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Skill components: repeatable workflows for an agent.

[Publishing and authoring](/en/ai/docs/authoring)

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[Supported harnesses](/en/ai/docs/harnesses)

[Overview](/en/ai/docs)

[Quickstart](/en/ai/docs/quickstart)

[Security checks](/en/ai/docs/security-checks)

[Trust and safety](/en/ai/docs/trust)

[Catalog](/en/ai/docs/catalog)

[CLI](/en/ai/docs/cli)

[Install telemetry](/en/ai/docs/cli/telemetry)

[agent](/en/ai/docs/components/agent)

[command](/en/ai/docs/components/command)

[hook](/en/ai/docs/components/hook)

[Components](/en/ai/docs/components)

[instruction](/en/ai/docs/components/instruction)

[mcp](/en/ai/docs/components/mcp)

[plugin](/en/ai/docs/components/plugin)

[setting](/en/ai/docs/components/setting)

[skill](/en/ai/docs/components/skill)

[Concepts](/en/ai/docs/concepts)

[Publishing](/en/ai/docs/publishing)

[Setups](/en/ai/docs/setups)

[Troubleshooting](/en/ai/docs/troubleshooting)

[Trust and safety](/en/ai/docs/trust-and-safety)

# `skill` A `skill` is a portable agent workflow. It usually holds a `SKILL.md`, instructions, references, assets and sometimes scripts that help an agent carry out a specialised task without guessing at the process. A skill answers the question: "how should the agent do this class of task?" ## How a skill differs from its neighbours | Kind | The main difference | | --- | --- | | `instruction` | gives general rules and context, and need not describe a workflow | | `command` | runs as a named shortcut, while a skill activates on the meaning of the task | | `plugin` | extends the harness itself, while a skill extends the agent's working behaviour | | `mcp` | gives a tool interface, while a skill explains when and how to use it | ## How a skill moves through `ai_stp` === "Author" The author publishes the skill from a public GitHub source, or imports it locally. The version pins an exact commit and subpath. === "Catalog" The catalog shows what it is for, the supported harnesses, the constraints, the author's trusted status and the component's own independent status. === "Compiler" The compiler checks that the skill can be built into the chosen setup and that its file structure suits the provider's projection. === "Provider" The provider places the skill in the harness's native directory and updates the related indexes only after a plan, a digest and a confirmation. ## What to look at before installing | Check | Why it matters | | --- | --- | | Are there scripts | scripts can act outside the Markdown | | Are there references or assets | the agent needs the whole set, not only `SKILL.md` | | Is the harness compatible | the same skill name does not guarantee the same format | | Who is the author | a verified author does not make content automatically safe | | Which version is pinned | updating a skill makes a new version of the setup | ??? question "Can a skill be used without publishing it" Yes. Your own, imported or exactly pinned skill can be used after local checks. It does not thereby become platform-verified, and it must be shown as exactly what it is: a local or pinned object.