distill

Name: distill
Availability: InStock
Author: phrazzld

Distill repository knowledge into a concise CLAUDE.md onboarding guide.

13|3|Updated Mar 2, 2026

Search Tags:#documentation #onboarding #knowledge management #codebase #developer experience #codify

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/phrazzld/agent-skills --skill distill-phrazzld

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: distill
Source: https://github.com/phrazzld/agent-skills/tree/main/core/distill
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/phrazzld/agent-skills --skill distill-phrazzld

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill streamlines the process of creating and maintaining comprehensive onboarding and operating guides for code repositories, ensuring new contributors can quickly become productive.

Core Features & Use Cases

Automated CLAUDE.md Generation: Rewrites or creates a repository's CLAUDE.md file to be a concise, actionable guide.
Knowledge Distillation: Extracts essential information, focusing on what's non-obvious and critical for developers.
Use Case: When onboarding a new developer to a complex project, use this Skill to generate an up-to-date CLAUDE.md that highlights critical setup steps, architectural nuances, and common pitfalls, reducing the need for direct human assistance.

Quick Start

Use the distill skill to rewrite the CLAUDE.md file for the current repository.

Frequently Asked Questions about distill

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema

How do I create a CLAUDE.md onboarding guide for a new codebase?▼

To create a CLAUDE.md onboarding guide, use the distill skill to read repository documentation, code, and configuration files. It identifies critical invariants and footguns, rewriting them into a concise, actionable operating guide for new developers.

What is the best way to document non-obvious repository knowledge for new developers?▼

Documenting non-obvious repository knowledge involves distilling essential information from session learnings into durable improvements. This process extracts critical setup steps and architectural nuances, codifying them into a comprehensive onboarding guide to reduce direct human assistance.

How does knowledge distillation work for codebase documentation?▼

Knowledge distillation for codebase documentation works by reading existing repository files to extract essential, non-obvious information. It codifies session learnings into durable improvements, focusing on critical invariants and footguns to streamline the onboarding process.

Can I automatically generate developer experience documentation from existing repository files?▼

Yes, you can automatically generate developer experience documentation by analyzing repository documentation, code, and configuration files. This Skill rewrites or creates a CLAUDE.md file, highlighting critical setup steps and common pitfalls to improve the onboarding experience.

What should I include in an operating guide to reduce onboarding friction?▼

An operating guide should include essential, non-obvious information like critical setup steps, architectural nuances, and common pitfalls. Distilling this knowledge into a CLAUDE.md file ensures new contributors can quickly become productive without needing direct human assistance.