# Agent Skills: The Universal AI Skill Library

> Empowering AI to quickly learn new skills

Hello, I'm Programmer Yupi.

In previous articles, we learned how to generate code with AI. But you might have noticed some issues:

- AI-generated interfaces always follow the same blue-purple gradient pattern
- Having to input the same lengthy prompts repeatedly is tedious
- AI lacks professionalism in certain specialized tasks

Is there a way to quickly teach AI new skills and make it more professional?

In this article, I'll introduce **Agent Skills**, an AI skill system launched by Anthropic that enables AI to rapidly master various professional skills.

⭐️ Recommended video version (easier to understand): [https://bilibili.com/video/BV1T7zzBQEaA](https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1T7zzBQEaA/)

## 1. Before Agent Skills Existed

Before understanding Agent Skills, let's see how we used to solve these problems.

Suppose you're developing a website with AI. To get better results, you tell the AI:

- Don't use blue-purple gradients for the interface
- Don't generate excessive unnecessary documentation
- Follow the company's coding standards

Blah blah blah, hundreds of words.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306620114-3ddb877f-7e14-4e89-abbe-bcd19c33c9ff.png)

Every time you develop a website, you have to write this long, tedious prompt - what a hassle!

So the clever you starts looking for solutions.

First, save common prompts to a separate file (like `prompts.md`) and manually feed them to AI each time.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306653314-5b3a0f47-eff0-4c1c-9b9c-26139abfee80.png)

Then create a resources folder, stuffing it with company coding standards and design materials, telling AI to reference these when writing.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306679682-3f1a3eae-893e-4860-b97d-c7f91b111a8b.png)

Next, you write some scripts to automatically format code, run tests, and commit to Git after AI generates code.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306691846-4dcf892d-1969-40ae-8e73-b7c5c5c5d018.png)

Finally, create an `AGENTS.md` file documenting all standards and workflows for AI to automatically read.

You pat yourself on the back: Hehe, my workflow is perfect!

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306725742-e3c9a7e4-f18b-469c-b3d3-78f38ea8a37e.png)

But soon, you notice a problem. As standards grow, documents become bloated, consuming too much AI context space and wasting tokens in every conversation.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306754832-fad954ff-b289-4e02-a714-e5ca7dafc9cc.png)

This is when Agent Skills should make its entrance!

## 2. What Are Agent Skills?

[Agent Skills](https://claude.com/blog/skills) is an [open standard](https://platform.claude.com/docs/zh-CN/agents-and-tools/agent-skills/overview) launched by Anthropic to enable AI to learn and use various professional skills without repetitive prompt input.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306883902-94de7351-58e4-43ae-86da-e017725d59cc.png)

It defines a standard for **encapsulating AI workflows**: Developers can package complex task instructions, scripts, and resources into a **Skill**; as a user, you just need to install these skills, and the AI can immediately master this capability without reinventing the wheel.

Simply put, they're **skill packs** for AI. These packs contain carefully designed prompts, code scripts, and various resource files.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306811193-2ee3acbc-5e36-46c2-8d08-b2682494fb56.png)

Imagine AI as a workplace newbie. Equip it with a `Document Processing Skill`, and it instantly knows how to create PPTs and handle Excel sheets; install a `Coding Standards Skill`, and it learns to write code according to company standards.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306900359-2a2b73da-a366-411d-ad3b-2ae61f6b5bc4.png)

You might think: Wait, isn't this just packaging documents that teach AI how to do things and files AI needs into folders?

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306918453-1b2d34df-db49-4932-88cd-89eec0c9f773.png)

Yes, that's essentially it. But Anthropic has made it a universal standard with some new tricks in implementation. Let's first practice using Agent Skills before revealing its secrets.

## 3. Getting Started with Agent Skills

Currently, the best tool supporting Agent Skills is Anthropic's official [Claude Code](https://claude.com/product/claude-code). Let's use it to install and use Skills.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769306959992-8489754c-6a63-4685-b804-f27836e92df8.png)

### 1. Installing Skills

First, open Claude Code and enter the command to add the official skill marketplace:

```plain
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills
```

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307009465-4e04d585-3f68-4fcb-a3b0-ba43ad70139a.png)

This is like opening a skill store in your AI assistant, allowing you to acquire skills from the store.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307026089-70a117da-b18e-4c7d-992b-1d08e30a7a0b.png)

In Claude Code, enter the command to install the official skill pack:

```plain
/plugin install example-skills@anthropic-agent-skills
```

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307063576-10e2ce68-b5cd-41c7-8d6c-da0781298929.png)

This example-skills pack contains various official sample skills, including frontend design, web testing, GIF creation, etc.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307079120-6aaf2999-fee5-4fdb-a5e3-2ba66824b4de.png)

After installation, you can directly have AI use these skills.

