Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Claude Cookbooks Reference agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The claude-cookbooks skill loads reference documents and code snippets from Anthropic's Claude cookbooks into an AI agent, so the agent can draw on those examples when you ask about building with the Claude API. This guide explains what a skill is, how to install this one, how to trigger it, and what it needs. After reading it you should be able to install the skill, ask for the right kind of help, and know where the code examples still need your review.
Claude Cookbooks Reference2025Emma/vibe-coding-cn · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the claude-cookbooks skill ZIP from this page.
- 2Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip the skill into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 3Or upload it in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the skill.
- 4Prepare Python and the SDK. Install Python and the anthropic Python SDK so the examples can run.
- 5Add your API key. Replace the placeholder key with your own Anthropic API key before making live calls.
- 6Ask a natural question. Ask about a topic such as tool use, vision, prompt caching or RAG, naming the Claude API.
- 7Review before you ship. Check model names and read the code before using it in production.
What is an agent skill and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder of instructions and reference files that an AI agent can load when a task matches the skill's description. This one is named claude-cookbooks and is built from Anthropic's official cookbooks repository.
When installed and triggered, the agent can draw on examples for tool use and function calling, multimodal (vision) image analysis, prompt caching, retrieval augmented generation (RAG), and advanced agent patterns. The skill also includes a Python helper, scripts/memory_tool.py, for a client-side memory feature that lets Claude read and write files in a sandboxed folder.
- Tool use and function calling examples
- Vision and image analysis examples
- Prompt caching examples
- RAG and agent pattern references
- A Python helper for a sandboxed memory feature
Install the claude-cookbooks skill
Download the ZIP of the skill from this page and unzip it. Choose one of the following locations depending on how you want to use it.
For a personal install across projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. To limit it to one project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: .claude/skills/ inside your project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload
What you need before you start
The skill's examples assume Python and the anthropic Python SDK. To actually run API calls, you need an Anthropic API key. The examples use a placeholder key, so you must replace it with your own.
The skill does not run scripts and does not use the network on its own. The code it provides is for you to copy and run.
- Python
- The anthropic Python SDK
- An Anthropic API key, needed only to run live API calls
How to trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. The skill's description says it should be used when you are learning Claude API integration, building Claude-powered applications, or exploring Claude capabilities. Ask in those terms and name the feature you care about.
Good requests name a topic from the skill, such as tool use, vision, prompt caching, RAG, or agents. Mention that you are working with the Claude API so the agent knows which examples to use.
- Show me a Claude API tool use example in Python for a weather lookup.
- How do I send an image to Claude for analysis using the Python SDK?
- Give me a prompt caching example for a large system prompt.
- How should I set up RAG with Claude using a vector database?
- What agent patterns are in the Claude cookbooks, such as sub-agents?
Read the examples and adapt them safely
The examples are short snippets. The basic API call creates a client with anthropic.Anthropic and calls client.messages.create with a model, a max_tokens limit and a messages list. Tool use adds a tools list with a name, description and input_schema. Vision sends a base64 image in the content list. Prompt caching adds a cache_control setting to a system block.
Replace the placeholder API key, and check the model name before you run anything. The examples use claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022, which may be outdated, so compare it against current names in the official docs.
- Keep your API key out of source files and load it from your environment.
- Check model names against current Anthropic documentation.
- Review every snippet before using it in production.
client = anthropic.Anthropic(api_key="your-api-key")Tips for getting better answers
Ask for one capability at a time. The reference files are organised by topic, so a focused question lets the agent pull the right file. The skill's index points beginners to main_readme.md and capabilities.md, and points to tool_use.md, multimodal.md and patterns.md for specific features.
Tell the agent which language and SDK version you use, and say whether you need a runnable script or a conceptual explanation.
- Start with main_readme.md or capabilities.md if you are new to the Claude API.
- Name the feature: tool use, vision, caching, RAG or agents.
- Ask for the file or section you want to read, for example tool_use.md.
Safety notes on scripts and network access
The skill runs no scripts and uses no network on its own. The memory helper, scripts/memory_tool.py, is included as code for you to read. It is meant to let Claude read and write files in a sandboxed folder, so read it before you run it and confirm the folder it touches.
Some snippets and references point to external services, such as vector databases in the third-party integrations. Those connections are your responsibility to configure and secure.
- Read scripts/memory_tool.py before running it.
- Confirm which folder the memory feature can access.
- Use your own API key and keep it private.
What people use it for
- Learning how to structure a Claude API request with messages and max_tokens.
- Starting a tool use integration with a tools list and input_schema.
- Adding image analysis to an app by sending base64 image content.
- Reducing repeated cost in a large system prompt with prompt caching.
- Sketching a RAG or multi-agent design from the reference patterns.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the claude-cookbooks skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What do I need to use the skill?
You need Python and the anthropic Python SDK. You also need an Anthropic API key to run live API calls, since the examples use a placeholder key.
Is the claude-cookbooks skill free?
The skill is listed under the MIT licence. Check the licence file in the source repository for the full terms, and note that running API calls requires your own Anthropic API key.
Does the skill run code or access the internet by itself?
No. This skill runs no scripts and uses no network on its own. The code it includes is for you to review and run.
Will this skill teach me to use Claude if I am not a programmer?
Not really. The skill mainly adds code examples, not new abilities. It is aimed at developers who want to integrate the Claude API into their own apps.
Why do the examples fail or look outdated?
The examples use placeholder keys and older model names such as claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022, which may be outdated. Replace the key with your own and check current model names in Anthropic's official documentation.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you are a developer learning to integrate the Claude API and want starter code for tool use, vision, prompt caching or agent workflows. Pick something else if you only want to chat with Claude, or if you need production-ready code without your own review and updates to model names.
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