using-skills_skill

Overview

This skill introduces mandatory workflows for checking and using available skills before any task, plus required search and brainstorming behaviors. It enforces reading the current skill file, announcing use, and creating explicit todos for checklist items to avoid skipped steps.

How this skill works

At session start or before any task, run the skills search tool to locate relevant skills and read the full skill file at its path. If a relevant skill exists, explicitly announce that you read it and state how you will use it, then follow the skill instructions exactly. When a skill contains a checklist, create individual TodoWrite todos for each checklist item and complete them in order.

When to use it

• At session start to discover applicable skills for upcoming work
• Before beginning any task, even small or apparently simple ones
• When a skill search returns a match for the task you must perform
• Whenever a skill includes a checklist or rigid workflow
• When transparency of process is required for collaboration or review

Best practices

• Always run the search tool (find-skills) rather than relying on memory
• Read the entire skill file at its path before claiming to use it
• Announce: "I've read the [Skill Name] skill and I'm using it to [purpose]"
• Create a separate TodoWrite todo for each checklist item; do not batch
• Treat rigid skills (TDD, debugging) as rules to follow exactly; adapt only flexible-pattern skills

Example use cases

• Discovering a testing or TDD skill before implementing new functionality
• Finding and following a systematic debugging skill when investigating an error
• Running a brainstorming skill to convert a vague request into a concrete design
• Using a verification or deployment checklist skill and tracking each step with TodoWrite
• Checking for naming or architecture guidance before starting a refactor