# skill-writer

Designs, synthesizes, and refines agent skills following the Agent Skills specification. Helpful when turning raw workflows or prompt templates into structured skills.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 2500 installs · ★ 1089
- Author: getsentry
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/getsentry/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/skill-writer/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/skill-writer

## What it does

This skill guides agents through building and refining skills from scratch or existing docs. The `SKILL.md` file serves as a flat router, loading detailed files from `references/` only when needed for a specific step. This keeps input coverage high without wasting tokens during execution.

It supports five artifact layouts, ranging from self-contained inline skills to script-backed and argument-driven workflows. Workflow mechanics cover prompt chaining, dynamic routing, parallel tasks, and plan-validate-execute loops. It also includes Claude Code guides for `context: fork`, hooks, and variable substitutions.

Platform-specific mechanics reduce portability across different agent runners. Because of this, the workflow instructs the model to choose the simplest adequate shape first and document trade-offs before using provider-specific hooks.

## Requirements
- Works with: Sentry

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add getsentry/skills --skill skill-writer -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/skill-writer/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/skill-writer/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add getsentry/skills --skill skill-writer -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/skill-writer/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add getsentry/skills --skill skill-writer -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/skill-writer/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install getsentry/skills skill-writer
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/skill-writer/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add getsentry/skills --skill skill-writer -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/getsentry/skills --path skills/skill-writer
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/skill-writer/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add getsentry/skills --skill skill-writer -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/getsentry/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/skill-writer/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- author structured agent skills following the Agent Skills standard
- convert existing prompt docs or workflows into reference-backed skills
- tune description trigger text to prevent false positives and negatives
- configure subagent execution using `context: fork` in Claude Code

## Example prompts
- Write a new agent skill for database migrations using Agent Skills conventions
- Synthesize our deployment checklist docs into a modular skill
- Improve the trigger description of my skill based on recent false triggers

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: ff940d85e51d9228.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE ff940d85e51d9228
```text
---
name: skill-writer
description: Create, synthesize, and iteratively improve agent skills following the Agent Skills specification. Use when asked to "create a skill", "write a skill", "synthesize sources into a skill", "improve a skill from positive/negative examples", "update a skill", or "maintain skill docs and registration". Handles source capture, precision passes, authoring, registration, and validation.
---

# Skill Writer

Use this as the single canonical workflow for skill creation and improvement.
Primary success condition: maximize high-value input coverage before authoring while minimizing wasted runtime tokens.

Follow the workflow steps in order. Load only the reference files required for the step you are on.
`SKILL.md` is the primary router: every bundled reference file should be flat under `references/` and listed here with a direct "open when..." reason.

## Core Workflow References

| Open when you need to... | Read |
|--------------------------|------|
| choose the minimum workflow path for create, update, iterate, or research-first work | `references/mode-selection.md` |
| choose the simplest adequate execution shape before deciding files | `references/execution-shapes.md` |
| apply writing constraints for depth, concision, and portability | `references/design-principles.md` |
| decide what belongs in `SKILL.md`, `references/`, `SPEC.md`, or supporting files | `references/reference-architecture.md` |
| create or update the maintenance contract for a skill | `references/spec-template.md` |
| find missing high-signal sources, including history and regressions | `references/source-discovery.md` |
| adapt an upstream prompt, workflow, rubric, benchmark, or docs into a skill | `references/source-adaptation.md` |
| run the full synthesis pass with coverage checks and source capture | `references/synthesis-path.md` |
| author or update `SKILL.md`, `SPEC.md`, and supporting files | `references/authoring-path.md` |
| improve trigger language and false-positive/false-negative behavior | `references/description-optimization.md` |
| iterate from positive, negative, or fix examples | `references/iteration-path.md` |
| store persistent working and holdout examples for future revisions | `references/iteration-evidence.md` |
| choose a response template, schema, or output contract | `references/output-contracts.md` |
| add or update evals for a skill's generated outputs or runtime behavior | `references/skill-evals.md` |
| troubleshoot overloaded layouts, hidden refs, or other structure failures | `references/structure-troubleshooting.md` |
| register the skill and run final validation checks | `references/registration-validation.md` |

## Artifact Layout References

| Open when you need to... | Read |
|--------------------------|------|
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE ff940d85e51d9228

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First 2795 of 10017 bytes. © getsentry · Apache-2.0 · https://github.com/getsentry/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/skill-writer/SKILL.md

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---
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