troykelly/skill-development
external/skills/skill-development/SKILL.md
Use when the user wants to create or refine Codex skills, improve skill descriptions, organize skill resources, or follow Codex skill best practices.
$ install --global
skillsauthnpx skillsauth add troykelly/codex-skills skill-developmentInstall this skill globally with one command. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf.
Security Scan Results
3 of 9 scanners reported clean
Some scanners were skipped, did not run, or reported a non-clean status. Review each row below.
3
Scanners Passed
9
Scanners in report
Clean
TrivyContainer and dependency vulnerability scanner
95%
Clean
SemgrepStatic code analysis for vulnerabilities
95%
Clean
mcp-scan (Snyk)Model Context Protocol security validation
95%
Skipped
Snyk (dep)Open source security scanning
50%
Skipped
Socket.devSupply chain security analysis
50%
Skipped
VirusTotalMulti-engine malware detection
50%
Skipped
CrowdStrikeAdvanced threat intelligence
50%
Skipped
OSV-ScannerOpen Source Vulnerability database check
50%
Skipped
OWASP Dep-Check
50%
Last scanned: Apr 24, 2026, 8:48 PM1.8s1 file scanned
SKILL.md
- name:
- skill-development
- description:
- Use when the user wants to create or refine Codex skills, improve skill descriptions, organize skill resources, or follow Codex skill best practices.
Skill Development (Codex)
This skill provides guidance for creating effective Codex skills and aligning with current Codex CLI conventions.
What Skills Are
Skills are modular packages that give Codex reusable workflows, domain knowledge, and tooling. Codex uses a skill in two ways:
- Implicit invocation: Codex selects a skill when the user's request matches its description.
- Explicit invocation: The user mentions
$skill-name(or uses the/skillspicker in supported clients).
Where to Save Skills (Codex Scopes)
Codex loads skills from these locations, in precedence order (highest to lowest):
$CWD/.codex/skills$CWD/../.codex/skills(if inside a git repo)$REPO_ROOT/.codex/skills(git repo root)$CODEX_HOME/skills(default~/.codex/skills)/etc/codex/skills
Notes:
- Higher-precedence skills override lower-precedence ones with the same name.
- Codex ignores symlinked skill directories.
Skill Structure
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required)
├── scripts/ (optional)
├── references/ (optional)
└── assets/ (optional)
SKILL.md Requirements
SKILL.md must include YAML frontmatter with:
name: non-empty, <= 100 characters, single linedescription: non-empty, <= 500 characters, single line
Extra keys are ignored by Codex.
Example:
---
name: draft-commit-message
description: Draft a conventional commit message when the user asks for help writing a commit message.
---
Creation Workflow
-
Clarify triggers Define concrete user phrases that should activate the skill. Keep the description specific.
-
Plan reusable resources Decide which scripts, references, or assets will save time. Prefer scripts for deterministic steps.
-
Create the skill folder Put it in a valid Codex skill path (see scopes above).
-
Write SKILL.md Keep it lean. Use imperative instructions and link out to references for detailed material.
-
Add references or scripts Store long docs in
references/and reusable code inscripts/. -
Restart Codex Codex loads skills at startup. Restart to pick up changes.
Best Practices
- Be explicit in descriptions so Codex can trigger correctly.
- Use progressive disclosure: keep SKILL.md short and move details into references.
- Avoid overlapping descriptions to prevent ambiguous triggers.
- Validate frontmatter length and single-line fields to avoid startup validation errors.
Related Resources
references/skill-creator-original.mdfor deeper guidance on structure and progressive disclosure
Related Skills
troykelly/worker-protocol
data-ai
VerifiedTrustedCommunity
Defines behavior protocol for spawned worker agents. Injected into worker prompts. Covers startup, progress reporting, exit conditions, and handover preparation.
6SKILL.mdUpdated Apr 15, 2026
troykelly/worker-handover
development
VerifiedTrustedCommunity
Defines context handover format when workers hit turn limit. Posts structured handover to GitHub issue comments enabling replacement workers to continue seamlessly.
6SKILL.mdUpdated Apr 15, 2026
troykelly/worker-dispatch
data-ai
VerifiedTrustedCommunity
Use to spawn isolated worker processes for autonomous issue work. Creates git worktrees, constructs worker prompts, and handles worker lifecycle.
6SKILL.mdUpdated Apr 15, 2026
troykelly/work-intake
tools
VerifiedTrustedCommunity
Entry point for ALL work requests - triages scope from trivial to massive, asks clarifying questions, and routes to appropriate planning skills. Use this when receiving any new work request.
6SKILL.mdUpdated Apr 15, 2026