Agent skill
skill-creator
Create new Claude Code skills following V3 DX patterns with Beads/Serena integration. MUST BE USED when creating skills. Follows tech lead proven patterns from 300k LOC case study. Use when user wants to create a new skill, implement workflow automation, or enhance the skill system, or when user mentions "need a skill for X", "automate this workflow", "create new capability", repetitive manual processes, skill creation, meta-skill, or V3 patterns.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/stars-end/agent-skills/tree/master/skill-creator
SKILL.md
Skill Creator
Create V3-compliant skills with automatic Beads/Serena integration (<5 minutes).
Purpose
Automates skill creation following proven tech lead patterns:
- V3 philosophy compliance (minimal validation, trust environments)
- Progressive disclosure (<500 lines main, details in resources/)
- Beads MCP integration (Feature-Key tracking, issue linking)
- Serena tool integration (symbol-aware code operations)
- Auto-activation via skill-rules.json
Philosophy: Fast skill creation + Battle-tested patterns
When to Use This Skill
Trigger phrases:
- "create skill"
- "new skill"
- "make a skill"
- "implement [X] skill"
- "need a skill for [X]"
Use when:
- Automating repetitive workflows
- Creating specialist capabilities
- Building meta-operations
- Enhancing the skill system itself
Workflow
1. Classify Skill Type
Ask user which type:
A. Workflow Skill (most common)
- Automates multi-step processes
- Examples: sync-feature-branch, create-pull-request, fix-pr-feedback
- Duration: Hours to days of manual work → Seconds
- Pattern: Discovery → Action → Validation → Commit
B. Specialist Work (USE SUBAGENTS, NOT SKILLS)
- Domain expertise for complex tasks - use Task tool with subagents
- Examples: Task(subagent_type="backend-engineer"), Task(subagent_type="frontend-engineer"), Task(subagent_type="security-engineer")
- Subagents available in
.claude/agents/directory - Duration: Minutes to hours of research/implementation
- Pattern: Launch subagent → Isolated context → Return results
C. Meta Skill
- Skills that create/manage other skills
- Examples: skill-creator (this skill!)
- Duration: Variable
- Pattern: Analysis → Generation → Integration
2. Gather Requirements
Ask user:
What does this skill do?
- Primary purpose (1 sentence)
- Main workflow steps (3-7 steps)
- Tools needed (Beads? Serena? Git? API?)
- Trigger phrases (natural language)
- Success criteria (what makes it "done"?)
3. Create Skill Structure
Directory layout:
.claude/skills/<skill-name>/
├── SKILL.md # Main file (<500 lines)
└── resources/ # Progressive disclosure
├── examples/
├── patterns/
└── reference/
Main SKILL.md structure:
---
name: skill-name
description: One-line purpose with MUST BE USED trigger. Use when [natural language patterns].
allowed-tools:
- Tool category patterns (e.g., Bash(git:*), mcp__serena__*)
---
# Skill Name
One-line purpose with time metric.
## Purpose
What this skill does and why it exists
## When to Use This Skill
Natural language patterns and trigger phrases
## Workflow
Step-by-step execution (numbered list)
## Integration Points
How this integrates with Beads/Serena/Git/other skills
## Best Practices
Do's and don'ts
## What This Skill Does ✅
Specific capabilities
## What This Skill DOESN'T Do ❌
Out of scope
## Examples
Real usage scenarios
4. Generate Skill Content
Read reference materials:
resources/v3-philosophy.md- Core V3 principlesresources/skill-types.md- Patterns by skill typeresources/beads-integration-guide.md- Beads MCP patternsresources/serena-tool-reminders.md- Serena usageresources/examples/- Real skill examples
Apply patterns:
For Workflow Skills:
## Workflow
### 1. Check Prerequisites
- Verify context (branch, Beads issue, env)
- Fail fast if missing critical data
### 2. Gather Information
- Use Serena for code discovery
- Use Beads for issue context
- Use git/gh for repository state
### 3. Execute Core Action
- Make changes (code/git/API)
- Handle errors gracefully
- Provide progress updates
### 4. Validate Results
- Quick checks (<5s)
- Trust environments for full validation
### 5. Update State
- Commit changes (git)
- Update Beads (status, notes)
- Confirm to user
## Integration Points
### With Beads
- Check issue exists via show()
- Update status via update()
- Close on completion via close()
- Link discoveries via dep()
### With Serena
- Search: search_for_pattern()
- Navigate: find_symbol()
- Edit: replace_symbol_body()
- Insert: insert_after_symbol()
### With Git
- Status: git status, git branch
- Changes: git add, git commit
- Remote: git push, gh pr create
For Specialist Skills:
## Workflow
### 1. Analyze Request
- Understand scope and constraints
- Identify required tools and knowledge
- Check for blockers
### 2. Research Context
- Read relevant code (Serena)
- Check related issues (Beads)
- Review documentation
### 3. Execute with Expertise
- Apply domain-specific patterns
- Use specialized tools
- Maintain quality standards
### 4. Verify and Document
- Test changes
- Update documentation
- Create follow-up issues if needed
5. Add Auto-Activation Rules
Update .claude/skills/skill-rules.json:
{
"skill-name": {
"triggers": [
"create X",
"make X",
"implement X",
"need X"
],
"intents": [
"User wants to perform workflow X",
"User asks for capability X"
],
"examples": [
"User: 'commit my work'",
"User: 'create PR'",
"User: 'fix the PR'"
]
}
}
Pattern matching:
- Keywords: Exact phrases to match
- Intents: Semantic patterns
- Examples: Real usage for testing
6. Update Documentation
Add to CLAUDE.md:
### Natural Language → Skills (Auto-Invoked)
- **"trigger phrase"** → skill-name skill
- What it does (3-5 bullets)
- **Total: <time>**
Update skill list:
- **skill-name**: [Description] Use when [trigger patterns].
