
Skill Creator
- 904 installs
- 44k repo stars
- Updated July 27, 2026
- sickn33/antigravity-awesome-skills
skill-creator is an agent skill that generates, tests, and iterates reusable agent skills directly inside a codebase for developers who need to author and refine SKILL.md packages without leaving their repository workflo
About
skill-creator is an agent skill from sickn33/antigravity-awesome-skills that helps developers generate, test, and iterate on new reusable agent skills directly inside their codebase. It targets the full skill authoring loop: scaffolding skill structure, validating triggers and workflows, and refining SKILL.md content until the skill behaves reliably in agent sessions. Developers reach for skill-creator when they want to package domain procedures, tool integrations, or checklists as installable skills instead of repeating long system prompts. The skill fits teams standardizing agent extensibility across Claude Code, Cursor, or compatible runtimes where skills live beside application code and undergo the same review cycle. Catalog metadata is sparse beyond the Apache 2.0 license notice, so operators should treat the description as the primary scope signal for create-test-iterate skill development inside the repo.
- Creates complete, catalog-ready agent skills with full metadata and JSON schema
- Evaluates skills through parallel runs, token tracking, and pass-rate benchmarks
- Produces self-contained Skillselion catalog entries optimized for AEO
- Enforces consistent taxonomy and journey placement rules automatically
- Includes hard-gate validation before committing new skills to the directory
Skill Creator by the numbers
- 904 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- +25 installs in the week ending Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
- Ranked #1,156 of 16,659 AI & Agent Building skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Security screen: MEDIUM risk (skills.sh audit)
- Data as of Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
npx skills add https://github.com/sickn33/antigravity-awesome-skills --skill skill-creatorAdd your badge
Show developers this skill is listed on Skillselion. Paste this into your README.
| Installs | 904 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 44k |
| Security audit | 3 / 3 scanners passed |
| Last updated | July 27, 2026 |
| Repository | sickn33/antigravity-awesome-skills ↗ |
How do you create reusable agent skills in-repo?
Generate, test, and iterate on new reusable agent skills directly inside their codebase.
Who is it for?
Developers authoring agent skills who want an in-repo generate-test-iterate workflow instead of copying unstructured prompts across projects.
Skip if: Teams only shipping application features with no agent skills, or users who need MCP server implementation rather than SKILL.md authoring.
When should I use this skill?
The developer asks to create, scaffold, test, or iterate a new agent skill or SKILL.md inside the codebase.
What you get
Scaffolded SKILL.md files, tested skill triggers, and iterated skill packages ready to install in compatible coding agents.
- SKILL.md files
- Tested skill packages
Files
skill-creator
Purpose
To create new CLI skills following Anthropic's official best practices with zero manual configuration. This skill automates brainstorming, template application, validation, and installation processes while maintaining progressive disclosure patterns and writing style standards.
When to Use This Skill
This skill should be used when:
- User wants to extend CLI functionality with custom capabilities
- User needs to create a skill following official standards
- User wants to automate repetitive CLI tasks with a reusable skill
- User needs to package domain knowledge into a skill format
- User wants both local and global skill installation options
Core Capabilities
1. Interactive Brainstorming - Collaborative session to define skill purpose and scope 2. Prompt Enhancement - Optional integration with prompt-engineer skill for refinement 3. Template Application - Automatic file generation from standardized templates 4. Validation - YAML, content, and style checks against Anthropic standards 5. Installation - Local repository or global installation with symlinks 6. Progress Tracking - Visual gauge showing completion status at each step
Step 0: Discovery
Before starting skill creation, gather runtime information:
# Detect available platforms
COPILOT_INSTALLED=false
CLAUDE_INSTALLED=false
CODEX_INSTALLED=false
if command -v gh &>/dev/null && gh copilot --version &>/dev/null 2>&1; then
COPILOT_INSTALLED=true
fi
if [[ -d "$HOME/.claude" ]]; then
CLAUDE_INSTALLED=true
fi
if [[ -d "$HOME/.codex" ]]; then
CODEX_INSTALLED=true
fi
# Determine working directory
REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || pwd)
SKILLS_REPO="$REPO_ROOT"
# Check if in cli-ai-skills repository
if [[ ! -d "$SKILLS_REPO/.github/skills" ]]; then
echo "⚠️ Not in cli-ai-skills repository. Creating standalone skill."
