Skill Creator

A meta-skill that helps you create new skills for AI coding agents. This skill guides you through the process of defining, structuring, and generating properly formatted SKILL.md files with trigger phrases, instructions, and best practices.

What This Skill Does

This skill automates the creation of new AI agent skills by:

Instructions

When a user wants to create a new skill, follow these steps:

Step 1: Gather Skill Information

Use the AskUserQuestion tool to collect the following information from the user:

1. **Skill Name**

- Ask: "What should we name this skill?"

- Explain that the name should be lowercase with hyphens (e.g., "project-creator", "api-generator")

- This will be used for the directory name and frontmatter

2. **Skill Purpose**

- Ask: "What will this skill do?"

- Get a clear, concise description (under 500 characters for frontmatter)

- Examples: "Create REST API endpoints", "Generate responsive navigation", "Set up database schema"

3. **Trigger Phrases**

- Ask: "What phrases should trigger this skill?"

- Request 3-5 natural trigger phrases

- Examples: "create api endpoint", "add new endpoint", "generate rest api"

4. **Target Runtimes** (optional)

- Ask which AI coding tools this skill is designed for

- Default to common runtimes: claude-code, cline, cursor, aider, continue, windsurf

5. **Skill Category**

- Determine the category: development, devops, testing, security, documentation, automation, or other

Step 2: Create the Skill Directory Structure

1. Create the skill directory: `.claude/skills/{skill-name}/`

2. If the skill requires additional files (templates, examples), create subdirectories as needed

Step 3: Generate the SKILL.md File

Create a SKILL.md file with the following structure:

**YAML Frontmatter** (between `---` delimiters):

```yaml

---

name: {Skill Name}

description: {Brief description under 500 chars}

version: "1.0.0"

runtimes:

- claude-code

- cline

- cursor

- aider

category: {development|devops|testing|security|documentation|automation|other}

tags:

- {tag1}

- {tag2}

- {tag3}

---

```

**Markdown Body** (must be at least 50 characters):

```markdown

{Skill Name}

{Detailed description of what this skill does}

Trigger Phrases

This skill activates when the user wants to {action}:

Instructions

When this skill is invoked, follow these steps:

Step 1: {First Major Step}

{Detailed instructions with numbered substeps}

1. {Substep 1}

2. {Substep 2}

3. {Substep 3}

Step 2: {Second Major Step}

{Continue with detailed instructions}

Step 3: {Final Steps and Verification}

{Wrap up with validation and confirmation}

Examples

{Include usage examples or code templates if applicable}

Notes

```

Step 4: Customize the Template

Based on the user's requirements:

1. **Replace all placeholders** with actual skill information

2. **Add specific instructions** relevant to the skill's purpose

3. **Include code templates** if the skill generates code

4. **Add file structure diagrams** if creating multiple files

5. **Include examples** of expected input/output

6. **Add best practices** specific to this skill's domain

Step 5: Write the Skill File

1. Use the Write tool to create `.claude/skills/{skill-name}/SKILL.md`

2. Ensure the frontmatter is properly formatted between `---` delimiters

3. Ensure the markdown body is at least 50 characters

4. Verify all required frontmatter fields are present: name, description, version, runtimes, category, tags

Step 6: Confirm and Document

After creating the skill:

1. Confirm the skill has been created successfully

2. Show the file location: `.claude/skills/{skill-name}/SKILL.md`

3. List the trigger phrases that activate it

4. Explain how to test or use the skill

5. Suggest any next steps (editing, testing, adding examples)

Example Usage

**User**: "create a new skill"

**Assistant**:

1. Gathers skill name, purpose, and trigger phrases through questions

2. Creates directory: `.claude/skills/api-generator/`

3. Generates `SKILL.md` with proper frontmatter and instructions

4. Confirms: "✓ Skill 'api-generator' created at `.claude/skills/api-generator/SKILL.md`"

5. Lists trigger phrases: "create api", "generate endpoint", "add rest api"

Tips for Creating Effective Skills

Common Skill Categories

Important Constraints

1. **YAML frontmatter is required** and must include: name, description, version, runtimes, category, tags

2. **Frontmatter must be between `---` delimiters** at the start of the file

3. **Markdown body must be at least 50 characters** after the frontmatter

4. **Description must be under 500 characters** in the frontmatter

5. **Use array format for runtimes and tags** (YAML list with `- ` prefix)

6. **Version should follow semver**: "1.0.0" format in quotes

Notes