writing-for-agents

Guides writing and structuring documents that AI agents consume, including skills, AGENTS.md, and specs.

3|Updated Jan 10, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/MaxWolf-01/agents --skill writing-for-agents-maxwolf-01
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: writing-for-agents
Source: https://github.com/MaxWolf-01/agents/tree/main/mx/skills/writing-for-agents
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/MaxWolf-01/agents --skill writing-for-agents-maxwolf-01

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Documents written for AI agents often fail unpredictably: agents miss referenced material, rush steps, or get lost in bloated files. This Skill provides a systematic reference for writing agent-facing documents so the agent follows the same process every run. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Context pointer design: Rules for writing descriptions and references that reliably trigger the agent to reach out-of-context material at the right branch. - Information hierarchy: A ladder model (in-file steps, in-file reference, disclosed reference) plus progressive disclosure and co-location to keep documents legible and focused. - Completion criteria and splitting: Guidance on sharpening step completion conditions, preventing premature completion, and deciding when to split documents by sequence or invocation. - Use Case: When authoring a new skill or CLAUDE.md file, apply the leading-words, pruning, and negation-avoidance rules to produce a document the agent executes predictably. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to review your draft skill or AGENTS.md file using the writing-for-agents principles and suggest concrete revisions.

Frequently Asked Questions about writing-for-agents

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I write a skill description that agents trigger reliably?

Write the description as a context pointer: front-load the leading word, state what the material is, and list one trigger per distinct branch. Cut synonyms that rename a single branch and remove identity the body already carries, since every word of an always-loaded pointer costs context on every turn.

How to structure AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md files for AI agents?

Organize content along the information hierarchy: keep primary steps in-file, keep flat reference as a peer set, and push branch-specific material behind context pointers into separate files. Co-locate each concept's definition, rules, and caveats under one heading so related material is read together.

When should I split a skill into multiple skills?

Split by sequence when visible later steps tempt the agent to rush the current one, and split by invocation when a distinct trigger word should fire a skill on its own or another skill must reach it. Each split spends context or cognitive load, so the cut must earn it.

What is the difference between model-invoked and user-invoked skills?

A model-invoked skill keeps a description so the agent and other skills can fire it autonomously, paying permanent context load. A user-invoked skill sets disable-model-invocation: true, removing agent discovery entirely so only a human typing its name can invoke it.

Why do agents skip steps or finish tasks prematurely?

Premature completion happens when a step's completion criterion is vague and later steps remain visible, pulling attention toward being done. Sharpen the completion bound first; if it stays fuzzy and the rush persists, hide later steps behind a real context boundary like a hand-off or subagent dispatch.

Should agent documentation avoid negative instructions?

Yes, negation drags the forbidden behavior into context and makes it more available, so the ban half-reads as an instruction. State the positive target behavior instead, reserving prohibitions for hard guardrails that cannot be phrased positively and pairing them with the positive form.