STANDALONE=true
fi
# Get user info from git config
AUTHOR=$(git config user.name || echo "Unknown")
EMAIL=$(git config user.email || echo "")Key Information Needed:
- Which platforms to target (Copilot, Claude, Codex, or all three)
- Installation preference (local, global, or both)
- Skill name and purpose
- Skill type (general, code, documentation, analysis)
Main Workflow
Progress Tracking Guidelines
Throughout the workflow, display a visual progress bar before starting each phase to keep the user informed. The progress bar format is:
[████████████░░░░░░] 60% - Step 3/5: Creating SKILL.mdFormat specifications:
- 20 characters wide (use █ for filled, ░ for empty)
- Percentage based on current step (Step 1=20%, Step 2=40%, Step 3=60%, Step 4=80%, Step 5=100%)
- Step counter showing current/total (e.g., "Step 3/5")
- Brief description of current phase
Display the progress bar using:
echo "[████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░] 20% - Step 1/5: Brainstorming & Planning"Phase 1: Brainstorming & Planning
Progress: Display before starting this phase:
echo "[████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░] 20% - Step 1/5: Brainstorming & Planning"Display progress:
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ 🛠️ SKILL CREATOR - Creating New Skill ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ → Phase 1: Brainstorming [10%] ║
║ ○ Phase 2: Prompt Refinement ║
║ ○ Phase 3: File Generation ║
║ ○ Phase 4: Validation ║
║ ○ Phase 5: Installation ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Progress: ███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 10% ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝Ask the user:
1. What should this skill do? (Free-form description)
- Example: "Help users debug Python code by analyzing stack traces"
2. When should it trigger? (Provide 3-5 trigger phrases)
- Example: "debug Python error", "analyze stack trace", "fix Python exception"
3. What type of skill is this?
- [ ] General purpose (default template)
- [ ] Code generation/modification
- [ ] Documentation creation/maintenance
- [ ] Analysis/investigation
4. Which platforms should support this skill?
- [ ] GitHub Copilot CLI
- [ ] Claude Code
- [ ] Codex
- [ ] All three (recommended)
5. Provide a one-sentence description (will appear in metadata)
- Example: "Analyzes Python stack traces and suggests fixes"
Capture responses and prepare for next phase.
Phase 2: Prompt Enhancement (Optional)
Progress: Display before starting this phase:
echo "[████████░░░░░░░░░░] 40% - Step 2/5: Prompt Enhancement"Update progress:
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ✓ Phase 1: Brainstorming ║
║ → Phase 2: Prompt Refinement [30%] ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Progress: █████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 30% ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝Ask the user: "Would you like to refine the skill description using the prompt-engineer skill?"
- [ ] Yes - Use prompt-engineer to enhance clarity and structure
- [ ] No - Proceed with current description
If Yes: 1. Check if prompt-engineer skill is available 2. Invoke with current description as input 3. Review enhanced output with user 4. Ask: "Accept enhanced version or keep original?"
If No or prompt-engineer unavailable:
- Proceed with original user input
Phase 3: File Generation
Progress: Display before starting this phase:
echo "[████████████░░░░░░] 60% - Step 3/5: File Generation"Update progress:
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ✓ Phase 1: Brainstorming ║
║ ✓ Phase 2: Prompt Refinement ║
║ → Phase 3: File Generation [50%] ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Progress: ███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 50% ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝Generate skill structure:
# Convert skill name to kebab-case
SKILL_NAME=$(echo "$USER_INPUT" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | tr ' ' '-')
# Create directories
if [[ "$PLATFORM" =~ "copilot" ]]; then
mkdir -p ".github/skills/$SKILL_NAME"/{references,examples,scripts}
fi
if [[ "$PLATFORM" =~ "claude" ]]; then
mkdir -p ".claude/skills/$SKILL_NAME"/{references,examples,scripts}
fi
if [[ "$PLATFORM" =~ "codex" ]]; then
mkdir -p ".codex/skills/$SKILL_NAME"/{references,examples,scripts}
fiApply templates:
1. SKILL.md - Use appropriate template:
skill-template-copilot.md,skill-template-claude.md, orskill-template-codex.md- Substitute placeholders:
{{SKILL_NAME}}→ kebab-case name{{DESCRIPTION}}→ one-line description{{TRIGGERS}}→ comma-separated trigger phrases{{PURPOSE}}→ detailed purpose from brainstorming{{AUTHOR}}→ from git config{{DATE}}→ current date (YYYY-MM-DD){{VERSION}}→ "1.0.0"
2. README.md - Use readme-template.md:
- User-facing documentation (300-500 words)
- Include installation instructions
- Add usage examples
