Sowmya Raghunathan

Engineering & Architecture Leadership

Guide · Claude Code

Claude Code Skills Quick Guide

A skill is just a markdown file Claude reads before helping you. Write it once, reuse it every session.

I keep seeing teams overcomplicate skills. You do not need a generator or a bespoke CLI. Start with a single SKILL.md that describes how you like work to be done, store it under `~/.claude/skills/`, and restart Claude Code. That is the entire install process.

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What is a skill?

A skill is a portable preference file. It tells Claude how to approach a task: tone, structure, checklists, examples, anything you want to be consistent. Once loaded, Claude applies it automatically whenever the context matches.

The simplest possible skill

Create a folder, add `SKILL.md`, and include a little front matter.

---
name: my-report-style
description: Use when creating reports.
---

# My Report Style

- Use bullet points, not numbered lists
- Keep paragraphs short
- Always end with "Next Steps"

Claude now writes reports in that format. No additional tooling. No prompt gymnastics.

Optional folders

Most skills only need the markdown file, but you can add structure.

Folder Purpose
scripts/ Python or bash helpers Claude can execute.
references/ Docs or specs Claude should read.
assets/ Templates, images, or other files to embed.

Install checklist

  1. Create a folder named after the skill and drop `SKILL.md` inside.
  2. Place the folder in `~/.claude/skills/`.
  3. Restart Claude Code so it rescans the directory.

Writing tips

  • Write for someone talented. Skip generic advice.
  • Keep it concise. Tokens are a shared budget.
  • Use examples. Show what good and bad look like instead of explaining.
Good subject lines:
- "Quick question about Thursday"

Bad subject lines:
- "URGENT: Please Read!!!"

Five skill ideas to ship this week

  1. Meeting notes: Your capture template, tone, and distribution list.
  2. Code reviewer: Checklist and severity criteria your team uses.
  3. Content repurposer: Rules for turning essays into LinkedIn, X, Threads, and Instagram posts.
  4. Email writer: Tone, structure, hooks, and sign-off preferences.
  5. Project scaffolder: Standard folder structure plus starter files.

Where to start

Any instruction you repeat more than twice is a candidate for a skill. Capture it, store it, and let Claude carry the consistency for you.