterns demonstrated here
Guidelines
- Keep your SKILL.md file concise (under 5,000 words) to avoid overwhelming Claude's context window
- Use progressive disclosure - provide basic instructions in SKILL.md and detailed docs in separate files
- Include concrete examples and expected outputs to clarify your intent
- Organize helper files logically in subdirectories (scripts/, references/, assets/)
- Document any dependencies or prerequisites clearly
- Make skills modular and composable with other skills
Examples
Example 1: Basic Invocation
When you want to use this skill, simply activate it and describe your task:
Activate the template-skill and help me create a new custom skill for handling batch data processing.
Example 2: With Specific Parameters
Use the template-skill to generate a skill that integrates with our internal API and follows our team's coding standards.
Example 3: Extending the Template
Based on the template-skill structure, help me create a skill that automates our documentation workflow.
Helper Resources
This skill includes the following helper files:
- scripts/helper.py - Python utilities for common tasks
- scripts/utilities.sh - Bash functions for file and text processing
- references/best-practices.md - Detailed guidelines for skill development
- assets/templates/ - Ready-to-use templates for common skill patterns
- assets/examples/ - Real-world examples of well-structured skills
Tips for Creating Your Own Skill
- Start with a clear purpose - Define what problem your skill solves
- Keep instructions concise - Users should understand your skill in seconds
- Provide examples - Show concrete use cases and expected outputs
- Organize resources - Use subdirectories (scripts/, references/, assets/) to stay organized
- Test thoroughly - Verify that Claude correctly interprets your skill instructions
- Document dependencies - Clearly list any prerequisites or external tools required
- Iterate based on feedback - Refine your skill based on how Claude uses it
Related Resources
- Claude Code Documentation: https://docs.claude.com/claude-code/skills
- Skill Authoring Best Practices: https://docs.claude.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/agent-skills/best-practices
- Anthropic Skills Repository: https://github.com/anthropics/skills
Support
For questions about creating skills or issues with this template:
- Review the guidelines and examples above
- Check the supporting documentation in
references/best-practices.md - Examine the helper scripts in the
scripts/directory - Consult the Anthropic skills repository for additional examples