3. References/ (optional but recommended):
- Create
detailed-guide.mdfor extended documentation (2k-5k words) - Move lengthy content here to keep SKILL.md under 2k words
File creation commands:
# Apply template with substitution
sed "s/{{SKILL_NAME}}/$SKILL_NAME/g; \
s/{{DESCRIPTION}}/$DESCRIPTION/g; \
s/{{AUTHOR}}/$AUTHOR/g; \
s/{{DATE}}/$(date +%Y-%m-%d)/g" \
resources/templates/skill-template-copilot.md \
> ".github/skills/$SKILL_NAME/SKILL.md"
# Create README
sed "s/{{SKILL_NAME}}/$SKILL_NAME/g" \
resources/templates/readme-template.md \
> ".github/skills/$SKILL_NAME/README.md"
# Apply template for Codex if selected
if [[ "$PLATFORM" =~ "codex" ]]; then
sed "s/{{SKILL_NAME}}/$SKILL_NAME/g; \
s/{{DESCRIPTION}}/$DESCRIPTION/g; \
s/{{AUTHOR}}/$AUTHOR/g; \
s/{{DATE}}/$(date +%Y-%m-%d)/g" \
resources/templates/skill-template-codex.md \
> ".codex/skills/$SKILL_NAME/SKILL.md"
sed "s/{{SKILL_NAME}}/$SKILL_NAME/g" \
resources/templates/readme-template.md \
> ".codex/skills/$SKILL_NAME/README.md"
fiDisplay created structure:
✅ Created:
.github/skills/your-skill-name/ (if Copilot selected)
.claude/skills/your-skill-name/ (if Claude selected)
.codex/skills/your-skill-name/ (if Codex selected)
├── SKILL.md (832 lines)
├── README.md (347 lines)
├── references/
├── examples/
└── scripts/Phase 4: Validation
Progress: Display before starting this phase:
echo "[████████████████░░] 80% - Step 4/5: Validation"Update progress:
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ✓ Phase 3: File Generation ║
║ → Phase 4: Validation [70%] ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Progress: █████████████████████░░░░░░░░░ 70% ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝Run validation scripts:
# Validate YAML frontmatter
scripts/validate-skill-yaml.sh ".github/skills/$SKILL_NAME"
# Validate content quality
scripts/validate-skill-content.sh ".github/skills/$SKILL_NAME"Expected output:
🔍 Validating YAML frontmatter...
✅ YAML frontmatter valid!
🔍 Validating content...
✅ Word count excellent: 1847 words
✅ Content validation complete!If validation fails:
- Display specific errors
- Offer to fix automatically (common issues)
- Ask user to manually correct complex issues
Common auto-fixes:
- Convert second-person to imperative form
- Reformat description to third-person
- Add missing required fields
Phase 5: Installation
Progress: Display before starting this phase:
echo "[████████████████████] 100% - Step 5/5: Installation"Update progress:
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ✓ Phase 4: Validation ║
║ → Phase 5: Installation [90%] ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Progress: ██████████████████████████░░░░░ 90% ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝Ask the user: "How would you like to install this skill?"
- [ ] Repository only - Files created in
.github/skills/(works when in repo) - [ ] Global installation - Create symlinks in
~/.copilot/skills/(works everywhere) - [ ] Both - Repository + global symlinks (recommended, auto-updates with git pull)
- [ ] Skip installation - Just create files
If global installation selected:
# Detect which platforms to install for
INSTALL_TARGETS=()
if [[ "$COPILOT_INSTALLED" == "true" ]] && [[ "$PLATFORM" =~ "copilot" ]]; then
INSTALL_TARGETS+=("copilot")
fi
if [[ "$CLAUDE_INSTALLED" == "true" ]] && [[ "$PLATFORM" =~ "claude" ]]; then
INSTALL_TARGETS+=("claude")
fi
if [[ "$CODEX_INSTALLED" == "true" ]] && [[ "$PLATFORM" =~ "codex" ]]; then
INSTALL_TARGETS+=("codex")
fi
# Ask user to confirm detected platforms
echo "Detected platforms: ${INSTALL_TARGETS[*]}"
echo "Install for these platforms? [Y/n]"Installation process:
# GitHub Copilot CLI
if [[ " ${INSTALL_TARGETS[*]} " =~ " copilot " ]]; then
ln -sf "$SKILLS_REPO/.github/skills/$SKILL_NAME" \
"$HOME/.copilot/skills/$SKILL_NAME"
echo "✅ Installed for GitHub Copilot CLI"
fi
# Claude Code
if [[ " ${INSTALL_TARGETS[*]} " =~ " claude " ]]; then
ln -sf "$SKILLS_REPO/.claude/skills/$SKILL_NAME" \
"$HOME/.claude/skills/$SKILL_NAME"
echo "✅ Installed for Claude Code"
fi
# Codex
if [[ " ${INSTALL_TARGETS[*]} " =~ " codex " ]]; then
ln -sf "$SKILLS_REPO/.codex/skills/$SKILL_NAME" \
"$HOME/.codex/skills/$SKILL_NAME"
echo "✅ Installed for Codex"
fiVerify installation:
# Check symlinks
ls -la ~/.copilot/skills/$SKILL_NAME 2>/dev/null
ls -la ~/.claude/skills/$SKILL_NAME 2>/dev/null
ls -la ~/.codex/skills/$SKILL_NAME 2>/dev/nullPhase 6: Completion
Progress: Display completion message:
echo "[████████████████████] 100% - ✓ Skill created successfully!"Update progress:
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ✓ Phase 5: Installation ║
║ ✅ SKILL CREATION COMPLETE! ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Progress: ██████████████████████████████ 100% ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝Display summary:
🎉 Skill created successfully!
