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Clay-HHK
Clay-HHKCOMMUNITY
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Skill Development

Guides creation of Claude Code plugin skills with progressive disclosure structure.

1|Updated Mar 5, 2026
Search Tags:#claude code#skill creation#plugin development#progressive disclosure#frontmatter#skill.md#trigger phrases
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/Clay-HHK/claude-skills --skill skill-development-clay-hhk
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: Skill Development
Source: https://github.com/Clay-HHK/claude-skills/tree/main/skill-development
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/Clay-HHK/claude-skills --skill skill-development-clay-hhk

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Creating effective skills for Claude Code plugins requires understanding SKILL.md structure, YAML frontmatter conventions, trigger phrase design, and progressive disclosure principles, which are easy to get wrong without guidance. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Skill Creation Workflow: Follows a six-step process from understanding use cases through planning resources, structuring directories, editing SKILL.md, validation, and iteration. - Progressive Disclosure Guidance: Explains what content belongs in SKILL.md versus references/, examples/, and scripts/ to keep context usage lean. - Writing Style Enforcement: Defines rules for third-person descriptions with specific trigger phrases and imperative/infinitive body writing. - Use Case: When a user asks to "create a skill" or "add a skill to plugin", this skill walks through designing trigger phrases, organizing bundled resources, and validating the result against a checklist. ## Quick Start Ask Claude to create a new skill for your plugin and follow the guided skill creation process.

Frequently Asked Questions about Skill Development

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I create a skill for Claude Code plugins?▼

Create a directory under the plugin's skills/ folder containing a SKILL.md file with YAML frontmatter defining name and description. Follow the six-step process: understand use cases, plan reusable resources, create structure, edit SKILL.md, validate, and iterate.

What should go in a skill description frontmatter?▼

Use third-person format starting with "This skill should be used when..." followed by specific trigger phrases users would say, like "create a hook" or "configure settings". Avoid vague descriptions or second-person phrasing.

How long should a SKILL.md file be?▼

Keep the SKILL.md body between 1,500 and 2,000 words, with a hard limit under 5,000 words. Move detailed patterns, API documentation, and advanced techniques into references/ files that load only when needed.

What is progressive disclosure in Claude skills?▼

Progressive disclosure is a three-level loading system: metadata stays always in context, the SKILL.md body loads when the skill triggers, and bundled resources like references and scripts load only as needed. This keeps context usage efficient.

When should I add scripts or references to a skill?▼

Add scripts/ when the same code is repeatedly rewritten or deterministic execution is needed. Add references/ for documentation Claude should consult while working, such as schemas, API docs, or detailed workflow guides.

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