qdhenry

build-skill

@qdhenry/build-skill
qdhenry
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87 forks
Updated 1/18/2026
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Build Claude Code Skill: Create comprehensive Claude Code Skills through elicitation-driven development

Installation

$skills install @qdhenry/build-skill
Claude Code
Cursor
Copilot
Codex
Antigravity

Details

Path.claude/commands/skills/build-skill.md
Branchmain
Scoped Name@qdhenry/build-skill

Usage

After installing, this skill will be available to your AI coding assistant.

Verify installation:

skills list

Skill Instructions

Build Claude Code Skill

Create comprehensive Claude Code Skills through elicitation-driven development

Instructions

This command orchestrates four specialized agents to build production-ready Claude Code Skills from user requirements. Follow this structured workflow:

Phase 1: Requirements Elicitation

Agent: skill-elicitation-agent

  1. Activate Elicitation Agent

    • Launch the skill-elicitation-agent using the Task tool
    • Provide context: "The user wants to create a new Claude Code Skill"
    • Include any initial requirements or ideas the user has shared
  2. Elicitation Questions

    • The agent will ask 3-5 targeted questions to understand:
      • Purpose and scope of the skill
      • Complexity and structure requirements
      • Tool permissions needed
      • Context and references
      • Success criteria
  3. Specification Creation

    • Agent will create a comprehensive skill specification document
    • Includes: metadata, structure, instructions outline, code needs, examples, dependencies
    • Uses progressive disclosure strategy
    • Validates completeness before proceeding
  4. User Approval

    • Present the specification to the user
    • Confirm understanding and agreement
    • Make adjustments if needed
    • Get explicit approval to proceed to generation

Phase 2: Skill Generation

Agent: skill-generator-agent

  1. Activate Generator Agent

    • Launch the skill-generator-agent using the Task tool
    • Pass the approved specification document
    • Specify target location (personal, project, or plugin skill)
  2. Directory Structure Creation

    • Agent creates appropriate directory structure:
      skill-name/
      ├── SKILL.md (required)
      ├── reference.md (if needed)
      ├── examples.md (if needed)
      ├── scripts/ (if needed)
      └── templates/ (if needed)
      
  3. SKILL.md Generation

    • Creates main skill file with proper frontmatter
    • Includes clear instructions and examples
    • Follows progressive disclosure principles
    • Links to supporting files
  4. Supporting Files Generation

    • Creates reference documentation
    • Generates example files
    • Writes scripts with proper error handling
    • Creates reusable templates
  5. Dependency Documentation

    • Documents all required packages
    • Provides installation instructions
    • Notes version requirements
  6. Quality Checks

    • Validates YAML frontmatter
    • Checks file structure
    • Verifies code syntax
    • Tests progressive disclosure

Phase 3: Validation and Testing

Agent: skill-validator-agent

  1. Activate Validator Agent

    • Launch the skill-validator-agent using the Task tool
    • Provide path to generated skill
    • Request comprehensive validation
  2. YAML Validation

    • Check frontmatter syntax
    • Verify required fields
    • Validate optional fields
    • Test YAML parsing
  3. Description Analysis

    • Assess discoverability
    • Check trigger keywords
    • Verify clarity and completeness
    • Compare to best practices
  4. Structure Validation

    • Verify file organization
    • Check all references
    • Test script execution
    • Validate permissions
  5. Code Testing

    • Syntax validation
    • Security checks
    • Dependency verification
    • Error handling tests
  6. Integration Testing

    • Test skill loading
    • Verify triggering
    • Check execution flow
    • Validate outputs
  7. Validation Report

    • Generate comprehensive report
    • Score each category
    • List issues by severity
    • Provide actionable fixes
  8. Issue Resolution

    • If issues found, work with generator agent to fix
    • Re-validate after fixes
    • Iterate until validation passes

Phase 4: Documentation Enhancement

Agent: skill-documenter-agent

  1. Activate Documenter Agent

    • Launch the skill-documenter-agent using the Task tool
    • Provide skill path and specification
    • Request comprehensive documentation
  2. SKILL.md Enhancement

    • Refine instructions for clarity
    • Add comprehensive examples
    • Include best practices
    • Create troubleshooting section
  3. Reference Documentation

    • Create detailed technical reference (if needed)
    • Document API and configuration
    • Provide advanced patterns
    • Include performance tuning tips
  4. Example Collection

    • Generate beginner to advanced examples
    • Include troubleshooting examples
    • Show integration patterns
    • Provide case studies
  5. README Creation

    • Create skill directory README (if distributing)
    • Document installation
    • Provide quick start
    • Link to full documentation
  6. Documentation Quality Check

    • Verify clarity and completeness
    • Test all code examples
    • Check organization
    • Validate accuracy

Phase 5: Final Delivery

  1. Generate Summary

    • List all files created
    • Document location (personal/project/plugin)
    • Provide usage instructions
    • Include test scenarios
  2. Installation Verification