📦 Skill Name: your-skill-name
📁 Location: .github/skills/your-skill-name/
🔗 Installed: Global (Copilot + Claude)
📋 Files Created:
✅ SKILL.md (1,847 words)
✅ README.md (423 words)
✅ references/ (empty, ready for extended docs)
✅ examples/ (empty, ready for code samples)
✅ scripts/ (empty, ready for utilities)
🚀 Next Steps:
1. Test the skill: Try trigger phrases in CLI
2. Add examples: Create working code samples in examples/
3. Extend docs: Add detailed guides to references/
4. Commit changes: git add .github/skills/your-skill-name && git commit
5. Share: Push to repository for team use
💡 Pro Tips:
- Keep SKILL.md under 2,000 words (currently: 1,847)
- Move detailed content to references/ folder
- Add executable scripts to scripts/ folder
- Update README.md with real usage examples
- Run validation before committing: scripts/validate-skill-yaml.shError Handling
Platform Detection Issues
If platforms cannot be detected:
⚠️ Unable to detect GitHub Copilot CLI or Claude Code
Would you like to:
1. Install for repository only (works when in repo)
2. Specify platform manually
3. Skip installationTemplate Not Found
If templates are missing:
❌ Error: Template not found at resources/templates/
This skill requires the cli-ai-skills repository structure.
Options:
1. Clone cli-ai-skills: git clone <repo-url>
2. Create minimal skill structure manually
3. Exit and set up templates firstValidation Failures
If content doesn't meet standards:
⚠️ Validation Issues Found:
1. YAML: Description not in third-person format
Expected: "This skill should be used when..."
Found: "Use this skill when..."
2. Content: Word count too high (5,342 words, max 5,000)
Suggestion: Move detailed sections to references/
Fix automatically? [Y/n]Installation Conflicts
If symlink already exists:
⚠️ Skill already installed at ~/.copilot/skills/your-skill-name
Options:
1. Overwrite existing installation
2. Rename new skill
3. Skip installation
4. Install to different locationBundled Resources
This skill includes additional resources in subdirectories:
references/
Detailed documentation loaded when needed:
anthropic-best-practices.md- Official Anthropic skill development guidelineswriting-style-guide.md- Writing standards and examplesprogressive-disclosure.md- Content organization patternsvalidation-checklist.md- Pre-commit quality checks
examples/
Working examples demonstrating skill usage:
basic-skill-creation.md- Simple skill creation walkthroughadvanced-skill-bundled-resources.md- Complex skill with references/global-installation.md- Installing skills system-wide
scripts/
Executable utilities for skill maintenance:
validate-all-skills.sh- Batch validation of all skills in repositoryupdate-skill-version.sh- Bump version and update changeloggenerate-skill-index.sh- Auto-generate skills catalog
Technical Implementation Notes
Template Substitution:
- Use
sedfor simple replacements - Preserve YAML formatting exactly
- Handle multi-line descriptions with proper escaping
Symlink Strategy:
- Always use absolute paths:
ln -sf /full/path/to/source ~/.copilot/skills/name - Verify symlink before considering installation complete
- Benefits: Auto-updates when repository is pulled
Validation Integration:
- Run validation before installation
- Block installation if critical errors found
- Warnings are informational only
Git Integration:
- Extract author from
git config user.name - Use repository root detection:
git rev-parse --show-toplevel - Respect
.gitignorepatterns
Quality Standards
SKILL.md Requirements:
- 1,500-2,000 words (ideal)
- Under 5,000 words (maximum)
- Third-person description format
- Imperative/infinitive writing style
- Progressive disclosure pattern
README.md Requirements:
- 300-500 words
- User-facing language
- Clear installation instructions
- Practical usage examples
Validation Checks:
- YAML frontmatter completeness
- Description format (third-person)
- Word count limits
- Writing style (no second-person)
- Required fields present
References
- Anthropic Official Skill Development Guide: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official/blob/main/plugins/plugin-dev/skills/skill-development/SKILL.md
- Repository: https://github.com/yourusername/cli-ai-skills
- Writing Style Guide:
resources/templates/writing-style-guide.md - Progress Tracker Template:
resources/templates/progress-tracker.md
Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
Apache License
Version 2.0, January 2004
http://www.apache.org/licenses/
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR USE, REPRODUCTION, AND DISTRIBUTION
1. Definitions.
"License" shall mean the terms and conditions for use, reproduction,
and distribution as defined by Sections 1 through 9 of this document.
"Licensor" shall mean the copyright owner or entity authorized by
the copyright owner that is granting the License.
