
Skill Creator
- 149 installs
- 84 repo stars
- Updated April 8, 2026
- dkyazzentwatwa/chatgpt-skills
Author new agent skills with clear triggers, progressive instructions, bundled scripts, and validation so coding assistants reliably invoke the right workflow.
About
Guides creation of ChatGPT and Claude-style agent skills: YAML frontmatter, when-to-use triggers, step workflows, optional scripts, reference docs, and smoke-test prompts so custom capabilities install cleanly and fire predictably during coding sessions.
- SKILL.md frontmatter and trigger design
- Progressive disclosure for long instructions
- Bundled scripts and reference file layout
- Evaluation prompts to verify skill invocation
- Naming and packaging conventions for discovery
Skill Creator by the numbers
- 149 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- Ranked #209 of 779 Skill Development skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Data as of Aug 4, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
npx skills add https://github.com/dkyazzentwatwa/chatgpt-skills --skill skill-creatorAdd your badge
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| Installs | 149 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 84 |
| Last updated | April 8, 2026 |
| Repository | dkyazzentwatwa/chatgpt-skills ↗ |
What it does
Author new agent skills with clear triggers, progressive instructions, bundled scripts, and validation so coding assistants reliably invoke the right workflow.
Files
Skill Creator
Design or refactor skills so they are small, triggerable, and mechanically valid.
Workflow
1. Define the exact user requests that should trigger the skill. 2. Keep SKILL.md short and put deep detail in references/. 3. Add only the scripts, assets, or references that make execution materially more reliable. 4. Generate agents/openai.yaml and validate before packaging.
Scripts
scripts/init_skill.pyinitializes a new skill with optional resource folders andagents/openai.yaml.scripts/generate_openai_yaml.pywritesagents/openai.yamlfrom explicit interface values.scripts/quick_validate.pyenforces strict frontmatter, directory naming, agent metadata, and script dependency rules.scripts/package_skill.pyvalidates first, then zips the skill for distribution.
Rules
- Keep frontmatter to
nameanddescriptiononly. - Make
descriptiondo the trigger work: what the skill does and when to use it. - Match the folder name exactly to
name. - Prefer one focused workflow over a kitchen-sink skill.
- Remove placeholder files and generic boilerplate before publishing.
Typical Commands
python3 skill-creator/scripts/init_skill.py my-skill --path .
python3 skill-creator/scripts/generate_openai_yaml.py my-skill \
--interface display_name="My Skill" \
--interface short_description="One-line summary" \
--interface default_prompt="Help me use this skill."
python3 skill-creator/scripts/quick_validate.py my-skill
python3 skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py my-skill ./distdisplay_name: 'Skill Creator'
short_description: 'Create or refactor skills with strict validation and packaging.'
default_prompt: 'Help me create or update a skill in this repository.'
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See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Generate agents/openai.yaml for a skill.
"""
from __future__ import annotations
import argparse
from pathlib import Path
REQUIRED_KEYS = ("display_name", "short_description", "default_prompt")
def parse_interface_values(values: list[str]) -> dict[str, str]:
parsed: dict[str, str] = {}
for item in values:
if "=" not in item:
raise ValueError(f"Invalid --interface value: {item}")
key, value = item.split("=", 1)
parsed[key.strip()] = value.strip()
missing = [key for key in REQUIRED_KEYS if not parsed.get(key)]
if missing:
raise ValueError(f"Missing required interface fields: {', '.join(missing)}")
return parsed
def write_openai_yaml(skill_dir: Path, fields: dict[str, str]) -> Path:
agents_dir = skill_dir / "agents"
agents_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
target = agents_dir / "openai.yaml"
lines = [f"{key}: {fields[key]!r}" for key in REQUIRED_KEYS]
target.write_text("\n".join(lines) + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
return target
def main() -> int:
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Generate agents/openai.yaml")
parser.add_argument("skill_path", help="Path to the skill directory")
parser.add_argument(
"--interface",
action="append",
default=[],
help="Interface values in key=value form; repeat for display_name, short_description, default_prompt",
)
args = parser.parse_args()
skill_dir = Path(args.skill_path).resolve()
if not skill_dir.exists():
raise SystemExit(f"Skill directory not found: {skill_dir}")
try:
fields = parse_interface_values(args.interface)
except ValueError as exc:
raise SystemExit(str(exc))
path = write_openai_yaml(skill_dir, fields)
print(f"Wrote {path}")
return 0
if __name__ == "__main__":
raise SystemExit(main())
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Initialize a skill with optional resource folders and agent metadata.
