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Creating Skills

There are two ways to create skills on the KillerSkills platform: using the AI-powered web wizard or manually authoring SKILL.md files.

Option 1: The Web Wizard (Recommended)

The easiest way to create a skill is through the AI-powered wizard at /create. The wizard uses Claude to generate a complete SKILL.md file from your description.

Three-Step Process

Step 1: Describe

Enter either:

  • A text prompt — describe what you want the skill to do in plain English. For example: "Create a skill that helps me write unit tests for React components using Jest and React Testing Library."
  • A URL — provide a link to documentation, a GitHub repository, or any web page containing the knowledge you want to turn into a skill.

The AI will analyze your input and generate a complete SKILL.md file with appropriate frontmatter and detailed instructions.

Step 2: Edit

Review and refine the generated skill. The editor provides real-time validation with two types of feedback:

  • Errors — issues that must be fixed before publishing (e.g., missing required fields, invalid values)
  • Warnings — best practice recommendations (e.g., body content too short, missing category)

You can edit any part of the generated content. The validator runs automatically as you type.

Step 3: Publish

Configure publication settings:

  • Visibility — choose whether the skill is public (appears in marketplace) or private (only you can see it)
  • Price — set a price in USD or mark it as free (currently all skills are free during the beta period)
  • Category — select the most appropriate category for discoverability
  • Tags — add up to 10 tags to help users find your skill

Once published, your skill will be available at /skill/[your-skill-slug] and, if public, will appear in the marketplace.

AI Generation Limits

The platform uses Claude to generate skills from your prompts. Usage is rate-limited by plan tier:

PlanDaily Limit
Free5 generations per day
Premium ($9/mo)50 generations per day
Team / Business50 generations per day

Rate limits reset daily at midnight UTC. The wizard displays your remaining generations for the day.

Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)

If you need unlimited generations or want to use your own API credits, you can bring your own API key. The platform supports:

  • Anthropic (Claude)
  • OpenAI (GPT-4, GPT-3.5)
  • Google (Gemini)

Add your API key in Settings under the "API Keys" section. Keys are stored encrypted and never shared. When you provide your own key:

  • Rate limits are bypassed entirely
  • You are billed directly by the API provider
  • You can choose which provider to use for each generation

To remove a key or switch back to the platform's API, simply delete it from your settings.

Option 2: Manual Authoring

For advanced users or those who prefer full control, you can write SKILL.md files manually.

Process

  1. Create a new file with the .md extension
  2. Add YAML frontmatter at the top (between --- delimiters)
  3. Write the markdown body with detailed instructions
  4. Validate the file using the format reference
  5. Paste the contents into the wizard's "Edit" step or upload via API (coming soon)

Example Workflow

# 1. Create skill file
touch my-skill.md

# 2. Edit with your favorite editor
code my-skill.md

# 3. Paste into the wizard at /create
# Or use the API (coming soon):
# curl -X POST https://killerskills.ai/api/skills \
#   -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
#   -F "[email protected]"

See the SKILL.md Format Reference for the complete specification.

Tips for Writing Great Skills

1. Choose a Clear, Specific Name

Good: "React Component Generator with TypeScript"
Bad: "Component Thing"

2. Write Detailed Body Instructions

The body is what the AI agent actually reads to understand the task. Include:

  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Code examples showing expected output
  • Edge cases and how to handle them
  • Best practices and recommendations

Aim for at least 200-500 words of meaningful content.

3. Specify Compatible Runtimes

If your skill uses features specific to certain AI assistants (e.g., Claude Code's tool calling, Cursor's composer mode), specify the compatible runtimes in the frontmatter:

runtimes: [claude-code, cursor]

If the skill is runtime-agnostic (works everywhere), you can omit this field or list all relevant runtimes.

4. Add Concrete Examples

Show the AI exactly what you expect. If the skill generates code, include example output:

## Example Output

```typescript
interface UserProfile {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  email: string;
}
```

5. Use Tags Wisely

Tags help users discover your skill. Choose tags that describe:

  • Technologies used (react, typescript, docker)
  • Use cases (testing, deployment, refactoring)
  • Frameworks or tools (jest, prettier, eslint)

Maximum 10 tags, each up to 30 characters.

6. Provide Context in Inputs/Outputs

If your skill accepts specific inputs or produces structured outputs, define them in the frontmatter:

inputs:
  - name: componentName
    type: string
    description: Name of the component to generate
    required: true
  - name: propsInterface
    type: string
    description: TypeScript interface for component props
    required: false

outputs:
  - name: componentFile
    type: string
    description: Generated TypeScript component file

This helps AI agents understand how to invoke your skill correctly.

After Publishing

Once your skill is live:

  • Share the link (/skill/[slug]) with your team or community
  • Monitor the download count and ratings on your skill's page
  • Update the skill as needed — the wizard supports editing existing skills (coming soon)
  • Respond to reviews and feedback to improve the skill

Next Steps