"Legal Entity" shall mean the union of the acting entity and all
other entities that control, are controlled by, or are under common
control with that entity. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" means (i) the power, direct or indirect, to cause the
direction or management of such entity, whether by contract or
otherwise, or (ii) ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the
outstanding shares, or (iii) beneficial ownership of such entity.
"You" (or "Your") shall mean an individual or Legal Entity
exercising permissions granted by this License.
"Source" form shall mean the preferred form for making modifications,
including but not limited to software source code, documentation
source, and configuration files.
"Object" form shall mean any form resulting from mechanical
transformation or translation of a Source form, including but
not limited to compiled object code, generated documentation,
and conversions to other media types.
"Work" shall mean the work of authorship, whether in Source or
Object form, made available under the License, as indicated by a
copyright notice that is included in or attached to the work
(an example is provided in the Appendix below).
"Derivative Works" shall mean any work, whether in Source or Object
form, that is based on (or derived from) the Work and for which the
editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications
represent, as a whole, an original work of authorship. For the purposes
of this License, Derivative Works shall not include works that remain
separable from, or merely link (or bind by name) to the interfaces of,
the Work and Derivative Works thereof.
"Contribution" shall mean any work of authorship, including
the original version of the Work and any modifications or additions
to that Work or Derivative Works thereof, that is intentionally
submitted to Licensor for inclusion in the Work by the copyright owner
or by an individual or Legal Entity authorized to submit on behalf of
the copyright owner. For the purposes of this definition, "submitted"
means any form of electronic, verbal, or written communication sent
to the Licensor or its representatives, including but not limited to
communication on electronic mailing lists, source code control systems,
and issue tracking systems that are managed by, or on behalf of, the
Licensor for the purpose of discussing and improving the Work, but
excluding communication that is conspicuously marked or otherwise
designated in writing by the copyright owner as "Not a Contribution."
"Contributor" shall mean Licensor and any individual or Legal Entity
on behalf of whom a Contribution has been received by Licensor and
subsequently incorporated within the Work.
2. Grant of Copyright License. Subject to the terms and conditions of
this License, each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual,
worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable
copyright license to reproduce, prepare Derivative Works of,
publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute the
Work and such Derivative Works in Source or Object form.
3. Grant of Patent License. Subject to the terms and conditions of
this License, each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual,
worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable
(except as stated in this section) patent license to make, have made,
use, offer to sell, sell, import, and otherwise transfer the Work,
where such license applies only to those patent claims licensable
by such Contributor that are necessarily infringed by their
Contribution(s) alone or by combination of their Contribution(s)
with the Work to which such Contribution(s) was submitted. If You
institute patent litigation against any entity (including a
cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that the Work
or a Contribution incorporated within the Work constitutes direct
or contributory patent infringement, then any patent licenses
granted to You under this License for that Work shall terminate
as of the date such litigation is filed.
4. Redistribution. You may reproduce and distribute copies of the
Work or Derivative Works thereof in any medium, with or without
modifications, and in Source or Object form, provided that You
meet the following conditions:
(a) You must give any other recipients of the Work or
Derivative Works a copy of this License; and
(b) You must cause any modified files to carry prominent notices
stating that You changed the files; and
(c) You must retain, in the Source form of any Derivative Works
that You distribute, all copyright, patent, trademark, and
attribution notices from the Source form of the Work,
excluding those notices that do not pertain to any part of
the Derivative Works; and
(d) If the Work includes a "NOTICE" text file as part of its
distribution, then any Derivative Works that You distribute must
include a readable copy of the attribution notices contained
within such NOTICE file, excluding those notices that do not
pertain to any part of the Derivative Works, in at least one
of the following places: within a NOTICE text file distributed
as part of the Derivative Works; within the Source form or
documentation, if provided along with the Derivative Works; or,
within a display generated by the Derivative Works, if and
wherever such third-party notices normally appear. The contents
of the NOTICE file are for informational purposes only and
do not modify the License. You may add Your own attribution
notices within Derivative Works that You distribute, alongside
or as an addendum to the NOTICE text from the Work, provided
that such additional attribution notices cannot be construed
as modifying the License.
You may add Your own copyright statement to Your modifications and
may provide additional or different license terms and conditions
for use, reproduction, or distribution of Your modifications, or
for any such Derivative Works as a whole, provided Your use,
reproduction, and distribution of the Work otherwise complies with
the conditions stated in this License.
5. Submission of Contributions. Unless You explicitly state otherwise,
any Contribution intentionally submitted for inclusion in the Work
by You to the Licensor shall be under the terms and conditions of
this License, without any additional terms or conditions.
Notwithstanding the above, nothing herein shall supersede or modify
the terms of any separate license agreement you may have executed
with Licensor regarding such Contributions.