7. Test and Commit
Testing workflow:
-
Test auto-activation:
User says trigger phrase → Verify hook detects it → Verify skill is invoked -
Test execution:
Follow skill workflow → Verify each step works → Verify integrations (Beads/Serena/Git) -
Test edge cases:
Missing prerequisites → Skill fails gracefully Error conditions → Clear error messages
Commit:
git add .claude/skills/<skill-name>/
git add .claude/skills/skill-rules.json
git add CLAUDE.md
git commit -m "feat: Add <skill-name> skill for <purpose>
Implements <workflow-type> skill following V3 patterns:
- Progressive disclosure (<500 lines main)
- Beads/Serena integration
- Auto-activation via skill-rules.json
- <X> second typical execution
Feature-Key: <CURRENT_FEATURE>
Agent: claude-code
Role: skill-creator"
Progressive Disclosure Pattern
Main SKILL.md stays <500 lines:
- Core workflow only
- Reference resources/ for details
- Keep it scannable
resources/ contains details:
resources/
├── examples/
│ ├── simple-case.md
│ ├── complex-case.md
│ └── error-handling.md
├── patterns/
│ ├── beads-integration.md
│ ├── serena-usage.md
│ └── git-operations.md
└── reference/
├── tool-list.md
├── api-reference.md
└── troubleshooting.md
When to split:
- Main file approaching 400 lines → Extract examples
- Complex patterns → Move to patterns/
- API details → Move to reference/
Integration Points
With Beads
Create tracking issue:
issue = mcp__plugin_beads_beads__create({
title: "SKILL_NAME",
issue_type: "feature",
priority: 2,
design: "Skill creation following V3 patterns"
})
Update on completion:
mcp__plugin_beads_beads__close(
issue_id,
reason="Skill created and tested"
)
With Serena
Find existing skills for reference:
mcp__serena__list_dir(
relative_path=".claude/skills",
recursive=true
)
Read skill templates:
mcp__serena__get_symbols_overview(
relative_path=".claude/skills/sync-feature-branch/SKILL.md"
)
With V3 Philosophy
Minimal validation:
- Quick checks only (<5s)
- Trust environments for full validation
- Fail fast on critical errors
Progressive disclosure:
- Main file scannable in <2 minutes
- Details accessible on demand
- No overwhelming walls of text
Trust patterns:
- Don't reinvent wheel
- Use proven tech lead patterns
- Reference existing skills
Skill Templates
Workflow Skill Template
---
name: skill-name
description: One-line purpose. MUST BE USED when [trigger]. Use when [patterns].
allowed-tools:
- Tool patterns
---
# Skill Name
Purpose (<time> total).
## Purpose
What and why
## When to Use This Skill
Trigger patterns
## Workflow
### 1. Check Context
Prerequisites and validation
### 2. Execute Action
Main workflow steps
### 3. Update State
Commit and confirm
## Integration Points
Beads/Serena/Git integration
## Best Practices
Do's and don'ts
## Examples
Real scenarios
Full template: See resources/examples/workflow-skill-template.md
Specialist Skill Template
---
name: specialist-name
description: Domain expertise. MUST BE USED for [domain tasks].
allowed-tools:
- Domain-specific tools
---
# Specialist Name
Domain expertise for [area].
## Purpose
Expertise domain and scope
## When to Use This Skill
Task patterns requiring expertise
## Workflow
Expert execution pattern
## Domain Knowledge
Key patterns and practices
## Integration Points
Standard integrations
Full template: See resources/examples/specialist-skill-template.md
Meta Skill Template
---
name: meta-skill-name
description: Operates on skill system itself. Use when [meta-operation].
allowed-tools:
- File operations
- System operations
---
# Meta Skill Name
Skill system operation.
