By name: skill-creator description: Generate a new Claude Code skill file from a plain-language description. Scaffolds the SKILL.md, command file, and CLAUDE.md additions.
/skill-creator — Build New Skills Fast
Takes a plain-language description of a task and generates a ready-to-use Claude Code skill: the SKILL.md instruction file, the command routing file, and the CLAUDE.md additions needed to wire it in.
When to Use
- "I want a skill that does X"
- "Build me a slash command for Y"
- "Add a skill for [recurring task I do]"
Instructions
1. Clarify the skill
Ask (or infer from context):
- Name: What should the slash command be called? (lowercase, hyphenated)
- Trigger: When should this skill activate?
- Input: What does the skill need to work? (files, user input, MCP data)
- Output: What does it produce? (files, terminal output, external actions)
- Tools needed: Which Claude Code tools will it use? (Read, Write, Edit, Bash, Glob, Grep, WebFetch, MCP tools)
2. Draft the SKILL.md
Create a skill file with this structure:
---
name: [skill-name]
description: [One line, 60+ characters. Specific enough that Claude knows when to use it.]
---
# /[skill-name] — [Short Title]
[1-2 sentence overview of what this skill does and when to use it.]
## When to Use
- [Trigger condition 1]
- [Trigger condition 2]
## Instructions
### Step 1: [First action]
[Clear, specific instructions. Include exact commands, file paths, or tool calls.]
### Step 2: [Next action]
[Continue with sequential steps.]
### Step N: Output
[Define the expected output format.]
## Design Principles
- [Key principle 1]
- [Key principle 2]
Quality checklist for the SKILL.md:
- Frontmatter has
nameanddescription(description is 60+ chars) - Instructions are step-by-step, not paragraph prose
- Each step names the specific tool or command to use
- Output format is defined (not left ambiguous)
- Any external state changes require user confirmation
- No hardcoded paths, IDs, or credentials — use config files or environment variables
3. Draft the command routing file
Create a short file for .claude/commands/[name].md:
---
name: [skill-name]
description: [Same as SKILL.md description]
allowed-tools: [List of tools the skill needs]
---
Load and follow the instructions in `[path/to/SKILL.md]`.
4. Draft the CLAUDE.md additions
Two additions to propose:
- A row in the slash command table (if one exists)
- A routing rule in the "When to Load" section (if applicable)
5. Pre-ship checklist
- Skill file follows the standard structure
- Command routing file created
- CLAUDE.md updated with new command
- No hardcoded credentials, API keys, or personal paths
- External state changes (file writes, API calls, git operations) require confirmation
- Writing/content skills load a writing voice or style guide if available
6. Present for review
Show all artifacts. Ask: "Want me to save these, or make any changes first?"
Tips for Good Skills
- Be specific over flexible. A skill that does one thing well beats one that tries to handle every edge case.
- Include the output format. If the skill produces a report, show exactly what the report looks like.
- Gate destructive actions. Anything that changes external state (git push, API calls, file deletes) should require explicit approval.
- Reference, don't duplicate. If a skill needs data from a file, read the file — don't copy its contents into the skill.
- Keep it under 200 lines. If a skill needs more, it's probably two skills.