Claude Skill Authoring FAQs

Question 1

Where are Claude Code skills stored?

Accepted Answer

Personal skills are typically stored in the ~/.claude/skills directory for Claude Code or ~/.codex/skills for Codex.

Question 2

What is Claude Search Optimization (CSO)?

Accepted Answer

CSO is the practice of using rich keywords, active-voice naming, and specific triggering conditions in a skill's metadata to ensure Claude can find and load the correct skill for a task.

Question 3

How do you test a Claude Code skill?

Accepted Answer

Using the TDD approach: create a pressure scenario where a subagent fails without the skill (Red), write the skill, and then verify that the agent complies with the new instructions (Green).

Question 4

Why is the description field critical for skills?

Accepted Answer

Claude uses the description field to decide which skills to load. It must focus on 'When to use' triggers rather than 'What it does' to prevent Claude from taking inaccurate shortcuts.

Question 5

What is a Claude Code Skill?

Accepted Answer

A Claude Code Skill is a specialized capability or reference guide that provides domain-specific guidance, best practices, and implementation patterns to improve Claude's behavior.

Claude Skill Authoring

Key Features

Use Cases

Claude Skill Authoring

Key Features

Use Cases