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Guides development of Claude Code SKILL.md files with best practices, structure, YAML frontmatter rules, categories, patterns, references, and testing.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/toolkit:skill-developmentThis skill is limited to the following tools:
The summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Create effective Claude Code skills that are concise, discoverable, and well-structured.
Create effective Claude Code skills that are concise, discoverable, and well-structured.
You MUST read these references for detailed guidance:
Define 2-3 concrete use cases before writing anything:
Use Case: [Name]
Trigger: User says "[phrase]" or "[phrase]"
Steps:
1. [First action]
2. [Second action]
Result: [What gets produced]
Then identify which category your skill falls into — this determines which techniques to use. See Skill Categories & Patterns.
references/skill-name/
├── SKILL.md # Main instructions (< 500 lines)
├── scripts/ # Optional: executable code (Python, Bash, etc.)
├── assets/ # Optional: templates, fonts, icons
└── references/ # Detailed docs (loaded on demand)
├── guide.md
└── examples/
---
name: my-skill-name
description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "do X", "create Y", or mentions Z. Be specific about triggers.
context: fork # Optional: run in isolated context (prevents side effects)
user-invocable: true # Optional: show in slash command menu (default: true)
---
Name rules:
Description rules:
Optional fields:
context: fork - Run skill in isolated sub-agent context, preventing unintended side effects on main agent stateuser-invocable: false - Hide from slash command menu (skills are visible by default)allowed-tools - Restrict which tools the skill can use (e.g., "Bash(python:*) Bash(npm:*) WebFetch"). Skills with references/ directories should include allowed-tools: Read, Grep to avoid permission prompts when accessing bundled files (claude-code#15757)license - e.g., MIT, Apache-2.0compatibility - Environment requirements (1-500 chars)metadata - Custom key-value pairs (author, version, mcp-server)Structure: [What it does] + [When to use it] + [Key capabilities]
# Good - specific triggers
description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a hook", "add a hook", or mentions Claude Code hooks.
# Bad - vague
description: Helps with automation tasks.
Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines. Link to details:
# My Skill
## Quick start
[Essential info here]
## Advanced features
See [detailed-guide.md](./references/detailed-guide.md)
## API reference
See [api-reference.md](./references/api-reference.md)
Claude loads reference files only when needed.
Validate across three dimensions before sharing:
See Testing Guide for test examples and success criteria.
Common issues and fixes:
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Doesn't trigger | Add specific trigger phrases to description |
| Triggers too often | Add negative triggers, narrow scope |
| Instructions ignored | Make instructions concise, use explicit headers |
| Slow responses | Move content to references/, reduce SKILL.md size |
See Troubleshooting for detailed solutions.
After creating or modifying skills, inform the user:
No restart needed. Skill changes take effect immediately - skills are hot-reloaded.
Before finalizing a skill:
references/npx claudepluginhub dwmkerr/claude-toolkit --plugin toolkitGuides creating effective, portable skills with YAML frontmatter, markdown instructions, and bundled resources. Useful when authoring or updating skills.
Guides creation, refinement, and best practices for Claude Code Skills including SKILL.md structure, router patterns, workflows, references, XML formatting, and progressive disclosure.
Creates Claude Code skills with best practices for structure, validation, and testing. Useful when designing or refining skills, prompts, references, or supporting files.