## Purpose
What it changes about skills
## Workflow
Meta-operation steps
## Safety Guardrails
Protecting skill system integrity
Full template: See resources/examples/meta-skill-template.md
Best Practices
Do
✅ Keep main SKILL.md under 500 lines ✅ Use progressive disclosure for details ✅ Include real examples ✅ Test auto-activation before committing ✅ Follow V3 philosophy (fast, trust environments) ✅ Integrate with Beads for tracking ✅ Use Serena for code operations ✅ Document trigger phrases clearly ✅ Add to skill-rules.json ✅ Update CLAUDE.md
Don't
❌ Create walls of text ❌ Duplicate existing skills ❌ Over-validate (trust environments) ❌ Forget allowed-tools restrictions ❌ Skip testing ❌ Ignore progressive disclosure ❌ Miss integration points ❌ Forget to update documentation
What This Skill Does
✅ Classifies skill type (workflow/specialist/meta) ✅ Gathers requirements from user ✅ Creates skill directory structure ✅ Generates SKILL.md following V3 patterns ✅ Adds auto-activation rules ✅ Updates CLAUDE.md documentation ✅ Tests auto-activation ✅ Commits with proper Feature-Key
What This Skill DOESN'T Do
❌ Create skills without user input ❌ Modify existing skills (use Edit directly) ❌ Generate skills for unclear requirements ❌ Skip testing phase ❌ Create skills that duplicate existing ones
Examples
Example 1: Simple Workflow Skill
User: "create a skill that runs linting"
AI asks: "What type of skill? (workflow/specialist/meta)"
User: "workflow"
AI asks requirements:
- Purpose: Run quick linting checks before commit
- Steps: 1) Check files changed, 2) Run linters, 3) Report results
- Tools: Bash (linters), Git (status)
- Triggers: "lint my code", "check formatting"
- Success: Linters pass or report errors
AI creates:
.claude/skills/lint-check/
├── SKILL.md (250 lines)
└── resources/
└── linter-configs.md
AI updates:
- skill-rules.json (add triggers)
- CLAUDE.md (add to skills list)
AI tests:
User says: "lint my code"
→ Skill auto-activates ✓
→ Linters run ✓
→ Results reported ✓
AI commits:
"feat: Add lint-check skill for pre-commit linting"
Example 2: Specialist Skill
User: "create a database migration skill"
AI asks: "What type?"
User: "specialist"
AI gathers requirements:
- Expertise: Database schema migrations
- Tools: Supabase CLI, SQL, migration scripts
- Domain: Schema design, data integrity, rollback safety
AI creates:
.claude/skills/database-migration/
├── SKILL.md (380 lines)
└── resources/
├── migration-patterns.md
├── rollback-strategies.md
└── examples/
├── add-column.md
└── add-table.md
AI integrates:
- Beads: Track migrations as tasks
- Serena: Read existing schema
- Railway: Verify in protected shell
AI commits and tests.
Example 3: Meta Skill (skill-creator itself!)
User: "create a skill that creates skills"
AI: "That's a meta skill - operates on the skill system itself"
AI creates skill-creator following this exact pattern:
- Main SKILL.md <500 lines
- Progressive disclosure in resources/
- Templates for each skill type
- Auto-activation on "create skill"
- Self-referential documentation
Result: The skill you're reading right now!
Troubleshooting
Skill doesn't auto-activate
Check:
- skill-rules.json has correct triggers
- User phrase matches trigger pattern
- UserPromptSubmit hook is working
- No typos in skill name
Fix:
# Test hook manually
cat .claude/hooks/userpromptsubmit_skill_activation.sh | bash
# Should output skill reminders
Skill file too large
Pattern:
- Extract examples to resources/examples/
- Move detailed patterns to resources/patterns/
- Move API docs to resources/reference/
- Keep main workflow in SKILL.md
Unclear integration
Add to Integration Points section:
### With [System]
- What it does
- How it connects
- Example code
Related Skills
- sync-feature-branch: Commit workflow (reference for git patterns)
- create-pull-request: PR workflow (reference for gh CLI)
- fix-pr-feedback: Iterative refinement (reference for discovery pattern)
- beads-workflow: Issue tracking (reference for Beads MCP)
Resources
Read before creating:
resources/v3-philosophy.md- V3 core principlesresources/skill-types.md- Patterns by typeresources/beads-integration-guide.md- Beads MCP guideresources/serena-tool-reminders.md- Serena usage guideresources/examples/- Real skill examples
Reference during creation:
resources/examples/workflow-skill-template.mdresources/examples/specialist-skill-template.mdresources/examples/meta-skill-template.md
Last Updated: 2025-01-12 Skill Type: Meta Average Duration: <5 minutes Related Docs:
- docs/DX_PARITY_V3/SKILL_ACTIVATION_SYSTEM_SPEC.md
- docs/DX_PARITY_V3/TECH_LEAD_300K_LOC_CASE_STUDY.md
- CLAUDE.md (V3 DX Workflow)
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