    • Confirm skill is in correct location
    • Verify file permissions
    • Check dependencies documented
    • Test skill loading
  3. Usage Guide

    • Explain how to trigger the skill
    • Provide example prompts
    • Show expected behavior
    • Link to documentation
  4. Next Steps

    • Suggest testing approach
    • Recommend improvements
    • Explain maintenance
    • Note future enhancements

Agent Coordination

Sequential Flow

User Request
    ↓
skill-elicitation-agent (Requirements)
    ↓
User Approval
    ↓
skill-generator-agent (Creation)
    ↓
skill-validator-agent (Testing)
    ↓
Fixes if needed (loop back to generator)
    ↓
skill-documenter-agent (Enhancement)
    ↓
Final Delivery

Agent Communication

Between Agents:

  • Elicitation → Generator: Pass specification document
  • Generator → Validator: Pass skill location and files
  • Validator → Generator: Pass validation issues (if any)
  • Generator → Documenter: Pass skill for enhancement
  • Documenter → User: Final documentation

With User:

  • Get approval after elicitation
  • Confirm location preference (personal/project)
  • Review validation results
  • Approve final deliverable

Best Practices

  1. Always Start with Elicitation

    • Don't skip the question phase
    • Understand deeply before building
    • Get user approval on specification
  2. Use All Four Agents

    • Each has specialized expertise
    • Complete flow ensures quality
    • Don't shortcut the process
  3. Iterate Based on Validation

    • Fix issues immediately
    • Re-validate after changes
    • Don't proceed with failures
  4. Test Comprehensively

    • Manual trigger testing
    • Script execution testing
    • Integration testing
    • Real-world scenario testing
  5. Document Thoroughly

    • Clear instructions
    • Comprehensive examples
    • Troubleshooting guides
    • Best practices

Location Options

Personal Skills (~/.claude/skills/)

Use for:

  • Individual workflows
  • Experimental skills
  • Personal preferences
  • Private tools

Project Skills (.claude/skills/)

Use for:

  • Team-shared workflows
  • Project-specific expertise
  • Version-controlled skills
  • Collaborative tools

Plugin Skills (Plugin directory structure)

Use for:

  • Distributable skills
  • Marketplace deployment
  • Public sharing
  • Bundled capabilities

Output Format

Provide the user with a comprehensive summary:

🎉 Skill Created Successfully!

📋 Skill: [Skill Name]
📁 Location: [path]
📝 Type: [simple/multi-file/tool-restricted/code-execution]

📄 Files Created:
✅ SKILL.md - Main skill instructions
✅ reference.md - Technical reference (if created)
✅ examples.md - Comprehensive examples (if created)
✅ scripts/[name].py - Helper scripts (if created)
✅ README.md - Installation guide (if created)

🧪 Validation: ✅ PASSED (Score: X/10)

📦 Dependencies:
[List if any, or "None"]

🎯 Usage:
Trigger this skill by saying:
- "[Example trigger 1]"
- "[Example trigger 2]"

Or explicitly: "Use [skill-name] to [task]"

✨ Test with:
[Specific test scenario]

📚 Documentation:
- See SKILL.md for instructions
- See examples.md for comprehensive examples
- See reference.md for technical details

🚀 Next Steps:
1. Test the skill with provided scenarios
2. Refine based on usage
3. Share with team (if project skill)
4. Consider adding more examples over time

Troubleshooting

Agent Not Found: Ensure .claude/agents/skill-builder/ exists with all agent files

Permission Errors: Check file permissions with chmod +x scripts/*.py

YAML Errors: Validator will catch and report these

Agent Confusion: Use explicit agent names: "Launch skill-elicitation-agent"

Examples

Example 1: Simple Instruction-Only Skill

Request: "Create a skill for writing conventional commit messages"

Flow:

  1. Elicitation asks about commit style, projects, examples
  2. Generates simple single-file SKILL.md
  3. Validates structure and description
  4. Documents with examples and best practices

Example 2: Multi-File Skill with Scripts

Request: "Create a skill for PDF form filling"

Flow:

  1. Elicitation asks about PDF types, operations, dependencies
  2. Generates SKILL.md + scripts/fill_form.py + FORMS.md
  3. Validates code execution and file structure
  4. Documents with comprehensive examples and API reference

Example 3: Tool-Restricted Read-Only Skill

Request: "Create a skill for security code analysis"

Flow:

  1. Elicitation determines read-only requirement
  2. Generates SKILL.md with allowed-tools: Read, Grep, Glob
  3. Validates tool restrictions
  4. Documents security patterns and analysis techniques

Remember

  • Quality over speed - Take time for thorough elicitation
  • User involvement - Get approval at key stages
  • Comprehensive validation - Test everything
  • Excellent documentation - Make skills easy to use
  • Iterative improvement - Skills can evolve over time

This command ensures every skill is production-ready, well-documented, and follows Claude Code best practices!