skill-creator · diff
git:20260724.13fed82 to git:20260728.9066385
26 added, 20 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: skill-creator
description: Create new agent skills and iteratively improve them. Use when the user wants to build, scaffold, author, validate, package, enable, or install a new user-created skill for the Sandwalk / Fastfold agent CLI.
---
# Skill Creator
Create a new agent skill end to end: scaffold, write, validate, package, and install.
## When to Use This Skill
- The user wants to create/author a new skill.
- The user wants to scaffold a `SKILL.md`, validate one, or package a skill for sharing.
## What a Skill Is
A directory containing a required `SKILL.md` (YAML frontmatter + Markdown body) and
optional `scripts/`, `references/`, and `assets/` folders. Frontmatter requires
`name` (kebab-case) and `description` (one sentence with trigger phrases).
User-authored skills set `author` to the local user name and
`category: Created by Me` so they appear under that author/category in Skills.
## Workflow
1. **Clarify.** Ask what the skill should do, its trigger phrases, and whether it needs scripts.
- 2. **Scaffold (prefer the tool).** Create + optionally install in one step:
+ 2. **Scaffold a draft with the tool (required).** Do not create the skill
+ directory with `mkdir`, `write_file`, or `scripts/init_skill.py`; those paths
+ are drafts and do not register a skill with Sandwalk. Call:
```
- skills.manage(action="create", name="<skill-name>", install=true)
- skills.manage(action="create", name="<skill-name>", path="./skills", install=false)
+ skills.manage(action="create", name="<skill-name>", install=false, with_scripts=true)
```
- Or via the script (same scaffolder the tool wraps):
-
- ```bash
- python scripts/init_skill.py <skill-name> --path <output-dir> [--author "Your Name"] [--with-scripts]
- ```
+ Use the returned `path` for all authoring. A successful create result with
+ `install=false` means **draft created, not installed, not available**.
3. **Author.** Edit the generated `SKILL.md`:
- Keep it under ~500 lines; move long docs to `references/`.
- Write a specific `description` with trigger phrases so the agent activates it correctly.
- Prefer bundled scripts over inline code; document each script with a one-line purpose.
- Keep `author` (user name) and `category: Created by Me`.
4. **Validate.** Check frontmatter, naming, and leftover TODO placeholders:
```bash
python scripts/quick_validate.py <path/to/skill> [--strict]
```
5. **Package (optional).** Produce a shareable `<name>.skill` zip:
```bash
python scripts/package_skill.py <path/to/skill> [output-dir]
```
- 6. **Install** (if create used `install=false`, or after packaging):
+ 6. **Install (required unless the user declines).** After authoring and
+ validation, call the approval-gated installer with the exact draft path:
```
skills.manage(action="install", source="<path/to/skill>")
- skills.manage(action="install", source="<path/to/skill.skill>") # zip / .skill
```
- Also valid: GitHub URL or `owner/repo@subpath`.
- Create-with-install and install/remove pause for desktop UI or interactive CLI
- approval — do not rely on chat confirmation as the primary gate.
+ This displays the desktop/CLI approval prompt. Do not replace it with a chat
+ question. If the user rejects or the installer fails, say **created as a
+ draft but not installed** and provide the draft path.
- 7. **Verify.** `skills.manage(action="list")` — the skill should show your user name as author and category Created by Me.
- Tell the user it appears in the composer `/` menu and is usable on the **next
- user message** (not mid-same-turn), including the CLI (`sandwalk` / terminal agent).
+ 7. **Verify (hard completion gate).** Require the install result to contain
+ `installation_verified=true`, then call:
- 8. **Always mention the skill in your reply** as a slash chip so the UI can link
- to skill details (same format as composer `/` inserts), e.g.:
+ ```
+ skills.manage(action="info", name="<skill-name>")
+ ```
+ Only say “installed”, “available”, “ready to use”, or that it appears in the
+ composer when both calls succeed and `info` confirms the skill is installed
+ and enabled. Validation alone never proves installation. The skill becomes
+ usable on the **next user message** (not mid-same-turn), including the CLI.
+
+ 8. **Mention the slash skill only after verified installation** so the UI can
+ link to its installed details, e.g.:
+
```
Installed /lab-notes — open it from Skills or type /lab-notes in the composer.
```
- Prefer the plain `/skill-name` form (not a markdown URL). Do this for create,
- install, enable, disable, and remove confirmations.
+ Prefer the plain `/skill-name` form (not a markdown URL). Do not present a
+ draft-only skill as an active slash command.
## Enable / disable / remove
```
skills.manage(action="disable", name="<skill-name>")
skills.manage(action="enable", name="<skill-name>")
skills.manage(action="remove", name="<skill-name>")
```
## Best Practices
- Name directory and frontmatter `name` consistently (kebab-case recommended).
- Make the `description` specific and trigger-rich; it determines when the skill activates.
- Keep scripts dependency-light; read secrets from environment variables, never CLI flags.
- Write progress to stderr and machine-readable output to stdout.
## Resources
- `scripts/init_skill.py` — scaffold a new skill directory
- `scripts/quick_validate.py` — validate frontmatter and naming
- `scripts/package_skill.py` — package a skill into a `.skill` zip