Learn one feature at a time
Save a workflow
you want to reuse.
Understand skills, find installed ones, and practice with a small review-only recipe.
What is a skill?
A skill is a reusable set of instructions and, sometimes, supporting files or scripts. It helps Claude perform a particular kind of task. A skill does not guarantee accuracy and may contain code that needs review.
| Use this | When you need |
|---|---|
| CLAUDE.md instructions | Recurring project facts and working rules. |
| Skill | A repeatable task with specific steps and an output. |
| Plugin | A packaged group of useful capabilities. |
| Connector | Access to information or actions in another service. |
Find a skill first
In Claude, inspect Customize → Skills. Use the directory to find suitable skills and check their source. In Claude Code, type / to see what is available. A skill can be selected explicitly, and supported skills can also be used when Claude judges them relevant.
Make a review-only practice skill
In a practice repository, a skill can live at .claude/skills/explain-change/SKILL.md. Review this file before adding it:
---
name: explain-change
description: Explain the current project diff for a beginner.
disable-model-invocation: true
---
Read the current diff without editing anything.
Explain the purpose of each changed file in plain language.
Separate verified behavior from assumptions.
List relevant tests and missing evidence.
Do not commit, push, deploy, or send messages.The invocation setting makes this an explicit-use skill. Try /explain-change in a supported session and compare the response with the actual diff. If it is missing, check the file location, installed version, and skill discovery controls.
Review repository skills before running Claude
A project skill’s allowed-tools can apply when that skill is invoked even in a folder you have not trusted. Review skill frontmatter and scripts in cloned repositories before starting Claude Code there. A skill can approve more tool access than its friendly name suggests. See the security learning path.
Improve it using evidence
Try one small change and one empty diff. Did the skill invent work, skip important files, or give an unclear answer? Refine only the instruction causing that problem. Avoid adding overlapping skills for the same task. Keep actual permissions limited independently of the skill text.
References
- Anthropic. (n.d.-t). Extend Claude with skills. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills
- Anthropic. (n.d.-as). Use skills in Claude. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12512180-use-skills-in-claude
Was this chapter useful?
Report an errorVotes are shared only if you enable optional measurement in Privacy & Preferences.