Create Skill Wizard
This skill helps you create new Agent Zero skills that follow the SKILL.md standard.
Quick Start
To create a new skill, I'll guide you through these steps:
- Name & Purpose - What should this skill do?
- Trigger Patterns - When should this skill activate?
- Content Structure - What instructions should the agent follow?
- Supporting Files - Any scripts or templates needed?
Every skill needs a SKILL.md file with YAML frontmatter:
yaml
1---
2name: "skill-name"
3description: "Clear description of what this skill does and when to use it"
4version: "1.0.0"
5author: "Your Name"
6tags: ["category1", "category2"]
7trigger_patterns:
8 - "keyword1"
9 - "phrase that triggers this"
10---
11
12# Skill Title
13
14Your skill instructions go here...
Required Fields
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|
name | Unique identifier (lowercase, hyphens) | "code-review" |
description | When/why to use this skill | "Review code for quality and security issues" |
Optional Fields
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|
version | Semantic version | "1.0.0" |
author | Creator name | "Jane Developer" |
tags | Categorization keywords | ["review", "quality"] |
trigger_patterns | Words/phrases that activate skill | ["review", "check code"] |
allowed_tools | Tools this skill can use | ["code_execution", "web_search"] |
Skill Directory Structure
/a0/usr/skills/
└── my-skill/
├── SKILL.md # Required: Main skill file
├── scripts/ # Optional: Helper scripts
│ ├── helper.py
│ └── process.sh
├── templates/ # Optional: Templates
│ └── output.md
└── docs/ # Optional: Additional docs
└── examples.md
Writing Good Skill Instructions
Be Specific and Actionable
markdown
1# Good
2When reviewing code:
31. Check for security vulnerabilities
42. Verify error handling
53. Assess test coverage
6
7# Bad
8Review the code and make it better.
Include Examples
markdown
1## Example Usage
2
3**User**: "Review my Python function for issues"
4
5**Agent Response**:
6> I'll review your function using the code review checklist:
7>
8> 1. **Security**: No user input validation detected
9> 2. **Error Handling**: Missing try-catch for file operations
10> 3. **Testing**: Function is testable but no tests found
Provide Checklists
markdown
1## Review Checklist
2- [ ] Input validation present
3- [ ] Error handling complete
4- [ ] Tests included
5- [ ] Documentation updated
Creating Your Skill: Step by Step
Step 1: Define Purpose
Answer these questions:
- What problem does this skill solve?
- When should the agent use it?
- What's the expected output?
Step 2: Choose a Name
- Use lowercase letters and hyphens
- Be descriptive but concise
- Examples:
code-review, data-analysis, deploy-helper
Step 3: Write Trigger Patterns
List words/phrases that should activate this skill:
yaml
1trigger_patterns:
2 - "review"
3 - "check code"
4 - "code quality"
5 - "pull request"
Step 4: Structure Your Content
Organize with clear sections:
markdown
1# Skill Title
2
3## When to Use
4Describe the trigger conditions
5
6## The Process
7Step-by-step instructions
8
9## Examples
10Show sample interactions
11
12## Tips
13Additional guidance
Step 5: Add Supporting Files (Optional)
If your skill needs scripts or templates:
bash
1# Create directory structure
2mkdir -p /a0/usr/skills/my-skill/{scripts,templates,docs}
Example: Complete Skill
yaml
1---
2name: "python-optimizer"
3description: "Optimize Python code for performance and readability. Use when asked to improve or optimize Python code."
4version: "1.0.0"
5author: "Agent Zero Team"
6tags: ["python", "optimization", "performance"]
7trigger_patterns:
8 - "optimize python"
9 - "improve performance"
10 - "make faster"
11 - "python optimization"
12---
13
14# Python Optimizer
15
16## When to Use
17Activate when user asks to optimize, improve, or speed up Python code.
18
19## Optimization Process
20
21### Step 1: Profile First
22Before optimizing, understand where time is spent:
23```python
24import cProfile
25cProfile.run('your_function()')
Step 2: Common Optimizations
-
Use List Comprehensions
python
1# Slow
2result = []
3for x in data:
4 result.append(x * 2)
5
6# Fast
7result = [x * 2 for x in data]
-
Use Sets for Lookups
python
1# Slow: O(n)
2if item in large_list:
3
4# Fast: O(1)
5if item in large_set:
-
Use Generators for Large Data
python
1# Memory-heavy
2data = [process(x) for x in huge_list]
3
4# Memory-efficient
5data = (process(x) for x in huge_list)
Step 3: Verify Improvement
Always measure before and after:
python
1import time
2start = time.perf_counter()
3# code to measure
4elapsed = time.perf_counter() - start
5print(f"Took {elapsed:.4f} seconds")
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
- Premature optimization
- Optimizing without profiling
- Sacrificing readability for tiny gains
## Skill Installation
### Local Installation
1. Create skill directory:
```bash
mkdir -p /a0/usr/skills/my-skill
-
Create SKILL.md:
bash
1touch /a0/usr/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md
-
Add content and save
-
Skills are automatically loaded on next agent initialization
Sharing Skills
To share skills with others:
- Create a GitHub repository
- Include the skill directory structure
- Add a README with installation instructions
- Users can copy to their
/a0/usr/skills/ directory
Testing Your Skill
After creating a skill:
- Start a new conversation
- Use one of your trigger patterns
- Verify the agent follows your instructions
- Iterate and improve based on results