# Claude Code Plugin — Skill Conventions

This file tells Claude how to adapt incoming skills from the base Pinecone skills repo for use in this Claude Code plugin.

## Context

This is the Pinecone Claude Code plugin. Skills here are invoked by Claude Code users via the plugin system. The base skills repo is environment-agnostic — this file describes what to change when adapting those skills for Claude Code specifically.

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## Skill Naming

The base repo uses hyphenated names like `pinecone-quickstart`. Claude Code uses colon-namespaced names like `pinecone:quickstart`.

Replace the `pinecone-` prefix with `pinecone:` in the `name` frontmatter field and in any cross-references between skills throughout the content.

Do not rename the skill directories — only the `name` field and references within content.

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## AskUserQuestion

The base skills use plain prose like "ask the user which path they want" to stay generic. In Claude Code, replace these with the `AskUserQuestion` tool where it improves the interaction — multi-choice selections, confirmations before running scripts, etc.

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## Environment Variables

The base skills include `.env` file fallback instructions for IDEs that don't inherit shell variables. Claude Code runs in the user's terminal session and inherits the shell environment, so:

- Keep the primary `export PINECONE_API_KEY="your-key"` instruction
- Remove or de-emphasize the `.env` fallback — condense to a one-liner note at most

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## allowed-tools

The base skills don't include an `allowed-tools` frontmatter field. Add it when adapting skills for Claude Code.

For skills that invoke other skills, always include `Skill` in `allowed-tools`:

```
allowed-tools: Skill, Bash, Read
```

If a skill only calls specific sub-skills, scope it:

```
allowed-tools: Skill(pinecone:assistant *), Bash, Read
```

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## MCP

You can safely assume the Pinecone MCP will be installed if a user installs the Claude Code Plugin. Check the .mcp.json file if in doubt.

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