Creating and Editing Claude Skills

Structure your SKILL.md with required frontmatter (name and description), use gerund naming (e.g., "Parsing JSON"), write third-person descriptions under 1024 characters, and organize optional reference, scripts, and templates directories for progressive disclosure. This ensures Claude autonomously invokes your skill at the right time.

A good description clearly states the problem solved and core capabilities in third person, stays under 1024 characters, and uses progressive disclosure to guide users from overview to detailed workflows. This maximizes Claude's ability to identify when your skill applies and improves automation effectiveness.

Use a systematic review checklist covering frontmatter compliance, naming conventions, description clarity, file organization, and adherence to best practices. Validate that your skill maintains progressive disclosure structure and that all referenced resources are self-contained and properly documented.

Use gerund form (verb + -ing) for skill names to clearly express the action performed. Names should be concise, searchable, and accurately reflect the core task, enabling Claude to invoke the skill at the appropriate moment during automation workflows.

Yes. Beyond the required SKILL.md file, organize skills with optional reference, scripts, and templates directories. This structure supports progressive disclosure, keeps skills self-contained, and makes them more maintainable and understandable for both Claude and future users.