Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or later
• Claude Code CLI installed and authenticated
• A terminal you’re comfortable with

Installation

Install skill-forge globally:

npm install -g skill-forge

Verify the installation:

skill-forge --version

Create Your First Skill

Run the create command with a name for your skill:

skill-forge create my-first-skill

You’ll be prompted to choose a template:

? Choose a template:
  ❯ basic          — Minimal SKILL.md with references
    cli-tool       — CLI helper with scripts
    browser        — Browser automation with Playwright
    code-review    — Code review and analysis
    custom         — Empty scaffold, full control

After selecting a template, skill-forge generates:

my-first-skill/
├── SKILL.md            # Main skill definition
├── references/         # Supporting documents and data
│   └── conventions.md  # Coding conventions for the skill
├── scripts/            # Automation scripts (optional)
└── tests/              # Validation tests (optional)

Edit Your SKILL.md

The generated SKILL.md is the heart of your skill. Open it and customize:

# my-first-skill

## Description
A skill that helps developers with [your use case here].

## When to Use
- Trigger condition 1
- Trigger condition 2

## Instructions
1. Step one of what the agent should do
2. Step two with specific guidance
3. Step three for completion

## References
- `references/conventions.md` — Coding conventions

Validate

Before publishing, validate that everything follows the skill specification:

skill-forge validate

This checks:

• SKILL.md exists and has required sections
• Referenced files actually exist
• Frontmatter (if any) is well-formed
• No circular references

What’s Next?

• Learn about all features skill-forge offers
• Explore available templates
• Understand validation rules