Claude Code Skills: The Complete Setup and Creation Guide
Learn how to install, create, and manage Claude Code skills. From installing pre-built skills to creating your own custom workflows, this hands-on guide covers everything you need to supercharge Claude.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are Claude Code skills?
Skills are reusable instruction sets stored as markdown files that Claude follows automatically when relevant. They let you teach Claude your workflows once—brand voice, code review checklists, report formatting—instead of re-explaining every time.
How do I install a Claude Code skill?
Install skills using /install-skill followed by the skill path or URL. Skills can be personal (in ~/.claude/skills/), project-level (in your project's .claude/skills/ folder), or installed from external sources like GitHub.
How do I create a custom Claude Code skill?
Create a SKILL.md file with YAML frontmatter (name and description) followed by your instructions in markdown. The easiest approach is to ask Claude to interview you about your workflow, then generate the skill file automatically.
What is the difference between personal and project skills?
Personal skills live in ~/.claude/skills/ and apply everywhere you use Claude Code. Project skills live in your project's .claude/skills/ folder and only apply to that specific project. Use personal skills for your preferences, project skills for team standards.
How do I trigger a Claude Code skill?
Skills can trigger automatically when Claude detects they're relevant, or you can invoke them explicitly with slash commands like /brand-voice or /code-review. The skill's description in the frontmatter determines when it auto-triggers.
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