write-a-skill

To author an agent skill, you need a SKILL.md file with YAML frontmatter defining the name and description, followed by operational instruction text and optional bundled resources for reuse. This skill guides you through that entire creation process.

Progressive disclosure in skill authoring structures a SKILL.md with an actionable workflow section and an optional advanced section linking to supporting files, keeping core instructions concise while providing deeper reference materials on demand.

You package deterministic scripts into an agent skill by bundling them as utility resources alongside your SKILL.md, adding them only when they improve reliability or depth for the specific agent workflow you are targeting.

Yes, YAML frontmatter is required for skill discovery. You must define the skill's name and description in the YAML frontmatter at the top of the SKILL.md file to satisfy discovery requirements and ensure proper indexing.

The best way to structure reference documentation is to bundle it as supporting files linked from an advanced section in your SKILL.md, encouraging the addition of reference docs only when they add reliability or depth to the workflow.

Yes, you can author workflows without scripts. The guided requirements gathering helps you decide whether deterministic scripts are needed, and the resulting SKILL.md can function with instruction text alone if scripts do not add reliability.