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Guide · Agent skill

How to use the Memory Safety Patterns agent skill

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The memory-safety-patterns skill is a reference guide that teaches an AI agent how to write and review C, C++ and Rust code so it avoids common memory bugs such as use-after-free, double-free, leaks, buffer overflows and data races. It is aimed at developers, engineers learning why RAII and ownership matter, and anyone chasing a crash or leak. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it with plain requests, and what to expect from it.

Memory Safety Patternswshobson/agents · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Download the ZIP. Download the memory-safety-patterns skill ZIP from this page.
  2. 2Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into your project's .claude/skills/ folder.
  3. 3Or upload it in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.
  4. 4Make a specific request. Ask for systems code or a memory bug fix in C, C++ or Rust, naming the language and the problem.
  5. 5Check the output. Compile with your compiler and run the suggested sanitizers, Valgrind or Miri to confirm the result.

What is an agent skill, and what does this one do?

An agent skill is a folder of instructions that an AI agent loads when a task matches the skill's description. This one is defined by a SKILL.md file and a further reference file, references/details.md, with worked examples.

When the skill applies, the agent works from a set of memory-safety patterns. It explains how bugs like use-after-free and double-free happen and which pattern prevents them: ownership and RAII for use-after-free, smart pointers for double-free, RAII or garbage collection for leaks, and bounds checking for buffer overflows. It also covers data races, where ownership and explicit synchronization are the prevention.

  • RAII: tie resource cleanup to scope, so files, sockets and memory are released when the owner goes out of scope.
  • Ownership rules: be clear about who owns each piece of memory.
  • Smart pointers in C++: prefer them over raw pointers, except when interfacing with C.
  • Debugging suggestions: AddressSanitizer, Valgrind, Miri and ThreadSanitizer.

How do you install the skill?

Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. You can install it in one of two places. For a personal install that works across your projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.

If you use the Claude apps instead, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.

  • Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
  • Project only: .claude/skills/ inside your project folder
  • Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP

What does it need to run?

The skill lists no requirements. It does not run scripts and does not use the network, so it is plain instructions the agent reads. The debugging tools it mentions (AddressSanitizer, Valgrind, Miri, ThreadSanitizer) are separate programs that you install yourself if you want to run them.

  • Requires: nothing listed
  • Runs scripts: no
  • Uses network: no

How do you trigger it with natural requests?

You do not need a special command. Describe the task in plain language that mentions systems code, resources, or memory bugs. The skill's description covers writing safe systems code, managing resources, and preventing memory bugs, so requests like these should match it.

The skill is most useful when your request names a language (C, C++ or Rust) or a memory problem you are seeing.

  • "Write a C++ class that owns a file handle and closes it automatically."
  • "Review this Rust code for memory safety issues."
  • "My C program leaks memory. Give me a checklist of likely causes and tools to find them."
  • "Should I use RAII or manual cleanup for these sockets in C++?"

What does a typical result look like?

For a C++ request, the agent can show an RAII wrapper such as a file handle class. The reference file includes an example where the destructor releases the file, copying is deleted to prevent double-close, and moving is allowed. The agent can use this style for your own code.

For a debugging request, the agent can suggest which tool fits the problem. The skill's examples include compiling with AddressSanitizer, running Valgrind with leak checking, and running Miri on Rust code.

# AddressSanitizer (Clang/GCC) clang++ -fsanitize=address -g source.cpp # Valgrind valgrind --leak-check=full ./program # Rust Miri (undefined behavior detector) cargo +nightly miri run # ThreadSanitizer clang++ -fsanitize=thread -g source.cpp

What are the safety limits?

The skill gives general guidance. It does not verify fixes against your codebase, and it does not replace a formal security audit or code review. Treat its output as a starting point and confirm changes with your compiler, sanitizers and tests.

The skill is not useful for garbage-collected languages such as Python, JavaScript or Go, where these patterns mostly do not apply.

  • Always test suggested changes with your own build and tools.
  • Do not rely on it alone for security-critical review.
  • Be cautious with unsafe Rust: the skill advises minimizing it.

Tips for better results

Give the agent real context. Paste the function, the error output or the sanitizer report, and say which language and compiler you use. Specific input gets specific advice.

Ask for the reasoning as well as the code. The skill is a reference for why patterns work, so a request like "explain why this leaks and which RAII type fixes it" tends to be more useful than a request for a quick patch.

  • Name the language and compiler version you use.
  • Include the sanitizer or Valgrind output when debugging.
  • Ask the agent to point to references/details.md for worked examples.

What people use it for

  • Writing a C++ wrapper that closes a file or socket automatically when it goes out of scope.
  • Reviewing a Rust module for unnecessary unsafe blocks and ownership problems.
  • Finding the likely causes of a memory leak in a C program and choosing a tool to confirm them.
  • Deciding whether RAII or smart pointers suit a new C++ component.
  • Learning why use-after-free and double-free happen before choosing a language.

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the memory-safety-patterns 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 instead upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

Is the memory-safety-patterns skill free?

The skill is released under the MIT licence. The source does not list any price, so check the listing on this page for any other terms.

What does the memory-safety-patterns skill require?

The skill lists no requirements. It runs no scripts and uses no network. The debugging tools it mentions, such as Valgrind and Miri, must be installed separately if you want to run them.

Does the skill work with Python, JavaScript or Go?

Not really. The skill is for C, C++ and Rust, and it notes that these patterns mostly do not apply to garbage-collected languages like Python, JavaScript or Go.

What is the difference between this skill and a code review tool?

The skill is a reference guide that gives general patterns and debugging suggestions. It does not verify fixes in your codebase and does not replace a formal security audit or code review.

Why is my agent not using the skill?

Check that the folder is in ~/.claude/skills/ or .claude/skills/, and that your request mentions systems code, resources or memory bugs in C, C++ or Rust. Naming the language and the problem makes a match more likely.

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Our verdict

Use this skill if you write or review C, C++ or Rust and want an agent to apply RAII, ownership and smart pointer patterns, or if you are learning why these matter. Skip it for garbage-collected languages, and do not treat it as a replacement for a formal security audit or for testing your own code with sanitizers and Valgrind.

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