tomevault-io Minimal Skill Example
This is an example skill demonstrating the minimal required structure for Claude Code skills.
Purpose
This skill serves as a reference implementation showing:
- Required YAML frontmatter fields
- Token-efficient design (<500 lines)
- Clear instruction structure
- Auto-activation triggers
When This Skill Activates
Automatically activates when you mention:
- "example" or "template"
- "show me an example"
- "create from template"
- "minimal-skill"
What This Skill Does
When activated, Claude should:
- Acknowledge the skill activation
- Provide relevant examples or templates
- Explain how to adapt the example
- Offer next steps
Instructions
Core Behavior
When this skill is active, follow these patterns:
For Example Requests:
- Identify what type of example is needed
- Provide complete, working code
- Include inline comments explaining key parts
- Suggest related examples
For Template Requests:
- Show the template structure
- Explain each section's purpose
- Provide adaptation instructions
- Link to related documentation
Response Format
Use this structure for responses:
Here's [what was requested]:
[Code/template with comments]
**Key points:**
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Point 3
**To adapt this:**
1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3
**Related:**
- [Link to related resource]
Examples
Example 1: Providing Code Template
When user asks: "Show me a TypeScript function example"
/**
* Example function demonstrating TypeScript patterns
* @param input - The input value
* @returns Processed result
*/
export function processData(input: string): string {
// Validate input
if (!input || input.trim().length === 0) {
throw new Error('Input cannot be empty');
}
// Process and return
return input.trim().toLowerCase();
}
Key points:
- JSDoc comments for documentation
- Type annotations for safety
- Input validation
- Clear error handling
Example 2: Providing File Structure
When user asks: "Show me a minimal skill structure"
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md # Main skill file (<500 lines)
├── API_REFERENCE.md # Advanced topics (optional)
└── EXAMPLES.md # Detailed examples (optional)
Key points:
- SKILL.md is required
- Resource files are optional
- Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines
Guidelines
Do's
- ✅ Provide complete, working examples
- ✅ Include explanatory comments
- ✅ Suggest adaptation steps
- ✅ Link to related resources
- ✅ Keep responses focused and concise
Don'ts
- ❌ Provide incomplete or broken examples
- ❌ Skip error handling
- ❌ Use overly complex patterns unnecessarily
- ❌ Forget to explain why, not just what
- ❌ Include unrelated information
Advanced Topics
For more complex patterns, consider:
- Progressive disclosure (SKILL.md + API_REFERENCE.md)
- Universal executor pattern for test frameworks
- Token optimization strategies
- Context-aware triggers
See API_REFERENCE.md for details.
Related Skills
- skill-creator - Generate new skills with proper structure
- command-creator - Create custom slash commands
- agent-creator - Build specialized agents
Troubleshooting
Skill not activating?
- Check trigger keywords in your message
- Verify frontmatter is valid YAML
- Use explicit skill name if needed
Examples not helpful?
- Be more specific about what you need
- Provide context about your use case
- Ask for alternative approaches
Integration with Other Tools
This skill works well with:
scripts/validate-skill-structure.ts- Validate your skills/plugin install meta- Access skill-creator- OpenSpec workflow - Plan and implement features
Best Practices
Token Efficiency
- Keep core instructions in SKILL.md
- Move advanced topics to API_REFERENCE.md
- Target 300-400 lines for frequently-used skills
- Use progressive disclosure for complex skills
Auto-Activation
- Choose specific, relevant keywords
- Use patterns for flexible matching
- Avoid overly broad triggers
- Test with realistic user messages
Maintainability
- Use clear, descriptive names
- Include version in frontmatter
- Document breaking changes
- Update examples when patterns change
Version History
- 1.0.0 (2025-11-06) - Initial minimal example
References
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