Alternatively, you can install the [frontend-design](https://www.claudeskill.site/en/skills/anthropic-agent-skills:frontend-design) skill with this command:

```markdown
skill install anthropic-agent-skills:frontend-design
```

### 2. Frontend Design Skill

For example, when creating a website, without skills, AI-generated code would have that familiar blue-purple gradient, the same AI aesthetic every time.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307096370-df6a9ece-2720-4e1d-b725-431eb4e54afa.png)

Now with the frontend-design skill installed - which **teaches AI to generate professionally designed websites** - when you input: "Help me develop a personal portfolio website," AI will proactively ask: "I noticed you have the frontend design skill installed. Would you like to use it to generate more design-conscious pages?"

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307135496-aa2a1e4e-4e8a-43e5-a138-9a148410b52e.png)

After confirmation, AI will use the skill to generate code, bidding farewell to blue-purple gradients and creating uniquely styled, beautiful pages.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307161745-c81ca221-9902-49dd-96de-a99d50a17684.png)

No need to input the same lengthy prompts every time - install the skill once and you're done.

### 3. Document Processing Skills

Besides coding-related skills, official document processing skill packs are also available.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307180929-3b2d4bcf-c1a7-40e0-831d-336c78b9ccb8.png)

Install with this command in Claude Code:

```plain
/plugin install document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills
```

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307200501-48c05a43-75d0-4cf9-bc4f-3f89554f6295.png)

This pack includes skills for PPT creation, Word document generation, Excel data analysis, PDF parsing, etc.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307220369-c4c7889b-6ddc-4f29-8247-9fe02af6d3eb.png)

Now when you ask AI to create a PPT, it will automatically invoke the PPT creation skill, directly generating formatted PPT files, saving you hours.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769141161384-f52f68b1-9260-4ae2-bf92-f418673660e6.png)

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307245673-c64d081e-09c5-4cee-a3a2-7eaa0e1c98ad.png)

## 4. Revealing Agent Skills' Internal Mechanics

You might wonder: How do Skills work immediately after installation? What's inside skill packs? How does AI know which skill to use?

A [skill](https://agentskills.io/what-are-skills) is essentially a folder containing a `SKILL.md` skill documentation file, along with executable scripts, resources, and reference documents.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307275438-55f0f5fb-b429-43cc-9964-c48486af404e.png)

```markdown
my-skill/
├── SKILL.md          # Required: Instructions and metadata  
├── scripts/          # Optional: Executable scripts
├── references/       # Optional: Reference documents
└── assets/           # Optional: Templates and resources
```

Skill structures vary based on complexity. You can find installed skill folders in local directories.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769141068658-ef05e94f-380b-4784-b78c-2c588289832a.png)

Take the official PPT creation skill as an example:

```plain
skills/pptx/
├── SKILL.md          # Skill documentation (required)
├── ooxml/            # OOXML resources
├── scripts/          # Processing scripts  
├── html2pptx.md      # HTML to PPT instructions
├── ooxml.md          # OOML format documentation
└── LICENSE.txt       # License
```

It contains a core skill documentation file `SKILL.md`, along with scripts, reference documents, and resource files.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307298133-872126c8-e0b4-4264-8914-33ddea77c83d.png)

The frontend-design skill only has a `SKILL.md` file.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307312566-e868eead-6723-42e1-80ba-fbffd9976cf2.png)

### SKILL.md File Structure

The `SKILL.md` file is the core of each skill, containing two key parts.

First is the **metadata**, written in YAML at the file's beginning:

```yaml
---
name: frontend-design
description: Generate frontend code with professional design sense, avoiding repetitive AI aesthetics
---
```

`name` is the skill's name. `description` explains when AI should use this skill. Clearer descriptions help AI invoke it at appropriate times.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307333844-a1c504a9-0bf9-41b0-ac0b-364e4edf881d.png)

Second is the **instruction content** - carefully designed prompts guiding AI on exactly how to perform the task.

