/skill-creator

Complex Skill Template

Template for creating modularized skills with supporting reference files.

When to Use This Template

Use for complex skills that:

• ✅ Have extensive checklists (50+ items)
• ✅ Cover multiple distinct topics
• ✅ Include lots of code examples
• ✅ Need comprehensive reference material
• ✅ Would exceed 400-500 lines in a single file

Recommended Structure

.claude/skills/skill-name/
├── SKILL.md                    # Main skill definition (200-300 lines)
├── checklist.md               # Comprehensive checklists
├── patterns.md                # Code patterns and anti-patterns
├── examples.md                # Extensive code examples
├── quick-ref.md               # Quick reference guide
└── guidelines.md              # Detailed guidelines

Main SKILL.md Template

---
name: skill-name
description: Brief description of what the skill does and when to use it
allowed-tools: [Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep]
---

# Skill Name

One-paragraph description of the skill's purpose and capabilities.

## When This Skill Activates

Use this skill when the user:
- [Specific trigger 1]
- [Specific trigger 2]
- [Specific trigger 3]
- [Additional triggers as needed]

## Review Process

### 1. Identify Scope

- How to determine what to review
- What to prioritize
- Scope clarification steps

### 2. Load Reference Materials

Before starting, familiarize yourself with these references in `.claude/skills/skill-name/`:

- **patterns.md** - Common patterns and anti-patterns
- **checklist.md** - Comprehensive review checklist
- **examples.md** - Code examples and templates
- **quick-ref.md** - Quick reference for common issues
- **guidelines.md** - Detailed guidelines and standards

### 3. Review Categories

Apply these review categories:

**Category 1:**
- High-level checks
- What to look for
- Key considerations

**Category 2:**
- Another set of checks
- Related concerns
- Important patterns

**Category 3:**
- Additional checks
- Special cases
- Edge cases

### 4. Output Format

Present findings in this structure:

#### ✅ Strengths Found
- [List well-implemented patterns]
- [Highlight good practices]

#### ⚠️ Issues Found

**Category: [Category Name]**

**[Priority]: [File:Line]** - [Description]
```language
// Current code
[problematic code]

// Suggested fix
[improved code]

// Reason: [explanation]

📊 Quality Score

Overall: X/10

• Category 1: X/10
• Category 2: X/10
• Category 3: X/10

📋 Recommendations

1. High Priority: [Critical issues]
2. Medium Priority: [Improvements]
3. Low Priority: [Nice-to-haves]

🔧 Quick Wins

List 3-5 easy fixes that provide immediate value

Quick Reference Checklist

Brief, high-level checklist for quick validation:

Essential Checks

• Critical item 1
• Critical item 2
• Critical item 3

(Full checklist available in checklist.md)

Tips for Effective Reviews

Be Constructive

• Provide examples
• Explain reasoning
• Be educational

Consider Context

• Some patterns have valid uses
• Balance idealism with pragmatism
• Consider project constraints

Prioritize Impact

• Correctness first
• Performance second
• Style last

References

• [External documentation link]
• [Related resource link]
• Supporting files in this skill directory

Notes

• Important considerations
• Known limitations
• Future enhancements

## patterns.md Template

```markdown
# Patterns and Anti-Patterns

Common patterns and anti-patterns for [skill topic].

## Category 1

### Anti-patterns

```language
// ❌ Bad - [Why it's bad]
[problematic code example]

// ❌ Bad - [Another reason]
[another bad example]

Good Patterns

// ✅ Good - [Why it's good]
[good code example]

// ✅ Good - [Another good pattern]
[another good example]

When to Use

• [Scenario 1]
• [Scenario 2]
• [Scenario 3]

When to Avoid

• [Scenario where pattern doesn't apply]
• [Edge case to watch for]

Category 2

[Repeat structure for each category]

Pattern Comparison Table

References

• [Pattern documentation]
• [Best practices guide]

## checklist.md Template

```markdown
# Comprehensive Checklist

Detailed checklist for [skill topic] review.

## Category 1

### Subcategory 1.1
- [ ] Check item 1
- [ ] Check item 2
- [ ] Check item 3

### Subcategory 1.2
- [ ] Check item 4
- [ ] Check item 5
- [ ] Check item 6

## Category 2

### Subcategory 2.1
- [ ] Check item 7
- [ ] Check item 8
- [ ] Check item 9

### Subcategory 2.2
- [ ] Check item 10
- [ ] Check item 11
- [ ] Check item 12

## Category 3

[Continue with additional categories]

## Priority Matrix

| Priority | Category | Items |
|----------|----------|-------|
| High | [Category] | [Item numbers] |
| Medium | [Category] | [Item numbers] |
| Low | [Category] | [Item numbers] |

## Quick Check

Essential items to always verify:
- [ ] Critical item 1
- [ ] Critical item 2
- [ ] Critical item 3

examples.md Template

# Code Examples and Templates

Comprehensive examples for [skill topic].

