skills-writer
Creates and updates skill files (.claude/skills/*/SKILL.md) by reading source code and condensing knowledge into concise reference guides. Use when asked to create a new skill, update an existing skill, or document a subsystem for Claude Code agent context.
Best use case
skills-writer is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Creates and updates skill files (.claude/skills/*/SKILL.md) by reading source code and condensing knowledge into concise reference guides. Use when asked to create a new skill, update an existing skill, or document a subsystem for Claude Code agent context.
Teams using skills-writer should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/skills-writer/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How skills-writer Compares
| Feature / Agent | skills-writer | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Creates and updates skill files (.claude/skills/*/SKILL.md) by reading source code and condensing knowledge into concise reference guides. Use when asked to create a new skill, update an existing skill, or document a subsystem for Claude Code agent context.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
Related Guides
SKILL.md Source
# Skills Writer ## Process 1. Read all source files relevant to the skill topic. 2. Check `.claude/skills/` for existing skill files to match style and depth. 3. Distill non-obvious behaviors, relationships, and gotchas into SKILL.md. Obvious things (property names, method signatures) do not belong. ## Skill File Rules - **Length**: Under 500 lines; aim for under 100 for focused topics. - **Naming**: Kebab-case noun phrases for the directory (e.g., `gum-tool-undo`). - **Frontmatter**: `name`, `description` (third person, specific — state what the skill covers AND when to load it). - **Structure**: `##` sections. Tables for key-file maps and event/class lists. Prose for relationships and non-obvious behavior. - **Progressive disclosure**: High-level architecture at the top. Link to separate detail files for advanced content (e.g., `[xnafiddle.md](xnafiddle.md)`) rather than inlining everything. ## What to Include - Architecture: how major pieces fit together and why. - Non-obvious gotchas: surprising behavior, ordering dependencies, naming mismatches. - Key file map: table of file to purpose (one-liners only). - Specific identifiers only when behavior is surprising or the name is misleading. ## What to Exclude - Full class outlines or property lists — readable directly from source. - Code examples unless a snippet captures an irreplaceable non-obvious pattern. - Time-sensitive info (versions, dates, migration notes). - Anything Claude already knows from general C# or .NET knowledge. ## Output Write the skill file to `.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md`. Create the directory if needed. Only create additional files if the content is large enough to warrant referenced detail files.
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