create-skill

To scaffold a Claude Code skill, use the create-skill command to generate a directory with SKILL.md frontmatter and phase templates. It applies a repeatable blueprint across Phase 0 to Phase 6, ensuring explicit exit conditions and safety checks are included.

Quality gates for skill authoring must include Phase 0 presence, explicit exit conditions, a Rules section, Examples, artifact definitions, and integrated lint and smoke-test checks. These gates ensure consistency and safety across new skills.

A template engine validates skill markdown structure by applying a repeatable blueprint for frontmatter, phase structure, and safety checks. It enforces standards derived from review feedback to ensure new skills pass lint and smoke-test checks.

No dependencies are required to scaffold and validate skills. The skill operates independently to generate directories, apply frontmatter templates, and enforce quality standards without external packages.

The best way to structure a skill lifecycle is to follow a phased blueprint from Phase 0 to Phase 6, including Self-Review and Smoke Test phases. This enforces explicit exit conditions, artifact definitions, and integrated quality checks.

Skills fail lint and smoke-test checks when they lack required quality gates such as Phase 0 presence, explicit exit conditions, a Rules section, Examples, or artifact definitions. Scaffolding with a structured template engine prevents these validation failures.