6. Trademarks. This License does not grant permission to use the trade
names, trademarks, service marks, or product names of the Licensor,
except as required for reasonable and customary use in describing the
origin of the Work and reproducing the content of the NOTICE file.
7. Disclaimer of Warranty. Unless required by applicable law or
agreed to in writing, Licensor provides the Work (and each
Contributor provides its Contributions) on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
implied, including, without limitation, any warranties or conditions
of TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. You are solely responsible for determining the
appropriateness of using or redistributing the Work and assume any
risks associated with Your exercise of permissions under this License.
8. Limitation of Liability. In no event and under no legal theory,
whether in tort (including negligence), contract, or otherwise,
unless required by applicable law (such as deliberate and grossly
negligent acts) or agreed to in writing, shall any Contributor be
liable to You for damages, including any direct, indirect, special,
incidental, or consequential damages of any character arising as a
result of this License or out of the use or inability to use the
Work (including but not limited to damages for loss of goodwill,
work stoppage, computer failure or malfunction, or any and all
other commercial damages or losses), even if such Contributor
has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
9. Accepting Warranty or Additional Liability. While redistributing
the Work or Derivative Works thereof, You may choose to offer,
and charge a fee for, acceptance of support, warranty, indemnity,
or other liability obligations and/or rights consistent with this
License. However, in accepting such obligations, You may act only
on Your own behalf and on Your sole responsibility, not on behalf
of any other Contributor, and only if You agree to indemnify,
defend, and hold each Contributor harmless for any liability
incurred by, or claims asserted against, such Contributor by reason
of your accepting any such warranty or additional liability.
END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
APPENDIX: How to apply the Apache License to your work.
To apply the Apache License to your work, attach the following
boilerplate notice, with the fields enclosed by brackets "[]"
replaced with your own identifying information. (Don't include
the brackets!) The text should be enclosed in the appropriate
comment syntax for the file format. We also recommend that a
file or class name and description of purpose be included on the
same "printed page" as the copyright notice for easier
identification within third-party archives.
Copyright [yyyy] [name of copyright owner]
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.skill-creator
Automate CLI skill creation with best practices built-in.
What It Does
The skill-creator automates the entire workflow of creating new CLI skills for GitHub Copilot CLI and Claude Code. It guides you through brainstorming, applies standardized templates, validates content quality, and handles installation—all while following Anthropic's official best practices.
Key Features
- 🎯 Interactive Brainstorming - Collaborative session to define skill purpose and scope
- ✨ Template Automation - Automatic file generation with zero manual configuration
- 🔍 Quality Validation - Built-in checks for YAML, content quality, and writing style
- 📦 Flexible Installation - Choose repository-only, global, or hybrid installation
- 📊 Visual Progress Bar - Real-time progress indicator showing completion status (e.g.,
[████████████░░░░░░] 60% - Step 3/5) - 🔗 Prompt Engineer Integration - Optional enhancement using prompt-engineer skill
When to Use
Use this skill when you want to:
- Create a new CLI skill following official standards
- Extend CLI functionality with custom capabilities
- Package domain knowledge into a reusable skill format
- Automate repetitive CLI tasks with a custom skill
- Install skills locally or globally across your system
Installation
Prerequisites
This skill is part of the cli-ai-skills repository. To use it:
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/cli-ai-skills.git
cd cli-ai-skillsInstall Globally (Recommended)
Install via symlinks to make the skill available everywhere:
# For GitHub Copilot CLI
ln -sf "$(pwd)/.github/skills/skill-creator" ~/.copilot/skills/skill-creator
# For Claude Code
ln -sf "$(pwd)/.claude/skills/skill-creator" ~/.claude/skills/skill-creatorBenefits of global installation:
- Works in any directory
- Auto-updates when you
git pullthe repository - No configuration files needed
Repository-Only Installation
If you prefer to use the skill only within this repository, no installation is needed. The skill will be available when working in the cli-ai-skills directory.
Usage
Basic Skill Creation
Simply ask the CLI to create a new skill:
# GitHub Copilot CLI
gh copilot "create a new skill for debugging Python errors"
# Claude Code
claude "create a skill that helps with git workflows"The skill will guide you through with visual progress tracking: 1. Brainstorming (20%) - Define purpose, triggers, and type 2. Prompt Enhancement (40%, optional) - Enhance with prompt-engineer skill 3. File Generation (60%) - Create files from templates 4. Validation (80%) - Check quality and standards 5. Installation (100%) - Choose local, global, or both
Each phase displays a progress bar:
[████████████░░░░░░] 60% - Step 3/5: File GenerationAdvanced Usage
Create Code Generation Skill
"Create a code skill that generates React components from descriptions"The skill will:
- Use the specialized
code-skill-template.md - Ask about specific frameworks (React, Vue, etc.)
