Standard Skill Structure Example
This example shows the standard structure used by most skills in the marketplace.
Directory Structure
standard-skill/
├── SKILL.md # Agent manifest (required)
├── README.md # User documentation (required)
├── plugin.json # Marketplace metadata (required)
├── CHANGELOG.md # Version history (required)
├── data/ # Reference materials, standards (optional)
│ ├── best-practices.md
│ ├── standards.yaml
│ └── references.md
├── examples/ # Sample outputs (optional)
│ ├── example-1.md
│ └── example-2.md
└── templates/ # Reusable templates (optional)
├── report-template.md
└── output-template.json
When to Use Standard Structure
Use this structure when:
- Sequential workflow with clear phases
- Needs reference materials or standards
- Provides templates for outputs
- Examples help users understand
- Medium complexity
Examples of Standard Skills
- Codebase Auditor: Analyzes code against standards
- CLAUDE.md Auditor: Validates configuration files
- Documentation Generator: Creates docs from code
Characteristics
- Complexity: Medium
- Files: 4 required + 3 optional directories
- Pattern: Phase-based or validation
- Modes: Usually single mode, sequential phases
- Scripts: Rarely needed (pure LLM skill)
- Dependencies: Minimal
SKILL.md Template
---
name: skill-name
version: 0.1.0
description: Brief description of what this skill does
author: Your Name
---
# Skill Name
## Overview
Detailed description of capabilities.
## When to Use This Skill
**Trigger Phrases:**
- "phrase 1"
- "phrase 2"
- "phrase 3"
**Use Cases:**
- Use case 1
- Use case 2
- Use case 3
## Workflow
### Phase 1: Discovery
- Identify scope
- Gather context
- Validate prerequisites
### Phase 2: Analysis
- Apply standards from data/
- Check compliance
- Detect issues
### Phase 3: Reporting
- Generate report using templates/
- Provide examples from examples/
- Offer recommendations
### Phase 4: Remediation
- Guide user through fixes
- Verify improvements
- Update documentation
## Success Criteria
- [ ] All phases completed
- [ ] Report generated
- [ ] Recommendations provided
## Reference Materials
- `data/` - Standards and best practices
- `examples/` - Sample outputs
- `templates/` - Reusable templates
Directory Purposes
data/
Contains reference materials the skill consults:
- Standards documents (YAML, MD)
- Best practices guides
- Lookup tables
- Configuration defaults
examples/
Shows users what to expect:
- Sample outputs
- Before/after comparisons
- Success stories
- Common scenarios
templates/
Reusable output formats:
- Report templates (Jinja2 or Markdown)
- JSON schemas
- Configuration files
- Document structures
Best Practices
- Organized references: Put all standards in data/
- Concrete examples: Show real usage in examples/
- Reusable templates: DRY principle for outputs
- Progressive disclosure: Start simple, add detail as needed
- Clear phases: Each phase has specific purpose
- Documentation: Reference materials are well-documented