# Skill Creation

Create a new Stencila workspace skill.

- Repository: https://github.com/stencila/stencila (914 stars)
- Category: Writing
- License: Apache-2.0
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add stencila/stencila --skill skill-creation -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add stencila/stencila --skill skill-creation -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add stencila/stencila --skill skill-creation -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add stencila/stencila --skill skill-creation -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add stencila/stencila`

## Description

Create a new Stencila workspace skill. Use when asked to create, write, or scaffold a SKILL.md file or skill directory.

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

## Overview

Create a new workspace skill directory and `SKILL.md` file following the Agent Skills Specification. A skill is a directory under `.stencila/skills/` containing a `SKILL.md` file with YAML frontmatter and a Markdown body. Skills are reusable instruction sets for AI agents.

Skills should be self-contained. Do not rely on documentation or other content outside the skill directory. If the skill needs supporting material from elsewhere in the repository or from another source, copy it, summarize it, or excerpt it into files inside the skill's own `references/` directory, then link to those local files from `SKILL.md`.

## Steps

1. Determine the skill name from the user's request
2. Validate the name against the naming rules below
3. Resolve the closest workspace skill directory: walk up from the current directory to find the nearest directory containing `.stencila/`, or use the repository root if none exists
4. Create the directory `<closest-workspace>/.stencila/skills/<name>/`
5. Write the `SKILL.md` file with frontmatter and instructions, include activation keywords in the `description` so agents can match the skill to user requests
6. Add `keywords` to the frontmatter to improve discoverability and delegation accuracy, include terms reflecting likely user intents, artifacts, and domains
7. Replace placeholders such as `TODO` before considering the skill complete
8. If the skill depends on supporting guidance, examples, or specifications, create focused files in `references/` and put that material there rather than referring to files elsewhere in the repo
9. Optionally create `scripts/`, `references/`, or `assets/` subdirectories if the skill needs them
10. Validate the finished skill with `stencila skills validate <name>`, the skill directory path, or the `SKILL.md` path

The rest: https://github.com/stencila/stencila/blob/HEAD/.stencila/skills/skill-creation/SKILL.md