- Include code examples in the
examples/folder
Create Documentation Skill
"Build a skill that writes API documentation from code"The skill will:
- Use
documentation-skill-template.md - Ask about documentation formats
- Set up references for style guides
Install for Specific Platform
"Create a skill for Copilot only that analyzes TypeScript errors"The skill will:
- Generate files only in
.github/skills/ - Skip Claude-specific installation
- Validate against Copilot requirements
Example Walkthrough
Here's what creating a skill looks like:
You: "create a skill for database schema migrations"
[████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░] 20% - Step 1/5: Brainstorming & Planning
What should this skill do?
> Helps users create and manage database schema migrations safely
When should it trigger? (3-5 phrases)
> "create migration", "generate schema change", "migrate database"
What type of skill?
> [×] General purpose
Which platforms?
> [×] Both (Copilot + Claude)
[... continues through all phases ...]
🎉 Skill created successfully!
📦 Skill Name: database-migration
📁 Location: .github/skills/database-migration/
🔗 Installed: Global (Copilot + Claude)File Structure
When you create a skill, this structure is generated:
.github/skills/your-skill-name/
├── SKILL.md # Main skill instructions (1.5-2k words)
├── README.md # User-facing documentation (this file)
├── references/ # Detailed guides (2k-5k words each)
│ └── (empty, ready for extended docs)
├── examples/ # Working code samples
│ └── (empty, ready for examples)
└── scripts/ # Executable utilities
└── (empty, ready for automation)Configuration
No configuration needed! This skill uses runtime discovery to:
- Detect installed platforms (Copilot CLI, Claude Code)
- Find repository root automatically
- Extract author info from git config
- Determine optimal file locations
Validation
Every skill created is automatically validated for:
- ✅ YAML Frontmatter - Required fields and format
- ✅ Description Format - Third-person, trigger phrases
- ✅ Word Count - 1,500-2,000 ideal, under 5,000 max
- ✅ Writing Style - Imperative form, no second-person
- ✅ Progressive Disclosure - Proper content organization
Frameworks Used
This skill leverages several established methodologies:
- Progressive Disclosure - 3-level content hierarchy (metadata → SKILL.md → bundled resources)
- Bundled Resources Pattern - References, examples, and scripts as separate files
- Anthropic Best Practices - Official skill development standards
- Zero-Config Design - Runtime discovery, no hardcoded values
- Template-Driven Generation - Consistent structure across all skills
Troubleshooting
"Template not found" Error
Ensure you're in the cli-ai-skills repository or have cloned it:
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/cli-ai-skills.git
cd cli-ai-skills"Platform not detected" Warning
If platforms aren't detected: 1. Choose "Repository only" installation 2. Manually specify platform during setup 3. Install globally later using provided commands
Validation Failures
If validation finds issues:
- Review suggestions in the output
- Choose automatic fixes for common problems
- Manually edit files for complex issues
- Re-run validation:
scripts/validate-skill-yaml.sh .github/skills/your-skill
Advanced Features
Prompt Engineer Integration
Enhance your skill descriptions with AI: 1. Enable during Phase 2 (Prompt Refinement) 2. Skill will invoke prompt-engineer automatically 3. Review enhanced output before proceeding
Bundled Resources
For complex skills, use bundled resources:
- references/ - Detailed documentation (no word limit)
- examples/ - Working code samples users can run
- scripts/ - Automation utilities loaded on demand
Version Management
Update existing skills:
scripts/update-skill-version.sh your-skill-name 1.1.0Contributing
Created a useful skill? Share it: 1. Ensure validation passes 2. Add usage examples 3. Update main README.md 4. Submit a pull request
Resources
- Writing Style Guide:
resources/templates/writing-style-guide.md - Anthropic Official Guide: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official
- Templates Directory:
resources/templates/ - Validation Scripts:
scripts/validate-*.sh
Support
For issues or questions:
- Check existing skills in
.github/skills/for examples - Review
resources/skills-development.mdfor methodology - Open an issue in the repository
---
Version: 1.1.0 Platform: GitHub Copilot CLI, Claude Code Author: Eric Andrade Last Updated: 2026-02-01
Output Patterns
Use these patterns when skills need to produce consistent, high-quality output.
Template Pattern
Provide templates for output format. Match the level of strictness to your needs.