"""
from __future__ import annotations
import argparse
from pathlib import Path
from generate_openai_yaml import write_openai_yaml
SKILL_TEMPLATE = """---
name: {skill_name}
description: {description}
---
# {skill_title}
## Overview
Describe what this skill enables and when to use it.
## Workflow
1. Define the concrete user requests this skill should handle.
2. Add only the scripts, references, or assets that make execution more reliable.
3. Keep instructions concise and move deep detail into `references/` when needed.
4. Validate the skill before packaging or publishing it.
"""
EXAMPLE_SCRIPT = """#!/usr/bin/env python3
\"\"\"
Example helper for {skill_name}.
\"\"\"
def main() -> None:
print("Replace this example with a real script or delete it.")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
"""
EXAMPLE_REFERENCE = """# Reference Notes
Keep long-form details here instead of bloating `SKILL.md`.
"""
def title_case(skill_name: str) -> str:
return " ".join(part.capitalize() for part in skill_name.split("-"))
def parse_args() -> argparse.Namespace:
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Initialize a skill")
parser.add_argument("skill_name", help="Hyphen-case skill name")
parser.add_argument("--path", required=True, help="Output directory")
parser.add_argument(
"--resources",
default="scripts,references,assets",
help="Comma-separated resource folders to create",
)
parser.add_argument(
"--examples",
action="store_true",
help="Create example files in resource folders",
)
parser.add_argument(
"--interface",
action="append",
default=[],
help="Agent metadata values in key=value form",
)
return parser.parse_args()
def parse_interface(values: list[str], skill_name: str) -> dict[str, str]:
parsed: dict[str, str] = {}
for item in values:
if "=" not in item:
raise SystemExit(f"Invalid --interface value: {item}")
key, value = item.split("=", 1)
parsed[key.strip()] = value.strip()
return {
"display_name": parsed.get("display_name", title_case(skill_name)),
"short_description": parsed.get(
"short_description", "Add a concise human-facing summary."
),
"default_prompt": parsed.get(
"default_prompt", f"Help me use the {skill_name} skill."
),
}
def init_skill(args: argparse.Namespace) -> Path:
skill_dir = Path(args.path).resolve() / args.skill_name
if skill_dir.exists():
raise SystemExit(f"Skill directory already exists: {skill_dir}")
skill_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=False)
description = "Replace with a concise description of what the skill does and when to use it."
(skill_dir / "SKILL.md").write_text(
SKILL_TEMPLATE.format(
skill_name=args.skill_name,
description=description,
skill_title=title_case(args.skill_name),
),
encoding="utf-8",
)
resources = {item.strip() for item in args.resources.split(",") if item.strip()}
if "scripts" in resources:
scripts_dir = skill_dir / "scripts"
scripts_dir.mkdir()
(scripts_dir / "requirements.txt").write_text("", encoding="utf-8")
if args.examples:
example = scripts_dir / "example.py"
example.write_text(EXAMPLE_SCRIPT.format(skill_name=args.skill_name), encoding="utf-8")
example.chmod(0o755)
if "references" in resources:
references_dir = skill_dir / "references"
references_dir.mkdir()
if args.examples:
(references_dir / "notes.md").write_text(EXAMPLE_REFERENCE, encoding="utf-8")
if "assets" in resources:
(skill_dir / "assets").mkdir()
write_openai_yaml(skill_dir, parse_interface(args.interface, args.skill_name))
return skill_dir
def main() -> int:
args = parse_args()
result = init_skill(args)
print(f"Initialized skill at {result}")
return 0
if __name__ == "__main__":
raise SystemExit(main())
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Skill Packager - Creates a distributable zip file of a skill folder
Usage:
python skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder> [output-directory]
Example:
python skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py my-skill
python skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py 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 skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py <path/to/skill-folder> [output-directory]")
print("\nExample:")
print(" python skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py my-skill")
print(" python skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py 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
"""
Strict validation for skill folders.
