The spec
The SKILL.md format
A skill is one Markdown file plus an optional resources/ folder. The file starts with YAML frontmatter that the model uses to decide whether to load it, and a body that gives it concrete instructions and examples.
The format is deliberately tiny so it stays readable, hand-editable, and portable across tools. The fields below are the only required ones.
namerequiredHuman-readable title. ≤ 64 characters.
descriptionrequiredOne sentence describing when to use the skill. ≤ 200 characters. The model reads this to decide whether to load the skill.
categoryrequiredOne of the top-level category ids in
categories.yml.subcategoryrequiredA subcategory id under the chosen category.
tagsrequiredArray of 1–8 kebab-case strings.
author.namerequiredAuthor display name.
author.url and author.github are optional.dependenciesOptional array of strings. Free-form. Often the names of other skills this one assumes.
version, created, updated, licenseOptional but recommended. Dates are ISO. License defaults to CC-BY-4.0.
Body sections
- Overview — one paragraph.
- When to use this skill — bulleted triggers.
- Instructions — numbered steps for the model.
- Examples — at least one worked example.
- Resources — files in
resources/and what they are for. - Notes & limitations — known edge cases.
- Changelog — short, semver-ish.
Template
---
name: Skill Name Here
description: One-sentence trigger description. Be specific about when this skill should be used. Max 200 characters. This field determines whether the model loads the skill.
dependencies: []
# Directory metadata (skills.nimaaksoy.com only — ignored by Claude)
category: business
subcategory: sales
tags: [outreach, b2b, cold-email]
author:
name: Your Name
url: https://yourlink.com
github: yourhandle
license: CC-BY-4.0
version: 0.1.0
created: 2026-05-14
updated: 2026-05-14
---
# Skill Name Here
## Overview
One short paragraph: what this skill does and the situation it's built for. Write it so a contributor reading the directory understands the point in under 10 seconds.
## When to use this skill
- Trigger condition 1
- Trigger condition 2
- Trigger condition 3
## Instructions
Step-by-step guidance for the model. Be concrete. Reference any files in `resources/` by relative path.
1. First step.
2. Second step.
3. Third step.
## Examples
### Example 1 — short label
**Input:**
> User asks: "..."
**Expected behaviour:**
The skill should...
### Example 2 — short label
(another worked example)
## Resources
- `resources/<file>` — what it is and when to read it.
## Notes & limitations
- Known limitation 1
- Known limitation 2
## Changelog
- `0.1.0` — initial version.
Related