# Skill Authoring

Creates and structures SKILL.md files for AI coding agents, including YAML frontmatter...

- Repository: https://github.com/rohitg00/skillkit (1568 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: Apache-2.0
- Last updated: 2026-06-02
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add rohitg00/skillkit --skill skill-authoring -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add rohitg00/skillkit --skill skill-authoring -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add rohitg00/skillkit --skill skill-authoring -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add rohitg00/skillkit --skill skill-authoring -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Creates and structures SKILL.md files for AI coding agents, including YAML frontmatter, trigger phrases, directive instructions, decision trees, code examples, and verification checklists. Use when the user asks to write a new skill, create a skill file, author agent capabilities, generate skill documentation, or define a skill template for Claude Code agents.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Skill Authoring Guide

You are authoring a SKILL.md for an AI coding agent. A well-written skill provides clear, actionable guidance that agents can follow consistently.

## Core Principle

**A skill's description triggers it; the body teaches it.**

The description tells the agent WHEN to use the skill. The content tells the agent HOW to execute it.

## Skill Anatomy

### SKILL.md Structure

```markdown
---
name: [lowercase-hyphenated-name]
description: [Concrete actions + "Use when..." clause]
version: [Semantic version]
triggers:
  - [keyword 1]
  - [keyword 2]
tags:
  - [tag 1]
---

# [Skill Title]

[Introduction paragraph explaining purpose]

## Core Principle

**[Single most important rule in bold]**

## [Main Content Sections]

## [Decision Points]

## [Verification Checklist]
```

### Frontmatter Fields

| Field | Required | Constraints |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| name | Yes | Lowercase alphanumeric + hyphens, 1, 64 chars |
| description | Yes | Must include "Use when..." clause; 1, 1024 chars |
| version | Yes | Semantic version (e.g. `1.0.0`) |
| triggers | Recommended | Natural-language phrases that activate the skill |
| tags | Recommended | Categorization tags |

## Writing Effective Triggers

Triggers should be phrases users naturally type.

**Good triggers:**
- "write tests first"
- "tdd"
- "test driven development"

**Bad triggers:**
- "testing methodology" (too vague)
- "red-green-refactor-cycle-for-test-driven-development" (too specific)
- "skill-123" (not natural language)

### Trigger Guidelines

1. **Natural language**, How would a human ask for this?
2. **Multiple variations**, Different ways to say the same thing
3. **Specific enough**, Don't trigger on too many queries
4. **Common terms**, Use terms people actually use

## Writing Skill Content

### Voice and Tone

Use **second person, present tense, active voice**:

The rest: https://github.com/rohitg00/skillkit/blob/HEAD/packages/core/src/methodology/packs/meta/skill-authoring/SKILL.md