create-agent-skills

A Claude Code skill requires YAML frontmatter containing a name and description, followed by an XML-based body defining the execution logic. This standardized structure ensures discoverability and enables progressive disclosure for scalable workflow management.

The router pattern in Claude Code uses an intake phase to gather user context, then routes the request to specific self-contained skills. This architecture manages complex intents by distributing execution logic across multiple structured skill files rather than relying on a single monolithic command.

Use references to store reusable knowledge for your Claude Code skills, and attach scripts for automation tasks. Both components are optional but essential when building scalable skills that require external data lookup or automated execution steps beyond standard XML body logic.

No, Claude Code skill creation does not require external dependencies or packages. Skills are self-contained files built using standard YAML frontmatter and XML body structures, ensuring compatibility with the router pattern without needing additional software installations.

The best way to structure multiple workflows is implementing an intake and routing mechanism using the router pattern. This approach separates initial user context gathering from execution, allowing the skill to cleanly route complex intents to distinct self-contained processing blocks.