writing-skills✓ Pass

SKILL.md Content

---
name: writing-skills
description: "Use when creating, updating, or improving agent skills."
category: meta
risk: unknown
source: community
date_added: "2026-02-27"
---

# Writing Skills (Excellence)

Dispatcher for skill creation excellence. Use the decision tree below to find the right template and standards.

## ⚡ Quick Decision Tree

### What do you need to do?

1. **Create a NEW skill:**
   - Is it simple (single file, <200 lines)? → [Tier 1 Architecture](references/tier-1-simple/README.md)
   - Is it complex (multi-concept, 200-1000 lines)? → [Tier 2 Architecture](references/tier-2-expanded/README.md)
   - Is it a massive platform (10+ products, AWS, Convex)? → [Tier 3 Architecture](references/tier-3-platform/README.md)

2. **Improve an EXISTING skill:**
   - Fix "it's too long" -> [Modularize (Tier 3)](references/templates/tier-3-platform.md)
   - Fix "AI ignores rules" -> [Anti-Rationalization](references/anti-rationalization/README.md)
   - Fix "users can't find it" -> [CSO (Search Optimization)](references/cso/README.md)

3. **Verify Compliance:**
   - Check metadata/naming -> [Standards](references/standards/README.md)
   - Add tests -> [Testing Guide](references/testing/README.md)

## 📚 Component Index

| Component | Purpose |
|-----------|---------|
| **[CSO](references/cso/README.md)** | "SEO for LLMs". How to write descriptions that trigger. |
| **[Standards](references/standards/README.md)** | File naming, YAML frontmatter, directory structure. |
| **[Anti-Rationalization](references/anti-rationalization/README.md)**| How to write rules that agents won't ignore. |
| **[Testing](references/testing/README.md)** | How to ensure your skill actually works. |

## 🛠️ Templates

- [Technique Skill](references/templates/technique.md) (How-to)
- [Reference Skill](references/templates/reference.md) (Docs)
- [Discipline Skill](references/templates/discipline.md) (Rules)
- [Pattern Skill](references/templates/pattern.md) (Design Patterns)

## When to Use
- Creating a NEW skill from scratch
- Improving an EXISTING skill that agents ignore
- Debugging why a skill isn't being triggered
- Standardizing skills across a team

## How It Works

1. **Identify goal** → Use decision tree above
2. **Select template** → From `references/templates/`
3. **Apply CSO** → Optimize description for discovery
4. **Add anti-rationalization** → For discipline skills
5. **Test** → RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle

## Quick Example

```yaml
---
name: my-technique
description: Use when [specific symptom occurs].
metadata:
  category: technique
  triggers: error-text, symptom, tool-name
---

# My Technique

## When to Use
- [Symptom A]
- [Error message]
```

## Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| Description summarizes workflow | Use "Use when..." triggers only |
| No `metadata.triggers` | Add 3+ keywords |
| Generic name ("helper") | Use gerund (`creating-skills`) |
| Long monolithic SKILL.md | Split into `references/` |

See [gotchas.md](gotchas.md) for more.

## ✅ Pre-Deploy Checklist

Before deploying any skill:

- [ ] `name` field matches directory name exactly
- [ ] `SKILL.md` filename is ALL CAPS
- [ ] Description starts with "Use when..."
- [ ] `metadata.triggers` has 3+ keywords
- [ ] Total lines < 500 (use `references/` for more)
- [ ] No `@` force-loading in cross-references
- [ ] Tested with real scenarios

## 🔗 Related Skills

- **opencode-expert**: For OpenCode environment configuration
- Use `/write-skill` command for guided skill creation

## Examples

**Create a Tier 1 skill:**
```bash
mkdir -p ~/.config/opencode/skills/my-technique
touch ~/.config/opencode/skills/my-technique/SKILL.md
```

**Create a Tier 2 skill:**
```bash
mkdir -p ~/.config/opencode/skills/my-skill/references/core
touch ~/.config/opencode/skills/my-skill/{SKILL.md,gotchas.md}
touch ~/.config/opencode/skills/my-skill/references/core/README.md
```

## Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.

License

Declared license: MIT

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 sickn33

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.

View the license in the source repository — the version published there is authoritative.