## Example 1: [Scenario Name]

### Description
What this example demonstrates and when to use it.

### Before (Anti-pattern)

```language
// ❌ Problematic code
[bad code example]

Problems:

• [Issue 1]
• [Issue 2]
• [Issue 3]

After (Good Pattern)

// ✅ Improved code
[good code example]

Improvements:

• [Improvement 1]
• [Improvement 2]
• [Improvement 3]

Why It Matters

[Explanation of impact and benefits]

Example 2: [Another Scenario]

[Repeat structure]

Templates

Template 1: [Template Name]

// Template for [purpose]
[code template with placeholders]

Usage:

1. Replace [placeholder1] with [description]
2. Replace [placeholder2] with [description]
3. [Additional steps]

Template 2: [Another Template]

[Repeat structure]

Real-World Examples

Example from [Project/Context]

[Complete, realistic example with full context]

[full code example]

Analysis:

• [What's good]
• [What could be improved]
• [Lessons learned]

## quick-ref.md Template

```markdown
# Quick Reference

Fast lookup guide for common [skill topic] issues and solutions.

## Common Issues

### Issue 1: [Issue Name]

**Problem:**
```language
[problematic code]

Solution:

[fixed code]

Quick Fix: [One-line explanation]

Issue 2: [Another Issue]

[Repeat structure]

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: [Pattern Name]

When: [When to use]

Code:

[pattern code]

Note: [Important consideration]

Command Reference

Keyboard Shortcuts

Decision Trees

When to use Pattern A vs Pattern B

Start
├─ Need [Feature X]?
│  ├─ Yes → Use Pattern A
│  └─ No → Continue
└─ Need [Feature Y]?
   ├─ Yes → Use Pattern B
   └─ No → Use default

Resources

• [Quick link 1]
• [Quick link 2]

## guidelines.md Template

```markdown
# Detailed Guidelines

Comprehensive guidelines for [skill topic].

## Philosophy

Core principles behind these guidelines:
1. [Principle 1]
2. [Principle 2]
3. [Principle 3]

## Category 1: [Category Name]

### Overview
What this category covers and why it matters.

### Guidelines

#### Guideline 1.1: [Guideline Name]

**Description:**
Detailed explanation of the guideline.

**Rationale:**
Why this guideline exists and what problems it solves.

**Examples:**

```language
// ❌ Violates guideline
[bad example]

// ✅ Follows guideline
[good example]

Exceptions:

• [Scenario where exception is valid]
• [Another valid exception]

Guideline 1.2: [Another Guideline]

[Repeat structure]

Category 2: [Another Category]

[Repeat structure]

Best Practices Summary

Must Do (Critical)

• [Critical practice 1]
• [Critical practice 2]

Should Do (Recommended)

• [Recommended practice 1]
• [Recommended practice 2]

Could Do (Optional)

• [Optional practice 1]
• [Optional practice 2]

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

Anti-Pattern 1: [Name]

Description: [What it is]

Why Avoid: [Problems it causes]

Better Approach: [What to do instead]

Decision Guidelines

When to Choose Option A

• [Criterion 1]
• [Criterion 2]

When to Choose Option B

• [Criterion 1]
• [Criterion 2]

References

• [Authoritative source 1]
• [Best practices documentation]
• [Style guide reference]

## Modularization Strategy

### Step 1: Identify Topics

Break down your skill into logical topics:
- Core concepts
- Patterns and practices
- Examples and templates
- Reference materials
- Guidelines and standards

### Step 2: Assign Files

Map topics to files:
- **Main logic** → SKILL.md
- **Comprehensive lists** → checklist.md
- **Code patterns** → patterns.md
- **Examples** → examples.md
- **Quick lookup** → quick-ref.md
- **Detailed rules** → guidelines.md

### Step 3: Cross-Reference

In SKILL.md, reference supporting files:
```markdown
### 2. Load Reference Materials

Before starting, read:
- **patterns.md** - [Brief description]
- **checklist.md** - [Brief description]

Step 4: Keep SKILL.md Lean

Main SKILL.md should be:

• 200-300 lines ideally
• High-level process and workflow
• References to detailed materials
• Essential checklists only
• Output format definition

File Size Guidelines

Testing Your Complex Skill

1. Verify structure: All referenced files exist
2. Check links: References are accurate
3. Test workflow: Follow process end-to-end
4. Validate output: Output format works as expected
5. Review modularization: Information is well-organized

Example: Existing Complex Skills

See these skills for reference:

• coding-best-practices - Well-modularized code review skill
• ui-review - UI/accessibility review with references

Tips

• Start with basic template, modularize when needed
• Keep each file focused on one topic
• Use consistent formatting across files
• Cross-reference related information
• Update all files when changing structure
• Test after major refactoring

References

• [Claude Code Skills Documentation]
• Example skills in .claude/skills/