"""
from __future__ import annotations
import re
import sys
from pathlib import Path
FRONTMATTER_RE = re.compile(r"^---\n(.*?)\n---\n", re.DOTALL)
NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[a-z0-9]+(?:-[a-z0-9]+)*$")
OPENAI_FIELDS = ("display_name", "short_description", "default_prompt")
def _parse_simple_yaml_block(block: str) -> dict[str, str]:
data: dict[str, str] = {}
for raw_line in block.splitlines():
line = raw_line.strip()
if not line or line.startswith("#"):
continue
if ":" not in line:
raise ValueError(f"Invalid YAML line: {raw_line}")
key, value = line.split(":", 1)
key = key.strip()
value = value.strip()
if value.startswith(("'", '"')) and value.endswith(("'", '"')) and len(value) >= 2:
value = value[1:-1]
data[key] = value
return data
def validate_skill(skill_path: str | Path) -> tuple[bool, str]:
"""Validate a skill directory."""
skill_dir = Path(skill_path)
if not skill_dir.exists() or not skill_dir.is_dir():
return False, f"Skill directory not found: {skill_dir}"
skill_md = skill_dir / "SKILL.md"
if not skill_md.exists():
return False, "SKILL.md not found"
try:
content = skill_md.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
except UnicodeDecodeError:
return False, "SKILL.md must be valid UTF-8"
match = FRONTMATTER_RE.match(content)
if not match:
return False, "SKILL.md must start with YAML frontmatter"
try:
frontmatter = _parse_simple_yaml_block(match.group(1))
except ValueError as exc:
return False, str(exc)
keys = set(frontmatter.keys())
if keys != {"name", "description"}:
extra = sorted(keys - {"name", "description"})
missing = sorted({"name", "description"} - keys)
if extra:
return False, f"Unexpected frontmatter keys: {', '.join(extra)}"
return False, f"Missing frontmatter keys: {', '.join(missing)}"
name = frontmatter["name"]
description = frontmatter["description"]
if not NAME_RE.match(name):
return False, "Frontmatter name must be hyphen-case lowercase"
if name != skill_dir.name:
return False, f"Frontmatter name '{name}' must match directory name '{skill_dir.name}'"
if not description or len(description) > 200:
return False, "Description must be present and 200 characters or fewer"
if "<" in description or ">" in description:
return False, "Description cannot contain angle brackets"
agents_yaml = skill_dir / "agents" / "openai.yaml"
if not agents_yaml.exists():
return False, "agents/openai.yaml not found"
try:
agent_fields = _parse_simple_yaml_block(agents_yaml.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
except UnicodeDecodeError:
return False, "agents/openai.yaml must be valid UTF-8"
except ValueError as exc:
return False, f"Invalid agents/openai.yaml: {exc}"
missing_fields = [field for field in OPENAI_FIELDS if not agent_fields.get(field)]
if missing_fields:
return False, f"agents/openai.yaml missing required fields: {', '.join(missing_fields)}"
scripts_dir = skill_dir / "scripts"
if scripts_dir.exists():
python_files = [path for path in scripts_dir.rglob("*.py") if path.is_file()]
if python_files and not (scripts_dir / "requirements.txt").exists():
return False, "scripts/requirements.txt required when Python scripts are present"
return True, "Skill is valid!"
def main() -> int:
if len(sys.argv) != 2:
print("Usage: python quick_validate.py <skill_directory>")
return 1
valid, message = validate_skill(sys.argv[1])
print(message)
return 0 if valid else 1
if __name__ == "__main__":
raise SystemExit(main())
# No external dependencies required - uses Python standard library only