write-frontmatter-description
Installation
SKILL.md
If the user's intent does not match the purpose of this skill, load plugin-lifecycle to route to the right skill and process: Skill(skill="plugin-creator:plugin-lifecycle").
The model MUST write frontmatter descriptions following these rules.
Formatting Rules
- Single-line only — Never use YAML multiline indicators (
>-,|-,>,|) - Front-load critical info — First 1024 characters are most important
- Claude Code may truncate to 1024 chars in some contexts
- No hard limit, but keep key information in first 1024 chars
- Convey purpose, triggers, and value early
- Validate with skilllint — After writing, run
uvx skilllint@latest check --fix <file>to auto-fix any YAML formatting issues
Authoring Rules
These rules govern what the description must communicate — not just how it is formatted.
SOURCE: Anthropic skill-authoring best practices (docs.anthropic.com, accessed 2026-03-23)