Help create an effective Claude Code Skill.
Trigger words
- "help me create a skill"
- "turn this into a skill"
- "new skill"
- "/create-skill"
Skill core concepts
A Skill is a modular capability package used to extend Claude's capabilities:
- Professional workflows: multi-step domain processes
- Tool integration: how to use specific file formats or APIs
- Domain knowledge: company-specific knowledge, schema, business logic
- Bundled resources: scripts, reference documents, asset files
Skill directory structure
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md # 必须 - 核心指令
└── 可选资源/
├── scripts/ # 可执行脚本（Python/Bash）
├── references/ # 参考文档（按需加载）
└── assets/ # 输出资源（模板、图标）
SKILL.md format
---
name: skill-name
description: 做什么 + 什么时候触发（这是最重要的字段）
---
# Skill 标题
[指令内容]
## 触发词
- "关键词1"
- "关键词2"
## 执行步骤
1. xxx
2. xxx
## 示例
[示例用法]
Design principles
1. Conciseness is king
- The context window is shared; assume Claude is already smart
- Only add information Claude does not know
- Use concise examples instead of lengthy explanations
2. Set an appropriate degree of freedom
| Degree of freedom | When to use | Form |
|---|---|---|
| High | Multiple valid approaches, relies on contextual judgment | Text instructions |
| Medium | Has a recommended pattern, allows some variation | Pseudocode/scripts |
| Low | Operations are fragile, consistency is critical | Precise scripts |
3. Progressive loading (three layers)
- Metadata(~100 words) - always in context
- SKILL.md main body(<5k words) - loaded when the skill is triggered
- Additional resources - loaded by Claude on demand
Creation process
Step 1: Understand the requirements
- What should this skill do?
- How will the user trigger it?
- What input/output is needed?
Step 2: Plan resources
- Need scripts? Put them in
scripts/ - Need reference documents? Put them in
references/ - Need templates/assets? Put them in
assets/
Step 3: Create the directory
mkdir -p .claude/skills/你的skill名
Step 4: Write SKILL.md
- frontmatter: clear name + comprehensive description
- body: instructions for using the skill and resources
Step 5: Test and iterate
- Use it in real tasks
- Find problems or inefficiencies
- Update SKILL.md or resources
- Repeat
Files not to include
- README.md
- INSTALLATION_GUIDE.md
- CHANGELOG.md
- Other files unrelated to the skill's functionality
Storage locations
| Location | Scope |
|---|---|
~/.claude/skills/ |
Personal global |
项目/.claude/skills/ |
Project-level, shareable via git |
Example: Creating a simple skill
User: help me turn "render a WeChat official account article" into a skill
Execution：
- Create directory
.claude/skills/render-article/ - Write SKILL.md
- Test whether the trigger words work
Reference:Official Skill repository