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