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Custom Skill System

The MANDATORY configuration system for ALL PAI skills.

THIS IS THE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE

This document defines the required structure for every skill in the PAI system.

ALL skill creation MUST follow this structure.

"Canonicalize a skill" = Restructure it to match this exact format, including TitleCase naming.

TitleCase Naming Convention (MANDATORY)

All naming in the skill system MUST use TitleCase (PascalCase).

Component Wrong Correct
Skill directory createskill, create-skill Createskill
Workflow files create.md, update-info.md Create.md, UpdateInfo.md
Reference docs prosody-guide.md ProsodyGuide.md
Tool files manage-server.ts ManageServer.ts
YAML name name: create-skill name: Createskill

Exception: SKILL.md is always uppercase (convention for the main skill file).

The Required Structure

Every SKILL.md has two parts:

1. YAML Frontmatter (Single-Line Description)

---
name: SkillName
description: [What it does]. USE WHEN [intent triggers using OR]. [Additional capabilities].
---

Rules:

  • name uses TitleCase
  • description is a single line (not multi-line with |)
  • USE WHEN keyword is MANDATORY (Claude Code parses this for skill activation)
  • Use intent-based triggers with OR for multiple conditions
  • Max 1024 characters (Anthropic hard limit)

2. Markdown Body

# SkillName

[Brief description]

## Workflow Routing

**When executing a workflow, do BOTH of these:**

1. **Call the notification script** (for observability tracking):
   ```bash
   ~/.claude/Tools/SkillWorkflowNotification WORKFLOWNAME SKILLNAME
  1. Output the text notification (for user visibility): 
    Running the **WorkflowName** workflow from the **SKILLNAME** skill...

This ensures workflows appear in the observability dashboard AND the user sees the announcement.

Workflow Trigger File
WorkflowOne "trigger phrase" workflows/WorkflowOne.md
WorkflowTwo "another trigger" workflows/WorkflowTwo.md

Examples

Example 1: [Common use case]

User: "[Typical user request]"
→ Invokes WorkflowOne workflow
→ [What skill does]
→ [What user gets back]

[Additional Sections]


---

## Examples Section (REQUIRED)

**Every skill MUST have an `## Examples` section** showing 2-3 concrete usage patterns.

**Why Examples Matter:**
- Anthropic research shows examples improve tool selection accuracy from 72% to 90%
- Descriptions tell Claude WHEN to activate; examples show HOW the skill works

**Example Format:**
```markdown
## Examples

**Example 1: [Use case name]**

User: "[Actual user request]" → Invokes WorkflowName workflow → [What the skill does] → [What user receives back]

Intent Matching, Not String Matching

We use intent matching, not exact phrase matching.

Example description:

description: Complete blog workflow. USE WHEN user mentions doing anything with their blog, website, site, including things like update, proofread, write, edit, publish, preview, blog posts, or website pages.

Key Principles:

  • Use intent language: "user mentions", "user wants to", "including things like"
  • Don't list exact phrases in quotes
  • Cover the domain conceptually
  • Use OR to combine multiple trigger conditions

Directory Structure

Every skill follows this structure:

SkillName/                    # TitleCase directory name
├── SKILL.md                  # Main skill file (always uppercase)
├── ReferenceDoc.md           # Optional: Reference docs (TitleCase)
├── tools/                    # CLI tools (ALWAYS present, even if empty)
│   ├── ToolName.ts           # TypeScript CLI tool (TitleCase)
│   └── ToolName.help.md      # Tool documentation (TitleCase)
└── workflows/
    ├── Create.md             # Work execution workflow (TitleCase)
    └── Update.md             # Work execution workflow (TitleCase)

Workflows vs Reference Documentation

CRITICAL DISTINCTION:

Workflows (workflows/ directory)

  • Operational procedures (create, update, delete, deploy)
  • Step-by-step execution instructions
  • Actions that change state or produce output
  • Things you "run" or "execute"

Reference Documentation (skill root)

  • Guides and how-to documentation
  • Specifications and schemas
  • Information you "read" or "reference"

Complete Checklist

Before a skill is complete:

Naming (TitleCase)

  • Skill directory uses TitleCase
  • All workflow files use TitleCase
  • All reference docs use TitleCase
  • YAML name: uses TitleCase

YAML Frontmatter

  • Single-line description with embedded USE WHEN clause
  • No separate triggers: or workflows: arrays
  • Description under 1024 characters

Markdown Body

  • ## Workflow Routing section with table format
  • ## Examples section with 2-3 concrete patterns
  • All workflows have routing entries

Structure

  • tools/ directory exists (even if empty)
  • No backups/ directory inside skill
  • Workflows contain ONLY execution procedures
  • Reference docs live at skill root

Summary

Component Purpose Naming
Skill directory Contains all skill files TitleCase (e.g., Blogging)
SKILL.md Main skill file Always uppercase
Workflow files Execution procedures TitleCase (e.g., Create.md)
Reference docs Information to read TitleCase (e.g., ApiReference.md)
Tool files CLI automation TitleCase (e.g., ManageServer.ts)

This system ensures:

  1. Skills invoke properly based on intent (USE WHEN in description)
  2. Specific functionality executes accurately (Workflow Routing in body)
  3. All skills have consistent, predictable structure
  4. All naming follows TitleCase convention