My First Skill
This is an example skill demonstrating the Anthropic SKILL.md format.
Purpose
This skill shows how to structure procedural guidance for AI coding agents using progressive disclosure.
When to Use
Load this skill when:
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Learning how skills work
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Testing the OpenSkills loader
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Understanding the SKILL.md format
Instructions
To create a skill:
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Create a directory: mkdir my-skill/
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Add SKILL.md with YAML frontmatter:
name: my-skill description: When to use this skill
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Write instructions in imperative form (not second person)
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Reference bundled resources as needed
Bundled Resources
For detailed information about the SKILL.md specification:
See references/skill-format.md
Best Practices
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Write in imperative/infinitive form: "To do X, execute Y"
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NOT second person: avoid "You should..."
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Keep SKILL.md under 5,000 words
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Move detailed content to references/
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Use scripts/ for executable code
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Use assets/ for templates and output files
Resource Resolution
When this skill is loaded, the base directory is provided:
Base directory: /path/to/my-first-skill
Relative paths resolve from base directory:
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references/skill-format.md → /path/to/my-first-skill/references/skill-format.md
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scripts/helper.sh → /path/to/my-first-skill/scripts/helper.sh