Take the [frontend-design](https://github.com/anthropics/skills/blob/main/skills/frontend-design/SKILL.md) skill as an example. Its instructions include:

- Design thinking: Before coding, analyze product purpose, user base, technical constraints, then choose a bold aesthetic direction (minimalist, retro-futuristic, industrial, organic natural, luxurious, etc.)
- Frontend aesthetic guidelines: Font selection (avoid overused fonts like Arial, Inter; choose distinctive combinations), color themes (primary colors with vivid accents), motion design, spatial composition, backgrounds and visual details
- Pitfall avoidance: Explicitly prohibit purple gradients, system fonts, repetitive layouts and other AI aesthetic traps

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307344477-48419e65-53ea-4cfe-a495-f70be84b2afe.png)

### Progressive Disclosure Mechanism

With multiple Skills, how does AI know which to use? Wouldn't loading all skill documentation consume too much context?

This introduces the core mechanism of **Progressive Disclosure**.

When you ask AI to perform a task, it first scans the skill directory without loading all content into context. It only reads each skill's metadata (name and description), identifying relevant skills based on task alignment.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307378437-dce56ae8-4336-47c1-9ac6-dc39776222c7.png)

Then it loads the complete skill documentation to execute according to instructions:

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307391204-f81c2a91-e21e-46bb-a49f-205196aa7774.png)

And loads other resources from the skill pack as needed:

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307417577-6c55f619-9bf2-43d5-bc76-80f65c3db3c4.png)

**Load what you need when you need it** - precise matching while saving context. This is the essence of progressive disclosure.

So Agent Skills essentially **package professional knowledge into folders for AI to load and use on demand**.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307432541-5753722e-ba96-404a-b042-c130afb4378f.png)

## 5. Using Agent Skills Across Tools

Besides Claude Code, do other AI tools support Agent Skills?

Absolutely! [Agent Skills](https://agentskills.io/) has become a universal standard supported by tools like Cursor, VS Code, Codex, etc.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307453878-b670716c-f2c7-4eb4-9986-671a7b42b480.png)

The Skills community is also very active. You can find many ready-made skills at [Claude Skills Hub Marketplace](https://www.claudeskill.site/zh/skills), open-source [Awesome Claude Skills](https://github.com/ComposioHQ/awesome-claude-skills), and similar platforms.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307598569-a61f88f7-5b26-41fe-a302-652034ed655c.png)

For example, a skill called [UI UX Pro MAX](https://ui-ux-pro-max-skill.nextlevelbuilder.io/) is particularly popular, specifically designed to enhance AI's design capabilities.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307611502-fa3224d8-9e04-41cd-848a-de9619edf762.png)

### Using Agent Skills in Cursor

Usage is simple. First, follow the [open-source repository documentation](https://github.com/nextlevelbuilder/ui-ux-pro-max-skill) to install the official CLI tool:

```bash
npm install -g uipro-cli
```

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307627168-c682f14b-4517-4325-ad4a-33e88661e714.png)

Then navigate to your project directory and execute the corresponding command based on your AI tool. For example, with Cursor:

```bash
uipro init --ai cursor
```

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307641070-2138ef02-8f26-460a-8cdd-979c59b725de.png)

It will automatically install the skill in Cursor's configuration directory.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307669797-86215fbf-b9de-436f-9864-460eb307c5c5.png)

After installation, you can see its file structure:

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307694431-c4ad6aa0-b559-4ae5-8573-0687948551f2.png)

Now when asking AI to develop a website, you can manually trigger the skill with slash commands or let AI automatically recognize the skill.

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307707968-1545cef4-b8e2-4bf9-b0a7-98130afc78ba.png)

AI will identify product type and required page types based on your needs:

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307720984-a6afcae8-a5e8-4577-be7c-8356b42832ee.png)

Then invoke the `search.py` script to perform multi-dimensional searches in the data directory for suitable colors, fonts, and layout styles:

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307768048-ef58645a-6188-4af7-9865-8033602126f7.png)

Compile search results into a complete design scheme (primary colors, font combinations, spacing standards, etc.):

![](https://pic.yupi.icu/1/1769307782038-59ea2231-b43d-45e3-a39f-6c36b0c7f645.png)

Finally, generate code according to the design scheme:

![](https://pic.y