How do I install the Style skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add gpshead/style in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

What does the Style skill do?

CPython Coding Style and Standards It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Style safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Style?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Style free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

gpshead (@gpshead) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Style by gpshead — Agent Skill

Name: Style
Author: gpshead

File contents

CPython Coding Style and Standards

Style Guidelines

Python code (Lib/ etc): Follow PEP 8. Be consistent with nearby code.

C code (Modules/, Objects/, Python/, Include/): Follow PEP 7. Be consistent with nearby code.

Critical Rules

No trailing whitespace on any line, and preserve the final newline at the end of files - pre-commit enforces both.
No type annotations in the Lib/ tree - stdlib annotations are maintained separately in typeshed. Annotations may be OK in Tools/ or test code if requested.
No autoformatting by default - use Doc/venv/bin/ruff format only if explicitly requested.

Pre-Commit Workflow

Before committing, run from repo root. $BUILD_DIR, $BUILT_PY, and $NCPU are placeholders from the build skill (typically build, build/python, and your core count) — substitute the concrete values; shell state doesn't persist between commands.

# 1. Pre-commit hooks (checks whitespace, file endings, syntax)
#    Prefer prek (faster drop-in) if installed; otherwise use pre-commit.
#    Pass the files you changed; --all-files also works but is slower on this tree.
if command -v prek >/dev/null; then prek run --files <changed files>; else pre-commit run --files <changed files>; fi

# 2. Patchcheck (must pass - validates C/Python style, docs, whitespace)
make -C $BUILD_DIR patchcheck

# 3. If you modified Doc/, verify reStructuredText
make -C Doc check

# 4. Run relevant tests
$BUILT_PY -m test test_yourmodule -j $NCPU

Then audit any comments you added — see Comment Quality below.

Documentation

Python docstrings: Follow PEP 257, document params/returns/exceptions
C comments: Follow PEP 7, document complex algorithms
reStructuredText (Doc/): Follow Sphinx/reST conventions, verify with make -C Doc check

Comment Quality

Comments outlive the PR that added them. Before committing, re-read each comment you added and ask: would a reader in two years, with no knowledge of this PR, find this useful? Run /cpython:comments for the full guided audit pass — it has the complete test and fix patterns.

---name: styledescription: CPython Coding Style and Standards---# CPython Coding Style and Standards## Style Guidelines**Python code** (`Lib/` etc): Follow PEP 8. Be consistent with nearby code.**C code** (`Modules/`, `Objects/`, `Python/`, `Include/`): Follow PEP 7. Be consistent with nearby code.## Critical Rules- No trailing whitespace on any line, and preserve the final newline at the end of files - pre-commit enforces both.- **No type annotations in the `Lib/` tree** - stdlib annotations are maintained separately in typeshed. Annotations may be OK in `Tools/` or test code if requested.- No autoformatting by default - use `Doc/venv/bin/ruff format` only if explicitly requested.## Pre-Commit WorkflowBefore committing, run from repo root. `$BUILD_DIR`, `$BUILT_PY`, and `$NCPU` are placeholders from the `build` skill (typically `build`, `build/python`, and your core count) — substitute the concrete values; shell state doesn't persist between commands.```bash# 1. Pre-commit hooks (checks whitespace, file endings, syntax)# Prefer prek (faster drop-in) if installed; otherwise use pre-commit.# Pass the files you changed; --all-files also works but is slower on this tree.if command -v prek >/dev/null; then prek run --files <changed files>; else pre-commit run --files <changed files>; fi# 2. Patchcheck (must pass - validates C/Python style, docs, whitespace)make -C $BUILD_DIR patchcheck# 3. If you modified Doc/, verify reStructuredTextmake -C Doc check# 4. Run relevant tests$BUILT_PY -m test test_yourmodule -j $NCPU```Then **audit any comments you added** — see Comment Quality below.## Documentation- **Python docstrings**: Follow PEP 257, document params/returns/exceptions- **C comments**: Follow PEP 7, document complex algorithms- **reStructuredText** (`Doc/`): Follow Sphinx/reST conventions, verify with `make -C Doc check`## Comment QualityComments outlive the PR that added them. Before committing, re-read each comment you added and ask: **would a reader in two years, with no knowledge of this PR, find this useful?** Run `/cpython:comments` for the full guided audit pass — it has the complete test and fix patterns.

Frequently asked questions

Style