using-skills
Check for relevant skills before starting any task
When & Why to Use This Skill
The 'Using Skills' framework is a foundational meta-skill designed to optimize AI agent performance by ensuring it identifies and implements the most relevant documented best practices before executing any task. By enforcing a 'Check-Read-Announce-Follow' protocol, it maximizes consistency, ensures adherence to project-specific standards, and provides transparent execution for complex software engineering and automation workflows.
Use Cases
- Workflow Standardization: Automatically aligning AI behavior with team-specific coding standards and architectural patterns across a distributed codebase.
- Safety Compliance: Ensuring critical safety checks, such as database backups or security audits, are performed before high-risk operations.
- Error Reduction: Preventing common development mistakes by forcing the AI to reference 'Testing Anti-patterns' or 'Code Review' checklists before finalizing work.
- Project Onboarding: Helping the AI quickly adapt to a new project's unique conventions and SOPs by reading local skill definitions in the .claude/skills directory.
| name | using-skills |
|---|---|
| description | "Check for relevant skills before starting any task" |
Using CodeAssist Skills
Core Principle
Before starting a task, check if any skills apply. Skills are documented best practices that help you work more effectively.
First Response Protocol
For each request:
- Check: Review available skills in
.claude/skills/ - Read: If a skill applies, read the skill file
- Announce: State which skill you're using
- Example: "I'm using the code-review skill to review these changes"
- Follow: Execute the skill's protocol
Why Use Skills
Skills represent tested approaches that:
- Provide consistent patterns across projects
- Include important safety checks
- Prevent common mistakes
- Save time by avoiding rework
Skill Categories
Core Workflow
brainstorming- Discuss approach before implementationwriting-plans- Break work into tasksexecuting-plans- Execute with verificationcode-review- Review before completing
Safety
database-backup- Backup before database operationsverification-before-completion- Final checks before declaring done
Testing
test-driven-development- Write tests firstcondition-based-waiting- Avoid flaky teststesting-anti-patterns- Common mistakes to avoid
Workflow
git-workflow- Branching and commitsgit-worktrees- Parallel development
Skill Discovery
| Task | Relevant Skills |
|---|---|
| Starting a new feature | brainstorming → writing-plans |
| Running tests/migrations | database-backup |
| Adding functionality | test-driven-development |
| Finishing work | code-review → verification-before-completion |
| Multiple features | git-worktrees |
Tips
- Read the skill file rather than relying on memory
- Announce which skill you're using for transparency
- Follow the skill's checklist if it has one
- Skills work best when used consistently
Full Skills Index
See .claude/skills/README.md for the complete list of available skills.