---
title: "New Skill Checklist"
description: "Adding a new skill to the project. Skills follow the **Agent Skills Open Standard** (agentskills.io)."
type: skill
canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/new-skill
source: "Claudary"
difficulty: intermediate
author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack"
date: 2026-07-10T11:31:21.562Z
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "New Skill Checklist — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/new-skill)"
---

# New Skill Checklist
Adding a new skill to the project. Skills follow the **Agent Skills Open Standard** (agentskills.io).

## Overview

# New Skill Checklist

Adding a new skill to the project. Skills follow the **Agent Skills Open Standard** (agentskills.io).

## Agent Skills Open Standard Reference

The Agent Skills Open Standard is supported by 20+ tools: Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode, Codex, Windsurf, Cline, and others.

### Critical Requirements

1. **Directory name MUST match skill name** - The parent directory name MUST equal the `name` field in SKILL.md frontmatter
   - Directory: `skills/my-skill/SKILL.md` → name: `my-skill`
   - **NOT**: `skills/something-else/SKILL.md` → name: `my-skill` (INVALID)

2. **name field** - REQUIRED
   - Max 64 characters
   - Lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only
   - Pattern: `^[a-z0-9-]{1,64}$`

3. **description field** - REQUIRED
   - Max 1024 characters
   - Must explain WHAT the skill does AND WHEN to use it
   - Include trigger phrases for discoverability

### Skill Loading Behavior

- **Startup**: Only metadata loaded (~100 tokens per skill)
- **Invocation**: Full skill content loaded on-demand
- **Progressive disclosure**: Keeps context clean until needed

### Skill Tool Requirement

If an agent says "MUST invoke skill X" or "execute the X skill", the agent MUST have `Skill` in its tools list:

```yaml
---
tools: Skill, Read, Glob, Grep
---
```

## 1. Create Skill Directory

Location follows the pattern: `plugins/{plugin-name}/skills/{skill-name}/SKILL.md`

**Directory name = skill name** (this is the critical rule):
```
plugins/enhance/skills/prompts/SKILL.md        # WRONG - name mismatch
plugins/enhance/skills/enhance-prompts/SKILL.md  # CORRECT
```

## 2. Create SKILL.md File

```markdown
---
name: {skill-name}
description: {what it does}. Use when {trigger conditions}.
---

# {Skill Name}

## When to Use

{Clear conditions for when this skill should be invoked}

## Implementation

{Instructions for the agent executing this skill}

## Output Format

{Expected output structure}
```

### Guidelines

- **name**: Must match parent directory exactly
- **description**: First sentence = what, second = when/triggers
- Include concrete trigger phrases users might say
- Keep implementation instructions actionable
- Provide output format examples

## 3. Update Agent (if skill is agent-invoked)

If an agent invokes this skill, ensure the agent has `Skill` in its tools:

```yaml
---
model: sonnet
tools: Skill, Read, Glob, Grep, Bash(git:*)
---

MUST invoke the `{skill-name}` skill using the Skill tool.
```

## 4. Cross-Platform Compatibility

**Reference:** `checklists/cross-platform-compatibility.md`

### Automatic Handling (by installer)
The installer (`bin/cli.js`) handles:
- Copies skills to `~/.config/opencode/skills/` for OpenCode
- Copies skills to `~/.codex/skills/` for Codex

### Manual Requirements
- [ ] Use `${PLUGIN_ROOT}` not `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}` in skill file
- [ ] Use `AI_STATE_DIR` env var for state paths

## 5. Run Quality Validation

```bash
# Run /enhance on the new skill
/enhance plugins/{plugin}/skills/{skill-name}

# Validate skill name matches directory
ls -la plugins/{plugin}/skills/{skill-name}/
```

## 6. Update Documentation

If the skill is user-invocable:
- Add to plugin's commands/SKILL.md list
- Update README.md skills table

## Validation Checklist

Before committing:
- [ ] Directory name matches skill `name` field exactly
- [ ] `name` field: lowercase, hyphens, max 64 chars
- [ ] `description` field: explains WHAT and WHEN
- [ ] If agent-invoked: agent has `Skill` in tools list
- [ ] `/enhance` passes with no HIGH issues

## Common Mistakes

### 1. Directory/Name Mismatch (MOST COMMON)

```
# WRONG
skills/prompts/SKILL.md
---
name: enhance-prompts  # Doesn't match directory!
---

# CORRECT
skills/enhance-prompts/SKILL.md
---
name: enhance-prompts  # Matches directory
---
```

### 2. Missing Skill Tool in Agent

```yaml
# WRONG - says "invoke skill" but can't
---
tools: Read, Glob, Grep
---
MUST invoke the enhance-prompts skill.

# CORRECT
---
tools: Skill, Read, Glob, Grep
---
MUST invoke the enhance-prompts skill.
```

### 3. Vague Description

```yaml
# WRONG - no trigger info
description: Analyzes prompts

# CORRECT - explains when to use
description: Analyze prompts for clarity and structure. Use when reviewing agent prompts, command files, or general instructions.
```

## Audit Findings (2025-02-04)

These issues were found across all plugins during comprehensive audit and **have been fixed**.

### Directory/Name Mismatches (21 total - FIXED)

**PERF plugin** - 8 directories renamed:
- `analyzer` → `perf-analyzer`
- `baseline` → `perf-baseline-manager`
- `benchmark` → `perf-benchmarker`
- `code-paths` → `perf-code-paths`
- `investigation-logger` → `perf-investigation-logger`
- `profile` → `perf-profiler`
- `theory` → `perf-theory-gatherer`
- `theory-tester` → `perf-theory-tester`

**ENHANCE plugin** - 10 directories renamed:
- `agent-prompts` → `enhance-agent-prompts`
- `claude-memory` → `enhance-claude-memory`
- `cross-file` → `enhance-cross-file`
- `docs` → `enhance-docs`
- `hooks` → `enhance-hooks`
- `orchestrator` → `enhance-orchestrator`
- `plugins` → `enhance-plugins`
- `prompts` → `enhance-prompts`
- `skills` → `enhance-skills`

**NEXT-TASK plugin** - 2 directories renamed:
- `delivery-validation` → `validate-delivery`
- `task-discovery` → `discover-tasks`

**PERF plugin** - 1 additional:
- `perf-theory-generator` → `perf-theory-gatherer`

### Agents Missing Skill Tool (7 total - FIXED)

**next-task plugin** - Added Skill tool:
- delivery-validator.md
- task-discoverer.md

**perf plugin** - Added Skill tool:
- perf-analyzer.md
- perf-code-paths.md
- perf-investigation-logger.md
- perf-theory-gatherer.md
- perf-theory-tester.md

## Automated Tests

Run `npm test -- --testPathPattern=agent-skill-compliance` to validate:
- All agents invoking skills have `Skill` tool
- All skill directories match their skill names
- All skill names follow the standard format

---

Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/new-skill) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com