By name: create-skill-backup
description: "ARCHIVED snapshot of the historical create-skill (Create/Audit/Optimize lane model, from commit 54c1e0f^), kept for reference only. Do NOT activate for skill-authoring work — use the live create-skill skill instead. This copy exists solely as a preserved backup."
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Bash, AskUserQuestion
create-skill — author, audit, optimize
Self-validate after edits. Any change to this skill's files (SKILL.md, scripts/, references/, templates/, assets/) must be followed by
./scripts/validate.shfrom the skill directory. Hard findings → create-skill Optimize lane.
Router skill. Body holds only what's needed at every activation: lane selection, universal invariants, and pointers. Lane procedure loads on demand from references/.
Entry — pick a lane
First action is AskUserQuestion:
| Lane | When to choose | Procedure |
|---|---|---|
| Create | New skill — scaffold folder + opinionated template | references/create.md |
| Audit | Inspect existing skill(s) — deterministic checks | references/audit.md |
| Optimize | Hard finding from audit OR activation failure OR oversized body | references/optimize.md |
Skip the question when the typed prompt names a lane unambiguously:
| Phrase pattern | Lane |
|---|---|
| "create / scaffold / add a skill for X" | Create |
| "audit / check / validate skill(s)" | Audit |
| "optimize / shrink / fix / repair / why isn't X activating" | Optimize |
| anything ambiguous ("work on a skill", "review skills") | Ask. |
Spec at a glance
| Field | Required | Constraint |
|---|---|---|
name |
yes | kebab-case ^[a-z][a-z0-9]*(-[a-z0-9]+)*$, equals directory name |
description |
yes | ≤ 1024 chars (spec); local style permits longer for activation precision |
allowed-tools |
no | space-separated string or list; minimize |
Full spec + name validation rules + progressive-disclosure budgets: references/spec.md. Description authoring guide + trigger brainstorming: references/description.md. Per-check rationale + finding→fix mapping: references/checklist.md.
Audit at a glance
python3 .claude/skills/create-skill/scripts/audit.py --all # repo sweep
python3 .claude/skills/create-skill/scripts/audit.py <skill> --strict # cross-runtime gate
python3 .claude/skills/create-skill/scripts/audit.py <skill> --json # machine-readable
Exit 0 = clean or soft-only. Exit 1 = hard findings → switch to Optimize lane.
Hard rules (universal — apply to every lane)
- Audit before edit. Never modify a SKILL.md without running
scripts/audit.pyfirst. Audit output IS the input to Optimize lane. - Name == directory. Renaming is coordinated: dir + frontmatter + every cross-reference in one commit.
- Body is a router, not a content dump. Bulk →
references/. ≤ 5000 tokens (soft warn), ≤ 15000 (hard fail). This skill is the canonical demonstration. - Trigger words are operator words. Descriptions activate on the vocabulary operators actually type, not internal jargon. See references/description.md.
scripts/is deterministic. No model-in-the-loop. If the operation needs judgment, it belongs in the body or a reference, not a script.- No skills outside
.claude/skills/. AGENTS.md § Surface Ownership names this directory as the canonical home for executable governance.
Cross-references
- references/create.md — Create lane (Preflight / Do / Closeout)
- references/audit.md — Audit lane (commands, output format, JSON shape)
- references/optimize.md — Optimize lane (per-finding fixes, order of operations, worked example)
- references/spec.md — frontmatter spec + name validation + progressive disclosure
- references/description.md — description authoring + trigger brainstorming
- references/checklist.md — every audit check ID ↔ remediation
- templates/SKILL.md.template — Create lane scaffold
- scripts/audit.py — deterministic audit;
--all,--strict,--json - External: agentskills.io/specification, agentskills.io/skill-creation/best-practices.