Skill Authoring Patterns FAQs

Question 1

What is the difference between a skill and a project convention?

Accepted Answer

Skills are for reusable techniques and patterns that apply across projects, while project-specific conventions (like naming schemes for a specific repo) should live in CLAUDE.md.

Question 2

What is Claude Search Optimization (CSO)?

Accepted Answer

CSO is a technique for writing skill descriptions that focus on 'triggering conditions' rather than workflow summaries. This prevents Claude from taking shortcuts and ensures it reads the full skill content when needed.

Question 3

How do I test if a skill actually works?

Accepted Answer

Create a pressure scenario with a subagent. If the agent complies with the skill's rules in a difficult context where it previously failed, the skill is considered 'Green' and ready.

Question 4

How do I ensure my skills don't consume too many tokens?

Accepted Answer

The Writing Skills pattern recommends moving deep reference material to separate files, using cross-references instead of repeats, and keeping frequently-loaded skills under 200 words.

Question 5

Why use TDD for writing AI documentation?

Accepted Answer

TDD ensures your instructions actually change the agent's behavior. By forcing a 'Red' state (watching the agent fail without the skill), you prove the documentation addresses a real gap and isn't just bloat.

Skill Authoring Patterns

Key Features

Use Cases

Skill Authoring Patterns

Key Features

Use Cases