Guide · Agent skill
How to use the skill-template agent skill: install and trigger it
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
skill-template is a blank starter file for writing new Agent Skills, the folder-based instruction packs that teach an AI agent a specific capability. It is meant for developers adding a skill to the context-engineering collection, or anyone who wants a consistent layout for their own SKILL.md files. After this guide you will know what the template contains, how to install it, and how to ask an agent to build a new skill from it.
Agent Skill Templatemuratcankoylan/Agent-Skills-for-Context-Engineering · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Get the skill-template ZIP from this page and unzip it on your machine.
- 2Place the folder. Copy the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 3Or upload it in the apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.
- 4Ask for a new skill. Describe the new capability and its purpose in plain language so the agent drafts a SKILL.md from the template.
- 5Replace the placeholders. Rewrite each section with specific content, and delete or replace the references that do not apply to your skill.
- 6Check the rules. Confirm the body is under 500 lines, the description is in third person, and the Do not activate block names adjacent skills.
What the skill-template skill does
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions the agent loads when a task matches. The skill-template skill is one such folder, but its content is a scaffold rather than a finished capability. It does not solve end tasks by itself.
Once installed, the agent can use it as a guide when you ask it to create a new skill. It shows the expected sections: When to Activate, Core Concepts, Guidelines, Gotchas, Integration and References, along with the rules for writing each one.
- Shows the section layout a new SKILL.md should follow
- Explains rules such as keeping the body under 500 lines and writing the description in third person
- Points to references/ for longer material so the main file stays short
Install the skill-template skill
Download the ZIP from the skill's page on this directory and unzip it. The skill is a folder, so the unzipped folder should contain SKILL.md and a references/ directory.
For a personal install, place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, place it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder. Alternatively, in the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project only: .claude/skills/ inside your project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Trigger it with natural requests
You do not need a special command. Ask for what you want in plain language when you are creating a skill. Requests that mention writing or adding a new skill, or creating a SKILL.md, are the ones this template is written to support.
Name the topic and the purpose of the skill in your request. The agent will then use the template's structure to draft a new file for you.
- "Create a new skill for context engineering that covers tool result trimming."
- "Draft a SKILL.md for my own skill that summarises meeting notes, using the collection's template."
- "Help me add a skill to the collection and check that its sections follow the template."
Understand what the template asks you to write
The template is opinionated about boundaries. The description and When to Activate section should say what the skill owns and which adjacent skills own nearby work, so broad skills do not take activation from narrower ones. Include a short Do not activate block that names those neighbours.
The template also asks for specific, checkable guidelines and a Gotchas section of experience-derived failure modes. Replace every placeholder before you use the file.
- Write the description in third person, for example "Processes Excel files and generates reports"
- Keep the SKILL.md body under 500 lines and move detail to references/
- Use a Gotchas list for real failure modes, not generic advice
Safety notes
The skill does not run scripts and does not use the network, and it lists no requirements. Its files are plain Markdown.
The template includes links to internal researcher files such as researcher/mechanisms/registry.jsonl and researcher/claims/index.jsonl. Those files are not part of this download, so the links point nowhere outside the collection's own conventions. Remove or replace them in your own skill.
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
- Requires: nothing listed
What people use it for
- Adding a new skill to the context-engineering collection with a consistent layout
- Drafting a personal SKILL.md for a recurring task, such as a team's writing checklist
- Reviewing an existing SKILL.md to see whether it has the required sections and boundaries
- Splitting a long instruction file into a short SKILL.md plus files in references/
Frequently asked questions
Is the skill-template skill free to use?
The skill is published under the MIT licence, as stated on this page. Check the licence file in the source repository for the full terms before redistributing it.
What do I need to install skill-template?
The source lists no requirements. You download the ZIP, unzip it, and place it in ~/.claude/skills/, in a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings, Capabilities, Skills in the Claude apps.
Does skill-template run scripts or access the internet?
No. It is listed as not running scripts and not using the network. It contains Markdown files only.
Will skill-template solve a task for me?
No. It is a scaffold with placeholder text. It guides the agent when you ask it to create a new skill, but it adds no capability for end tasks.
Why does the template link to researcher files I do not have?
Those links refer to internal files in the collection's own repository. Outside that collection they point nowhere, so remove or replace them in your own skill.
How does this compare with writing a SKILL.md from scratch?
The template gives you a tested section order and writing rules to follow. Writing from scratch is fine if you already know the conventions, but the template helps keep a collection consistent.
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Our verdict
Use skill-template if you are contributing a skill to the context-engineering collection or want a consistent structure for your own SKILL.md files. Pick a finished skill instead if you need an agent to complete a task directly, since this file only contains placeholder text.
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