shaunandrews/skill-creator

Skill Creator Skill

Use this skill when creating a new agent skill. Skills provide specialized instructions for specific tasks.

When to Use

• Creating a new skill for the agent-skills repo
• User asks to "create a skill" or "add a new skill"
• Documenting a repeatable workflow as a skill

Skill Location

All skills live in: ~/Developer/Projects/agent-skills/skills/{skill-name}/

Use kebab-case for skill names (e.g., wordpress-mockups, project-setup).

Skill Structure

Minimal skill:

{skill-name}/
└── SKILL.md              # Required: main skill file

Complex skill with assets:

{skill-name}/
├── SKILL.md              # Required: main skill file
├── docs/                 # Optional: detailed documentation
│   └── {topic}.md
├── templates/            # Optional: file templates
│   └── {template-file}
├── examples/             # Optional: example files
│   └── {example-file}
└── assets/               # Optional: images, icons, etc.
    └── {asset-file}

SKILL.md Template

# {Skill Name} Skill

{One-line description of what this skill does}

## When to Use

- {Trigger condition 1}
- {Trigger condition 2}
- {Trigger condition 3}

## Prerequisites

{Tools, CLIs, access, or setup required — or "None" if self-contained}

## Workflow

### Step 1: {First Step}

{Instructions}

### Step 2: {Second Step}

{Instructions}

{Continue with more steps as needed}

## Commands Reference

{If the skill involves CLI tools, list key commands}

```bash
# Example command
command --flag value

Templates

{If the skill includes templates, document them here}

Examples

{Show example usage or link to examples/ folder}

Troubleshooting

{Common issues and solutions}

Related Skills

• {Link to related skills if applicable}

## Writing Good Skills

### Be Specific
- Describe exact conditions when to use the skill
- Include concrete examples, not abstract principles

### Be Procedural
- Break down workflows into clear steps
- Use numbered lists for sequences
- Use code blocks for commands and file contents

### Be Complete
- Include all necessary context
- Don't assume the agent remembers prior conversations
- Reference file paths explicitly

### Be Practical
- Focus on what the agent needs to DO, not background theory
- Include templates and examples
- Anticipate common variations

## Creation Procedure

1. **Identify the skill need**
   - What task keeps coming up?
   - What workflow should be standardized?

2. **Create skill directory**
   ```bash
   mkdir -p ~/Developer/Projects/agent-skills/skills/{skill-name}

3. Write SKILL.md

   • Use template above
   • Be thorough — this is the agent's only reference

4. Add supporting files (if needed)

   • Templates in templates/
   • Examples in examples/
   • Documentation in docs/

5. Test the skill

   • Symlink to workspace:

     ln -s ~/Developer/Projects/agent-skills/skills/{skill-name} ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/{skill-name}
     

   • Try using it in a conversation
   • Refine based on results

6. Commit to agent-skills repo

   cd ~/Developer/Projects/agent-skills
   git add skills/{skill-name}
   git commit -m "Add {skill-name} skill"
   git push
   

Symlinking Skills

To make a skill available to the agent:

# Create symlink
ln -s ~/Developer/Projects/agent-skills/skills/{skill-name} ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/{skill-name}

# Verify
ls -la ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/{skill-name}

To remove a skill:

rm ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/{skill-name}  # Removes symlink only, not source

Skill Naming Conventions

| Pattern | Use For | Examples | |---------|---------|----------| | {tool}-{action} | Tool-specific skills | gh-issues, wp-deploy | | {domain}-{topic} | Domain skills | wordpress-blocks, design-mockups | | {verb}-{noun} | Action skills | project-setup, skill-creator |

Quality Checklist

Before committing a new skill:

• [ ] SKILL.md has clear "When to Use" section
• [ ] All file paths are explicit (no assumptions)
• [ ] Commands include expected output or success criteria
• [ ] Templates are complete and copy-pasteable
• [ ] Tested with actual usage
• [ ] Committed to agent-skills repo

Existing Skills Reference

Check existing skills for patterns:

ls ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/

Read a skill to understand structure:

cat ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/{skill-name}/SKILL.md