What a skill is
A Claude skill is a folder that teaches Claude how to do one kind of job. At its heart is a file called SKILL.md: a short header that says what the skill is for, then the instructions Claude follows. Some skills also bring scripts, templates or reference files.
Think of it as a playbook. Instead of explaining your process every time ("check the brief, then pick the fonts, then..."), you write it once in a skill, and Claude follows it whenever the job comes up.
Inside a SKILL.md file
The header holds a name and a one-line description. Everything below it is plain Markdown.
---
name: taste-engine
description: Designs landing pages that don't look like a template. Use when the user asks for a landing page, portfolio or redesign.
---
# Taste Engine
Read the brief before writing any code...The name is short and lowercase. The description matters most: it tells Claude what the skill does and when to reach for it. The SKILL.md format guide covers every field.
Where skills live
- Claude Code, for you: ~/.claude/skills/. Every project on your computer can use them.
- Claude Code, for one project: .claude/skills/ inside the repo, so your team gets them too.
- Claude.ai: you upload a skill as a zip in Settings, under Capabilities.
Step by step for Mac, Linux and Windows: how to install a Claude Code skill.
How Claude picks one
Claude reads every skill's name and description when a session starts. That's only a few lines each, so you can keep many skills installed. When your request matches a description, Claude loads that skill's full instructions, and any extra files only when it needs them. Skills you aren't using stay out of the way.
That's also why a vague description ("helps with design") works badly: Claude can't tell when to use it. A good one names the job and the moments it applies to.
Skills, MCP servers and CLAUDE.md
- A skill is know-how: how to do a job, loaded only when the job comes up.
- An MCP server is a connection: it gives Claude access to a tool or data, like a database or an app.
- CLAUDE.md is always-on project notes: facts and rules Claude reads at the start of every session in that project.
They work well together: an MCP server gives Claude access to something, and a skill tells it the right way to use it.
Where to get skills
Skills use an open format, so they work in Claude Code, Claude.ai and other agents like Cursor, Gemini CLI and GitHub Copilot. You can write your own, find free ones on GitHub (Anthropic publishes some in its public skills repository), browse community directories, or buy ready-made packs.
The Try It, Build It Skill Library is the curated option: 64 skills renamed, packaged and credited to their open-source authors, with one-time prices from $3.