Executes these capabilities
Inside this skill
The internal capability tree shows how this skill gets its work done.
- scope definition
- trigger design
- input contract design
- action sequencing
- error handling
- output contract design
- skill testing
- documentation
The contract
Input
- The task the skill should handle
- Examples of good and bad input
- Available tools and permissions
Output
- A SKILL.md with frontmatter and instructions
- Test cases and validation methods
Deliverables
- The skill file
- A short test plan
Use cases
- Reusing a workflow across projects
- Sharing a team standard
- Publishing a skill for others
Dependencies and replacements
Dependencies
- A clear task definition
- Access to the tools the skill calls
Required tools
- A text editor
- The agent environment to test in
Required permissions
- Write access where the skill will run
Compatible with
- validation-checklist
- project-memory
Alternatives
- A documented runbook instead of a skill
- A prompt template
Replaceable components
- The instruction format
- The exact wording of steps
Reliability
Human checkpoints
- Approve the scope before writing actions
- Review test results before first release
Limitations
- A skill cannot guarantee behavior across model versions
- Underspecified environments break skills
- Over-scoped skills are untestable
Failure modes
- Scope creep from undocumented edge cases
- Steps that assume unstated context
- No tests, so regressions go unnoticed
Recovery steps
- Narrow the scope and split the skill
- Make inputs and expected outputs explicit
- Add a test case for each failure mode
Validation methods
- Run the skill twice on the same input and diff outputs
- Test each failure mode and recovery path
- Confirm a fresh agent can follow the instructions alone
Sources
Entry checked on Jul 31, 2026. Verification status reflects what AgentSkillTree has independently run, not the skill's own claims.
When to use
Use when you find yourself repeating the same multi-step procedure across projects or sessions. A skill captures the procedure once, with the boundaries and checks that make it repeatable.
How it works
Define the scope first, then the input and output contracts, then the ordered actions with failure branches, then the human checkpoints, then the tests. Documentation is the last step, written from the tested behavior, not from intent.