skills.rest
tomhoule
tomhouleCOMMUNITY
Explore all skills by this author →
WebsiteGitHub

writing-skills

Define and validate SKILL.md frontmatter files for agent capability discovery.

2|1|Updated Feb 15, 2025
Search Tags:#templates#documentation#validation#yaml#skill#frontmatter#agentskills
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/tomhoule/chezmoi-dotfiles --skill writing-skills-tomhoule
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: writing-skills
Source: https://github.com/tomhoule/chezmoi-dotfiles/tree/main/.agents/skills/writing-skills
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/tomhoule/chezmoi-dotfiles --skill writing-skills-tomhoule

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This Skill provides a standardized approach to creating and validating SKILL.md files for Agent Skills, ensuring consistent frontmatter (name and description) and a clear, actionable Markdown body that guides agents.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Enforces a clear directory layout (skill-name/ with a required SKILL.md and optional scripts/, references/, assets/).
  • Specifies a strict YAML frontmatter format and a concise, descriptive body to load into context.
  • Supports authoring, editing, and reviewing Skill definitions to promote reuse and correctness.

Quick Start

Create a new SKILL.md with proper frontmatter and a clear instruction body following this guide.

Frequently Asked Questions about writing-skills

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I create an Agent Skill with valid YAML frontmatter?▼

To create an agent skill, you define a SKILL.md file with YAML frontmatter containing a name and description, followed by an actionable Markdown body that guides the agent. This ensures consistent structure and capability discovery.

What is the required directory layout for an agentskills.io SKILL.md file?▼

The required directory layout for a SKILL.md file is a skill-name folder containing the SKILL.md file itself, alongside optional scripts, references, and assets directories. This structure promotes reuse and correctness across agent ecosystems.

How do I validate a SKILL.md file to ensure it loads properly into agent context?▼

To validate a SKILL.md file, check that the YAML frontmatter includes both a name and description, and verify the Markdown body provides concise, actionable instructions. This validation ensures the skill loads correctly into agent context.

Do I need any external dependencies to author and validate Agent Skills?▼

No external dependencies are required to author and validate Agent Skills. The process relies entirely on defining a standardized SKILL.md file with proper YAML frontmatter and a clear Markdown body for agent capability discovery.

What happens if my SKILL.md frontmatter is missing a description?▼

If your SKILL.md frontmatter is missing a description, the skill validation will fail because the format strictly enforces both a name and a description. These fields are mandatory to enable proper agent capability discovery and context loading.

Related Skills

Explore More Content & Communication Skills→
jimwellerjimweller
1

update-readme

Generate markdown documentation from conversation history and directory structure.

Community
Intermediate
netzkontrastnetzkontrast

create-skill

Create new agent skills with a standardized directory structure and SKILL.md template.

Community
Basic
MagicBowenMagicBowen
4

brand-guidelines

Apply Anthropic brand colors and typography rules to artifacts.

Community
Basic
dmlguq456dmlguq456
7

sync-skills

Synchronize agent skill definitions with generated documentation and manifests.

Community
Advanced