For strict requirements (like API responses or data formats):
## Report structure
ALWAYS use this exact template structure:
# [Analysis Title]
## Executive summary
[One-paragraph overview of key findings]
## Key findings
- Finding 1 with supporting data
- Finding 2 with supporting data
- Finding 3 with supporting data
## Recommendations
1. Specific actionable recommendation
2. Specific actionable recommendationFor flexible guidance (when adaptation is useful):
## Report structure
Here is a sensible default format, but use your best judgment:
# [Analysis Title]
## Executive summary
[Overview]
## Key findings
[Adapt sections based on what you discover]
## Recommendations
[Tailor to the specific context]
Adjust sections as needed for the specific analysis type.Examples Pattern
For skills where output quality depends on seeing examples, provide input/output pairs:
## Commit message format
Generate commit messages following these examples:
**Example 1:**
Input: Added user authentication with JWT tokens
Output:feat(auth): implement JWT-based authentication
Add login endpoint and token validation middleware
**Example 2:**
Input: Fixed bug where dates displayed incorrectly in reports
Output:fix(reports): correct date formatting in timezone conversion
Use UTC timestamps consistently across report generation
Follow this style: type(scope): brief description, then detailed explanation.Examples help Claude understand the desired style and level of detail more clearly than descriptions alone.
Workflow Patterns
Sequential Workflows
For complex tasks, break operations into clear, sequential steps. It is often helpful to give Claude an overview of the process towards the beginning of SKILL.md:
Filling a PDF form involves these steps:
1. Analyze the form (run analyze_form.py)
2. Create field mapping (edit fields.json)
3. Validate mapping (run validate_fields.py)
4. Fill the form (run fill_form.py)
5. Verify output (run verify_output.py)Conditional Workflows
For tasks with branching logic, guide Claude through decision points:
1. Determine the modification type:
**Creating new content?** → Follow "Creation workflow" below
**Editing existing content?** → Follow "Editing workflow" below
2. Creation workflow: [steps]
3. Editing workflow: [steps]#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Skill Initializer - Creates a new skill from template
Usage:
init_skill.py <skill-name> --path <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 <skill-name> --path <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 .skill 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 should_include(file_path: Path, skill_path: Path) -> bool:
if file_path.is_symlink():
return False
try:
file_path.resolve(strict=True).relative_to(skill_path.resolve(strict=True))
except (OSError, ValueError):
return False
return file_path.is_file()
def package_skill(skill_path, output_dir=None):
"""
Package a skill folder into a .skill file.
Args:
skill_path: Path to the skill folder
output_dir: Optional output directory for the .skill file (defaults to current directory)
Returns:
Path to the created .skill 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()
skill_filename = output_path / f"{skill_name}.skill"
# Create the .skill file (zip format)
try:
with zipfile.ZipFile(skill_filename, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zipf:
# Walk through the skill directory
for file_path in skill_path.rglob('*'):
if should_include(file_path, skill_path):
# 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: {skill_filename}")
return skill_filename
except Exception as e:
print(f"❌ Error creating .skill 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
import yaml
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_text = match.group(1)
# Parse YAML frontmatter
try:
frontmatter = yaml.safe_load(frontmatter_text)
if not isinstance(frontmatter, dict):
return False, "Frontmatter must be a YAML dictionary"
except yaml.YAMLError as e:
return False, f"Invalid YAML in frontmatter: {e}"
# Define allowed properties
ALLOWED_PROPERTIES = {'name', 'description', 'license', 'allowed-tools', 'metadata'}
# Check for unexpected properties (excluding nested keys under metadata)
unexpected_keys = set(frontmatter.keys()) - ALLOWED_PROPERTIES
if unexpected_keys:
return False, (
f"Unexpected key(s) in SKILL.md frontmatter: {', '.join(sorted(unexpected_keys))}. "
f"Allowed properties are: {', '.join(sorted(ALLOWED_PROPERTIES))}"
)
# 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 = frontmatter.get('name', '')
if not isinstance(name, str):
return False, f"Name must be a string, got {type(name).__name__}"
name = name.strip()
if name:
# 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"
# Check name length (max 64 characters per spec)
if len(name) > 64:
return False, f"Name is too long ({len(name)} characters). Maximum is 64 characters."
# Extract and validate description
description = frontmatter.get('description', '')
if not isinstance(description, str):
return False, f"Description must be a string, got {type(description).__name__}"
description = description.strip()
if description:
# Check for angle brackets
if '<' in description or '>' in description:
return False, "Description cannot contain angle brackets (< or >)"
# Check description length (max 1024 characters per spec)
if len(description) > 1024:
return False, f"Description is too long ({len(description)} characters). Maximum is 1024 characters."
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)Related skills
How it compares
Pick skill-creator over one-shot prompt templates when you need an in-repo loop to generate, test, and refine agent skills before distribution.
FAQ
What does skill-creator help developers do?
skill-creator helps developers generate, test, and iterate reusable agent skills directly inside their codebase. The skill focuses on SKILL.md authoring and refinement so domain workflows become installable agent capabilities.
When should developers invoke skill-creator?
Invoke skill-creator when scaffolding a new agent skill, writing SKILL.md triggers and workflows, or iterating on skill behavior until it fires correctly in Claude Code, Cursor, or compatible agents.
Is Skill Creator safe to install?
skills.sh reports 3 of 3 security scanners passed. Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.