Skip to content
Get packs

Using Agent Skills

Helps an agent find and pick the right engineering workflow skill for a given task

Source Download skill
Repository
addyosmani/agent-skills
Stars
112,668
Licence
MIT
Files
1 file

What it does

This is a meta-skill: a routing guide that tells an AI agent which other skills in the Agent Skills collection to use at each stage of a software task, such as specifying, planning, implementing, testing, reviewing, or shipping. It also sets standing habits for the agent, like stating assumptions before coding, asking when requirements conflict, avoiding unrequested changes, and requiring evidence such as passing tests before calling work done. Once installed, the agent checks this map at the start of a session so it follows a structured process instead of jumping straight into code.

Great for

  • Developers who have installed many engineering skills and want the agent to choose the right one automatically
  • Teams that want an agent to ask clarifying questions and verify work before finishing
  • People new to agent skills who want a single entry point into the collection

Skip it if

  • Anyone expecting it to perform a specific task itself: it only routes and sets behaviour, and the referenced skills must be installed separately (the file links to a definition-of-done document that is not included here)
  • Simple one-line edits, where the process overhead the skill imposes may be unnecessary

Try asking

  • “Start a session on my project and tell me which workflow skill applies before we begin”
  • “I have a rough feature idea, figure out whether I need a spec or a planning step first”
  • “Something broke in my build, which skill should guide the debugging?”
  • “Review my pull request using the right quality and security checks”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Using Agent SkillsInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 1 original files, the MIT licence and an attribution note.

    using-agent-skills.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip using-agent-skills.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip using-agent-skills.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Install the full collection so every routed skill name resolves; otherwise the agent will reference skills it does not have.
  • State your goal clearly at the start of a session so the agent can pick the matching phase skill.
  • Expect the agent to ask questions and list assumptions before coding; answer them to get better results.

What's inside

  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from addyosmani/agent-skills under the MIT licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.