skill
Skill components: repeatable workflows for an agent.
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.