How to use the Async Python Patterns agent skill

What does the Async Python Patterns skill make the agent do?

The skill gives the agent established patterns for asynchronous Python. It covers when asyncio is the right tool compared with threads, multiprocessing or plain sync code, and how to write coroutines with async def and await.

It also covers running tasks concurrently with asyncio.gather(), handling errors and timeouts, and avoiding common mistakes such as forgetting await or blocking the event loop with time.sleep(). It mainly guides how the agent writes code. It does not run anything on its own.

• Decide whether async is the right approach for a given workload
• Write coroutines, tasks and concurrent calls with gather()
• Handle exceptions and timeouts with asyncio.wait_for() and proper cancellation
• Avoid pitfalls like blocking the event loop or mixing sync and async code

How do you install the skill?

Download the ZIP file for the skill from this page. Unzip it into one of these locations, depending on how you want to use it:

• Personal use across projects: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
• Single project: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder
• Claude apps: upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills

How do you trigger the skill with a natural request?

You do not need a special command. Describe the async work you need in plain language and mention Python and asyncio. The skill's description says it applies when building async APIs, concurrent systems, or I/O-bound applications that need non-blocking operations.

Requests that fit well include asking for concurrent fetching, a background task with cancellation, or converting an I/O-heavy script from sync to asyncio.

What do example requests look like?

Clear requests give the agent enough context to pick the right pattern. Include what the I/O is (HTTP calls, database queries, file reads) and any framework you use, such as FastAPI, aiohttp or Sanic.

• "Fetch these 50 URLs concurrently with asyncio and return the successful responses, skipping failures."
• "Convert this sync script that calls three APIs into asyncio with a 2-second timeout per call."
• "Add a background task to my FastAPI app that polls a queue and shuts down cleanly on cancellation."
• "Is asyncio the right choice for this CPU-heavy image resizing job, or should I use multiprocessing?"

What does the skill need and what does it do to your system?

The examples use Python 3, and asyncio.run() requires Python 3.7 or later. Libraries named in the examples, such as FastAPI, aiohttp or Sanic, are only needed if your project already uses them.

The skill runs no scripts and makes no network requests. It is guidance text the agent reads while writing code. Any code the agent produces is yours to review and run.

• Requires Python 3
• Optional: FastAPI, aiohttp or Sanic, only if your project uses them
• Runs scripts: no
• Uses network: no

Where do deeper examples come from?

The main SKILL.md file covers core concepts and common patterns. Advanced material, such as async context managers, is in references/details.md. The agent reads that file when the summary is not enough for the task.