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skills/create-agent-skills/references/using-templates.md

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+# Using Templates in Skills
+
+<purpose>
+Templates are reusable output structures that Claude copies and fills in. They ensure consistent, high-quality outputs without regenerating structure each time.
+</purpose>
+
+<when_to_use>
+Use templates when:
+- Output should have consistent structure across invocations
+- The structure matters more than creative generation
+- Filling placeholders is more reliable than blank-page generation
+- Users expect predictable, professional-looking outputs
+
+Common template types:
+- **Plans** - Project plans, implementation plans, migration plans
+- **Specifications** - Technical specs, feature specs, API specs
+- **Documents** - Reports, proposals, summaries
+- **Configurations** - Config files, settings, environment setups
+- **Scaffolds** - File structures, boilerplate code
+</when_to_use>
+
+<template_structure>
+Templates live in `templates/` within the skill directory:
+
+```
+skill-name/
+├── SKILL.md
+├── workflows/
+├── references/
+└── templates/
+    ├── plan-template.md
+    ├── spec-template.md
+    └── report-template.md
+```
+
+A template file contains:
+1. Clear section markers
+2. Placeholder indicators (use `{{placeholder}}` or `[PLACEHOLDER]`)
+3. Inline guidance for what goes where
+4. Example content where helpful
+</template_structure>
+
+<template_example>
+```markdown
+# {{PROJECT_NAME}} Implementation Plan
+
+## Overview
+{{1-2 sentence summary of what this plan covers}}
+
+## Goals
+- {{Primary goal}}
+- {{Secondary goals...}}
+
+## Scope
+**In scope:**
+- {{What's included}}
+
+**Out of scope:**
+- {{What's explicitly excluded}}
+
+## Phases
+
+### Phase 1: {{Phase name}}
+**Duration:** {{Estimated duration}}
+**Deliverables:**
+- {{Deliverable 1}}
+- {{Deliverable 2}}
+
+### Phase 2: {{Phase name}}
+...
+
+## Success Criteria
+- [ ] {{Measurable criterion 1}}
+- [ ] {{Measurable criterion 2}}
+
+## Risks
+| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
+|------|------------|--------|------------|
+| {{Risk}} | {{H/M/L}} | {{H/M/L}} | {{Strategy}} |
+```
+</template_example>
+
+<workflow_integration>
+Workflows reference templates like this:
+
+```xml
+<process>
+## Step 3: Generate Plan
+
+1. Read `templates/plan-template.md`
+2. Copy the template structure
+3. Fill each placeholder based on gathered requirements
+4. Review for completeness
+</process>
+```
+
+The workflow tells Claude WHEN to use the template. The template provides WHAT structure to produce.
+</workflow_integration>
+
+<best_practices>
+**Do:**
+- Keep templates focused on structure, not content
+- Use clear placeholder syntax consistently
+- Include brief inline guidance where sections might be ambiguous
+- Make templates complete but minimal
+
+**Don't:**
+- Put excessive example content that might be copied verbatim
+- Create templates for outputs that genuinely need creative generation
+- Over-constrain with too many required sections
+- Forget to update templates when requirements change
+</best_practices>