skill-usage - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: skill-usage description: How to discover, load, and effectively use skills to solve SkillBench tasks.

Skill Usage Guide

Skills are modular instruction packages placed in the container to help you solve tasks. Using them effectively is the single most important factor for success.

Skill locations

Skills are copied to multiple well-known paths inside the container:

/root/.agents/skills/
/root/.claude/skills/
/root/.codex/skills/

All paths contain the same skills. Use whichever is available.

Skill structure

Each skill is a folder:

skill-name/
├── SKILL.md        # Main instructions (YAML frontmatter + markdown body)
├── scripts/        # Optional helper scripts (Python, Bash)
└── references/     # Optional reference documentation

How to use skills

Always list skills first — call list_skills at the start of every task
Load relevant skills — if a skill name matches the task domain, call load_skill with the skill name
Follow skill instructions — skills contain domain-specific procedures, parameter values, or code patterns that are essential
Run helper scripts — if the skill has scripts/, execute them (they often automate tedious steps)
Consult references — check references/ for API docs or formula sheets

Common skill patterns

Data format skills (e.g., xlsx, csv): Teach how to read/write specific formats
Domain skills (e.g., pid-control, seismic): Contain domain formulas and constants
Tool skills (e.g., libreoffice, ffmpeg): Show correct CLI flags and workflows
Framework skills (e.g., react, spring-boot): Guide migration or debugging patterns

Anti-patterns

Do NOT ignore skills — they exist specifically for the task at hand
Do NOT reinvent what a skill script already automates
Do NOT skip reading the full SKILL.md — summaries miss critical details