Skill Creator

Skill Creator

Create Ellama skills that are small enough to trigger reliably, explicit enough for local models, and backed by deterministic tools when work should not depend on model memory.

Workflow

1. Identify concrete trigger examples.

   • Ask at most one or two questions if the user has not provided examples.
   • Capture what a user would say, what files/tools are involved, and what a correct output looks like.
   • Reuse the location the user gave. If none is given, default to ~/.emacs.d/ellama/skills/ for global skills or skills/ for project-local skills.

2. Choose the skill shape.

   • Use only SKILL.md for a simple procedural skill.
   • Add references/ for detailed guidance that should be loaded only when needed.
   • Add scripts/ for fragile, repetitive, or mechanically checkable work.
   • Add templates/ for reusable task subagent prompts.
   • Add assets/ only for files copied or transformed into final outputs.

3. Initialize the folder.

   • Prefer the bundled initializer: python3 <skill-dir>/scripts/init_ellama_skill.py <name> --path <dir>.
   • Use lowercase letters, digits, and hyphens for names.
   • Make the folder name match the name field.

4. Write SKILL.md.

   • Use YAML frontmatter with at least name and description.
   • Put all trigger conditions in description; the body is loaded only after the model has already selected the skill.
   • Keep the body as a routing and workflow guide, not a manual.
   • Link every reference file from SKILL.md and say when to read it.

5. Adapt for Ellama tools.

   • Use read_file to load skill instructions and references.
   • Use grep, grep_in_file, lines_range, and directory_tree before broad reads.
   • Use write_file for new files and edit_file for precise edits.
   • Use shell_command only when deterministic validation or generation is worth the extra tool risk.
   • Use ask_user only when a missing answer would make the skill wrong.
   • Use task only for clearly separable work; require subagents to finish with report_result.

6. Validate.

   • Run python3 <skill-dir>/scripts/validate_ellama_skill.py <target-skill>.
   • Run or smoke-test any added scripts.
   • For skills that use task, check template placeholders against the documented arguments object.

7. Iterate from real failures.

   • Prefer changing a script, template, reference, or validation check over adding vague warnings to SKILL.md.
   • When a small model repeats the same mistake, add a mechanical example or a narrower instruction near the step where the mistake happens.

Ellama References

Read only the file needed for the current decision:

• references/ellama-skill-format.md: Ellama skill structure, frontmatter, discovery paths, task templates, and validation rules.
• references/small-model-skill-design.md: How to make skills robust for small/local models.
• references/porting-codex-skills.md: How to port Codex/OpenAI skills to Ellama without copying incompatible assumptions.

Output Shape

When creating or updating a skill, report:

Skill path:
Files created or changed:
Validation:
Notes:

Keep the final answer short. Mention only meaningful tradeoffs, missing inputs, or validation that could not be run.