Claude Skills explained: how to teach Claude your workflows
Claude Skills, also called Agent Skills, are folders of instructions, scripts and reference files that Claude loads only when a task needs them. Each skill has a SKILL.md file with a name, a short description and step-by-step instructions. Claude sees just the name and description until a task matches, then reads the full skill. Skills work across Claude’s apps, Claude Code and the API, and follow an open standard.
What is a Claude Skill?
A skill is a small package of know-how. It is a folder containing a SKILL.md file, a Markdown document with a name, a description and instructions, plus any templates, examples or scripts the task needs. When you give Claude a task that matches a skill’s description, Claude reads the instructions and follows them. Anthropic introduced Agent Skills as a way to make Claude better at specialised tasks, such as working with spreadsheets or following an organisation’s brand guidelines, according to Anthropic’s announcement.
Skills follow an open standard, so the same folder can be used by Claude Code, the Claude apps, the API and some other agents. For background on Claude’s products, see what Claude is.
How do skills load?
This layered loading, which Anthropic calls progressive disclosure, means you can keep dozens of skills available without filling Claude’s context. Large reference files and scripts only count when the skill actually runs.
How do skills differ from MCP, Projects and prompts?
| Feature | What it does | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Skills | Teach Claude how to do a task | Repeatable procedures, formats and checklists |
| MCP and connectors | Connect Claude to tools and data | Reading or acting in other apps |
| Projects | Keep files and instructions for one body of work | Ongoing work on a client, product or topic |
| Custom instructions | Set general preferences | Tone, language and defaults |
They work together. A skill might tell Claude to pull figures from your CRM through a connector, then format them with a template. Our guide to connecting Claude to your apps covers connectors, and Claude Projects covers long-running context.
What can a skill do?
- Brand documents: Build decks, reports or one-pagers in your house style with your templates.
- Review checklists: Review code, contracts or designs against your standards.
- Data processing: Clean and validate spreadsheets with a bundled script.
- Support replies: Answer common questions with approved wording and links.
- Research briefs: Collect and structure information in a fixed format.
- Design handoff: Produce specs that follow your design system conventions.
How do you write your first skill?
- Pick a repeatable task: Choose something you explain to Claude or colleagues every week.
- Write the description carefully: One or two sentences saying exactly when the skill applies. Claude uses this to decide when to load it.
- List the steps: Write instructions as you would for a new team member, in order.
- Add examples and templates: Include a good example output and any files Claude should use.
- Test it: Give Claude several tasks, including some that should not trigger the skill.
- Refine: Tighten the description if the skill triggers too often or not at all.
Where can you use skills?
- Claude apps on the web and desktop, where skills can be enabled for your account or organisation
- Claude Code, where skills live in a project or user folder and can be called with a slash command
- The Claude API and Agent SDK, for skills inside your own applications
- Some other coding agents that read the same open format
How should teams manage skills?
Treat skills like shared documentation. Keep them in version control, give each an owner, and review them when processes change. On Team and Enterprise plans, organisation-wide skills mean everyone follows the same method. Only install skills from trusted sources, because a skill can include scripts that run with Claude’s permissions.
How do you know a skill is working?
Compare outputs before and after the skill on the same kinds of task. A good skill reduces the corrections people make, produces consistent formatting and cuts the length of prompts your team needs to write. Keep a short log of where the skill misfired, such as triggering on unrelated tasks or skipping a step, and update the description or instructions accordingly. Small, focused skills are easier to test and improve than one large skill that tries to cover everything.
How UIUX Studio helps
We help teams turn their best workflows into skills, from design-system documentation to review checklists, and build agents that combine skills with connectors. Talk to our Agentic AI & Automation team.
Frequently asked questions
What is a SKILL.md file?
A Markdown file with a name, a description and instructions that tells Claude how to do one task.
Do skills cost extra?
No separate charge; they use your normal Claude plan or API usage.
Are skills the same as MCP?
No. Skills teach Claude a method; MCP connects Claude to tools and data.
Can skills run code?
Yes, a skill can include scripts that Claude runs when the skill is used.
Can I share skills with my team?
Yes. Team and Enterprise plans support organisation-wide skills, and files can be shared in version control.