Example Skill

Example Skill is an official reference skill from Anthropic's claude-plugins-official repository. According to the provider, it demonstrates how skills for Claude Code can be structured and described. It is therefore less a finished automation tool than a teaching pattern for people who want to understand, plan, or create their own plugin skills. Its central purpose is to give Claude useful context when a task concerns skill formats, skill templates, or development patterns.

Purpose and triggers

The official skill description names specific conversation signals. It is intended for requests to demonstrate skills, show a skill format, create a skill template, or discuss skill development patterns. This wording is not merely documentation for a human reader. It is also the basis on which Claude can select the resource for a relevant task context. Strong triggers are therefore tied to the actual user intent rather than a broad request for programming assistance.

What a skill is

According to the provider, skills are model-invoked capabilities that Claude uses autonomously when the surrounding task makes them relevant. This differs from commands, which a person invokes explicitly, and agents, which Claude spawns as separate work processes. A skill primarily supplies contextual guidance. It is not an independent service, a guaranteed outcome, or a replacement for testing and subject-matter review. This distinction helps authors keep a skill focused and makes its responsibility understandable.

Files and extension points

The official example presents one required SKILL.md file inside a directory named for the skill. A skill may also include additional documentation, references, examples, or helper scripts when those materials genuinely support the task. These are optional extensions and should each have a clear purpose. A compact skill is easier to discover, maintain, and review than a miscellaneous folder with no boundary. The main file should identify the skill, explain when it applies, and optionally state a semantic version when versioning helps users understand changes.

Effective descriptions

Anthropic recommends including likely user phrases, relevant keywords, and the topic area covered by a skill. Concrete intentions are more useful for activation than vague claims such as helps with everything. The example also communicates that a skill should have a clear purpose, explicit activation conditions, structured guidance, actionable instructions, and practical examples where they help. Authors adapting the pattern should test it against realistic requests and avoid overlapping triggers that make selection ambiguous.

Boundaries and safe use

Example Skill does not build an application and its description alone does not execute changes. A skill written from this pattern can nevertheless guide an agent toward files, network access, or other tools. Do not place secrets, tokens, personal sample data, or risky commands in a template. Review the content and any scripts for prompt injection, unnecessary external transmission, destructive actions, and privilege escalation before use. The final behavior depends on the selected model, project context, and files made available to the agent. According to the provider, the example is a reference for structure and writing, not evidence of quality, security, or factual correctness. The official repository is licensed under Apache-2.0 according to its license file. This entry does not state concrete prices or quotas because applicable conditions depend on the Claude Code setup and provider terms in force at the time of use.