Agent skill · writing content · davila7
writing-skills
Use when creating new skills, editing existing skills, or verifying skills work before deployment
Why this skill is useful
Provides structured documentation patterns and techniques for skill creation that enhance agent compliance and usability.
What it needs
About 11k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-06. 30,138 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Writing Skills Overview Writing skills IS Test-Driven Development applied to process documentation. Personal skills live in agent-specific directories (~/.claude/skills for Claude Code, ~/.codex/skills for Codex) You write test cases (pressure scenarios with subagents), watch them fail (baseline behavior), write the skill (documentation), watch tests pass (agents comply), and refactor (close loopholes). Core principle: If you didn't watch an agent fail without the skill, you don't know if the skill teaches the right thing. REQUIRED BACKGROUND: You MUST understand superpowers:test-driven-development before using this skill. That skill defines the fundamental RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle. This skill adapts TDD to documentation. Official guidance: For Anthropic's official skill authoring best practices, see anthropic-best-practices.md. This document provides additional patterns and guidelines that complement the TDD-focused approach in this skill. What is a Skill? A skill is a reference guide for proven techniques, patterns, or tools. Skills help future Claude instances find and apply effective approaches. Skills are: Reusable techniques, patterns, tools, reference guides Skills are NOT: Narratives about how you solved a problem once TDD Mapping for Skills TDD Concept Skill Creation ----------------------- ------------------------------------------------ Test case Pressure scenario with subagent Production code Skill document (SKILL.md) Test fails (RED) Agent violates rule without skill (baseline) Test passes (GREEN) Agent complies with skill present Refactor Close loopholes while maintaining compliance Write test first Run baseline scenario BEFORE writing skill Watch it fail Document exact rationalizations agent uses Minimal code Write skill addressing those specific violations Watch it pass Verify agent now complies Refactor cycle Find new rationalizations → plug → re-verify The entire skill creation process follows RED-GREEN-REFACTOR. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills davila7/writing-skills--0c4546