What files are required for a Claude Code skill?

The only strictly required file is a SKILL.md file located within a subfolder of the skills/ directory, which contains the skill's name and description.

What is a Claude Code Skill?

A skill is a model-invoked capability that Claude autonomously uses based on the context of a task to provide specific guidance or implementation patterns.

What is the difference between a skill and a command?

Commands are manually invoked by the user, whereas skills are contextual instructions that Claude incorporates into its logic automatically when relevant.

How do I trigger a Claude Code skill?

Skills are triggered based on the 'description' field in the SKILL.md file. When a user's request matches keywords or intent described there, Claude activates the skill.

Claude Code Skill Architect

Name: Claude Code Skill Architect
Author: nordeim

bynordeim

0•

Developer Tools

Provides a standardized template and best practices for creating custom Claude Code plugin skills and development patterns.

This skill acts as a comprehensive reference and blueprint for developers building Claude Code plugins. It defines the required file structure, frontmatter metadata, and trigger descriptions necessary to create effective model-invoked capabilities. By following the patterns established in this skill, users can ensure their custom skills are properly activated by Claude and provide structured, actionable guidance for domain-specific tasks.

Key Features

01Hierarchical directory organization for complex skills

02Best practices for domain-focused skill activation

03Standardized SKILL.md template structure

04Effective trigger description writing patterns

05Frontmatter metadata specification and versioning

060 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Generating a boilerplate for new Claude Code skills

02Optimizing skill descriptions for accurate model invocation

03Learning the organizational structure of plugin repositories

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add nordeim/prompt-engineering example-skill

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill