Using Agent Skills

Overview

A skill is a folder whose SKILL.md starts with YAML front matter (name, description) followed by instructions; it may carry scripts/, references/ and assets/. The format is an open specification, so one folder can serve several agents. What differs between agents is everything around the folder: where they look for it, how a person calls it by name, how automatic use is switched off, and which same-named copy wins.

All four agents load skills in three stages. At session start only each skill's name and description enter the context. The body of SKILL.md is read when the skill is activated. Bundled files are read when a step refers to them. Two things follow: the description is the only text that decides whether a skill is picked, and an installed skill costs little until it is used.

This skill covers four jobs: choosing the right installed skill for a task, installing a skill where a given agent will find it, calling it explicitly, and working out why one does not fire. It also covers what to read before trusting a skill written by someone else.

Instructions

1. Establish which agent is running

Do not assume. A path or command that is right for one agent is silently ignored by another.